Fever Pitch Building

Hire A House Builder To Build Your New Dream Home

Many people have the dream of building, or having built, their dream home. At Fever Pitch, we build homes to fit your lifestyle, family needs, and to get the best out of your section, including, light, efficient use of space, and making best use of the orientation of your new home. If you are thinking about building a new home, here are a few ideas to think about and an insight into how we work.

The Land

If you already have a section, so much the better but if you want help in finding the perfect section for you, we have partners who can help you with that aspect.

The New Build Process

You talk, we listen When we meet you, we like to let you talk about your hopes and aspirations for your new home. We want to find out about your family, your lifestyle, and what you want for your household. We will also help you understand the different consents you will need from the Council, and give you a guide as to how long that process takes. Another key questions is who will be the project manager for the building process?  One of the key services we offer, is project management, not just for our own building projects but to third-party projects too.

More Questions

We firmly believe that the more questions we ask, the better the end result will be for you. So we like to get an idea of the type of materials you are considering, what fixtures and fittings, and even the interior design feel you want. We also want to get a feel for your budget so as you talk, we can look at the land and guide you as to what is achievable within that budget on that section. Sometimes people’s ideas are just too costly for their available finance, so we like to manage expectations from the start. This can include finishing materials, amenities like a pool, or heating systems. We can give you a ball-park during our early discussions so you can work things into your budget, and plan.

Designing Your Home

You might already have an architect that you want to work with. That’s fine, and we have worked with many architects and designers. On the other hand, we can introduce you to highly-skilled and creative house designers who can turn your vision into a blueprint for us to work from.

The Build Process

Communication – the most important part of the building process At Fever Pitch, we believe that regular, and open communication is the secret to a successful new house build. From the start we talk regularly about each stage of the process, from the initial design concept through planning, consent, and especially the building. We like to have an on-site progress meeting each week so you are aware of any issues that have cropped up, you understand where we are according to schedule and budget, and you can make any decisions that might be needed.

Why It’s Worth Hiring A Builder For Major Home Renovations

You have decided that you want to renovate your home. You have got a design that will suit your needs. The next decision is the big one for many Kiwis with the can-do attitude we have.

Do you do the renovations yourself or do you hire a renovation builder to do the job?

Many Kiwis have DIY in our blood, and so the temptation can be a strong one to make the plunge and do the renovations to your home yourself. But before you do make that decision, you need to bear in mind a few key factors.

What Is Your Experience With Major House Renovations?

You need to be absolutely honest here.

Even if you have plenty of experience with home improvement projects, like changing doors, installing interior walls, or renovating your kitchen, with a major renovating or house extension project, there are some serious challenges that even professional builders face.  

Put simply, some tasks will be too hard to handle on your own. Erecting exterior walls, making them weather-proof, installing a water-tight roof, these are just a few of the big tasks you will face with a major home renovation.

How Much Spare Time Do You Have?

A major house renovation or building an extension takes a lot of time. For example, a team of four qualified tradies working all week might take three months on a house extension. If you can only work on it at weekends, or in the evenings, say 30 hours per week, your project will take nearly 18 months to complete, assuming no big problems along the way.

Will You Get Insurance Cover?

These days the insurance industry is becoming even more restrictive and expensive.  They are insisting on renovation works being up to the current building code to get insurance coverage on your home. Most building work now needs to be signed off and certificates of conformity issued. If building works do not meet the current standards, then they will decline insurance cover.

How Much Stress Can And Your Family Handle?

You may have seen building renovation programmes on TV, and the huge amounts of stress and emotional turmoil that families go through in the renovation project. Even when you hire an experienced renovation builder, there will still be stressful times for you but those families you see on TV are the norm for self-renovation building works.

How Flexible Is Your Funding For Your Renovation Project?

It is essential to understand the difference between a budget and expected expenditure. People will cost an extension or renovation project, and decide on a budget they can afford. Yet almost every house renovation project has unforeseen issues, errors, and schedule over-runs. All of these cost extra. Then there are the design changes that many people make part-way through the buildings works. These usually cost more too.

As a result, almost every major home renovations project goes over budget. Therefore, you need to have flexible or additional finance of some sort in place before you start in case you do have to call on that extra funding. This one task alone can save a huge amount of stress knowing there is something in reserve in case tings do go wrong. 

But for many people, their budget is close to the limit on what they can spend. In that case you are going to want a costing that is close to the likely ultimate price so that you know with a high level of confidence that your renovations can go ahead and be completed close to your available funding.

A Builder For Major House Renovations Can Solve Those Problems

Expertise And Experience In Major Hour Renovating

The main benefit of hiring a recommended house renovations builder is they bring expertise to the table. A good builder will have sufficient experience working on large home renovation projects so they know what to look for from the beginning reducing the number of nasty surprises along the way.  There will inevitably be some issue but by hiring a professional from the start, they can point out likely problems so they can be built into your budget which will reduce your stress levels and financial shocks.

If you try to carry-out the building works you are likely to make mistakes which means spending even more money on fixing those mistakes. A professional has the expertise and tools to get the job done right the first time around. It’s not for nothing that builders say, “Measure twice, cut once.”

Save Time And Money With Access To Proven Sub-Contractors

Few building companies employ tradespeople for all the different tasks in house renovating. For the DIY-er, they have to look for and then verify that potential tradies are competent for the job. By hiring a professional house renovation builder, they will already have their own approved set of people for the specialist jobs like plumbing, electrics, even decorators. This alone can save you a huge amount of time in looking for suitable tradespeople.

This can also save you a lot of money if you are doing a self-build because you might mis-time when you need a particular set of workers. If you have booked the plumber but your framing is not finished, you will be billed for the time, and then again when you call them back when they can do their job. A professional builder will know the right time to book the various trades, and in the right order too. Idle labour is expensive.

The Right Equipment For Home Renovations

Let’s not forget too that a builder has access to the right equipment and tools. The chances are you only have the most basic tools, which means you probably can’t do certain tasks. You might have to buy expensive equipment for limited usage, or more likely hire tools. That is expensive too. A builder will already have the necessary tools, thereby saving you money.

Home Renovations Built To Schedule

Working with a builder saves a lot of time too. As we saw, a part-time self-build job could take 18 months or more, but hiring a professional you can still focus on your day job, and leave the hassles of the building work to experienced, and more efficient tradespeople.

Not only that but you don’t have to take time away from your family to do anything related to the renovation.

A good builder will agree a completion schedule with you before the start of the job subject to certain constraints. This not only gives you peace of mind, but it also gives you reasonably strong targets for your temporary accommodation, decorating ideas, and stability with an end-date in mind.

Summing Up

You can see that an experienced home-renovations building company can help you with many of those problems outlined above. While you might enjoy undertaking the occasional home improvement job up on your own, a house extension or major home renovation is an entirely different concept for which you should consider hiring a professional builder.

Hiring a house-renovations building company will save you time, money, stress, and mean you get certification for your insurance.

Do make sure that you hire a builder who has worked on projects similar to yours. Ask to see their portfolio, and get references from previous clients.

Why It Pays To Use A Project Manager Instead Of Doing It Yourself

You’ve seen the TV renovation shows where people try to manage the renovation or new build themselves. You’ve seen the silly decisions they take, and think you would never do the same. In short, you reckon you can do a better project management job than they can.

Besides, a PM is going to cost as well. It is often said they cost about 10% of the building project. You know money will be tight during the total building project and nobody can blame you for wanting to save money, especially when you are in the process of building a new house.

Finally, you know what you want the house to look like, you’ve got the plans drawn up, and you’ve found a builder to work with, so you might use all these ideas as reasons to take on the role of Project Manager yourself.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

In truth, an awful lot can go wrong if the renovation or building work is not project managed professionally. Building a new house, or especially a major house renovation, can come with lots of unforeseen complexities and challenges. The TV renovation shows are popular because we want to see what does go wrong, and there are always big issues that come up which we find compelling viewing. And your building project will probably be no different, even with a new build from scratch.

So, consider these reasons why it pays to use an experienced Project Manager.

Better Budgeting And Financial Control

The budget is critical for any house building or renovation project. You could ask a quantity surveyor to assess the cost of materials but they are not expert in labour costs, or the actual building work. A builder will give you a quotation but clients often go for the lowest priced bid, not realising the different variance clauses, and the often big financial impact of those.

Then there is the change in design, layout, and materials that the client makes when the project is under way as people start to see the building itself. People want to change the size of rooms, change the appliances, and add extra fixtures. Just changing tap-ware could easily add an extra thousand dollars.

But an experienced Project Manager is more than just able to set a necessary and accurate budget. They also think ahead and take into account what can possibly go wrong. With a renovation this is critical. For example, in an older house there may be asbestos which is not visible but a good project manager will have an idea where they might come across asbestos, and budget for that beforethe budget sign-off. Un-budgeted asbestos can easily add $10,000 to your project cost.

More Knowledge About The Challenges

How often do you set up a plan and execute it exactly? Chances are you’ll need to make adjustments along the way because there are certain problems you can’t predict. And if you don’t know anything about building homes, then you won’t have any idea what to do if things don’t progress according to plan. If experienced builders come across unexpected issues, how can you know what to even consider?

The fact is you will run into difficulties while your house is being constructed or renovated. The question is how you cope with these difficulties when they surface? A builder might try to suggest one idea which might be a cheap solution knowing your budget is tight, but is that the right answer in the longer-term? How would you know? In addition to knowing what they might expect, a professional Project Manager can think on his or her feet as well, plus they have experience of similar issues and can give independent advice.  This may agree with the builder or it might be a better alternative. So when trouble strikes, you can trust they will have, or quickly come up with a good solution.

A Project Manager Knows How To Make The Right Decisions

Building or renovating a house means being organised and confident in your decisions. The consequences of not being able to make executive decisions can lead to many different problems. For example, when builders have been hired to work, but they can’t start due to certain legal issues that still haven’t been taken care of. That means you will literally pay the builders to stand around.

Building a house can turn into a very costly situation if you don’t take control even before the project starts, and it is exactly what a reputable project manager offers – control from start to finish.

Accurate Timing Saves Money    

Knowing when to organise the various trades to turn up for work is crucial to a project coming in on budget or there being a budget blow-out. A knowledgeable PM will know when the electricians need to be on site, and not be held up by the framers. If they sub-contractors are standing around, they will charge you for their time, and, just as importantly, when you ask them to come back, they will not be confident in your judgements so will probably have other jobs organised. This will mean even further delays on your build. Having an accurate work schedule, and keeping people on schedule, is an essential skill.

For every day the construction carries on past the projected date, it costs more money.

On the other hand, working too quickly creates an opportunity for mistakes and sub-par construction. Your PM will be able to inspect the work and know if it is up to standard.

In other words, you need to really approach the time-frame for the project with great skill and vision. And once again, it is part of the package when you speak to a project manager.

Summarising Why You Need A Project Manager

An experienced project Manager will be able to:-

• Produce and manage an accurate all-in budget.
• They will know the types of issues to anticipate, and will have the experience to deal with those.
• They will be able to make good, and informed decisions to handle different issues.
• They can produce and manage a work-schedule so workers are not idle or make sure people are available when needed.

A good Project Manager will not cost you but is likely to save you money. They will almost certainly save time, and without a doubt, they will save you a whole lot of stress.

Good Recladding Of A House Can Save You Money, Bad Recladding…….

Is your home more than 20 years old?

Have you seen leaks in your house after a heavy storm?

Does the outside walls of your home look badly worn out?

These are just a few of the reasons that people need to reclad their home or buildings.

Let’s look a bit deeper.

Why Do Older Auckland Homes Often Need Recladding  

If the outside of your home is looking more than tired, sometimes a new coat of paint is simply not going to be enough to fix the exterior of your home. Weatherboards, monolithic plasterboard, and other external wall coverings can all get worn and deteriorate with age. This is a common problem for homes more than 20 years old, especially if previous owners have not maintained or repainted the cladding materials. In fact, ignoring your exterior walls is the biggest cause of materials to fall into disrepair and ultimately fail.

If you put off attending to your external wall coverings, this can lead to more serious problems for you. Small cracks can let in water which will start to cause damp, mould, and other serious damage in your home. This isn’t limited to “leaky homes” but almost any type of home can be susceptible to leaks and water damage. So it’s important that you keep on top of any issues with your exterior cladding.

An obvious sign that you might need some recladding maintenance can be after the heavy rainstorms that we get in Auckland. If you see pools of rain-water on window sills, that is an obvious sign, but there can be unseen aspects of leaks and water ingress.

It is a good idea to have an inspection of your house just to make sure you do not have any major leaking problems so that they can be addressed before they become too serious.

Recladding Your Home

If you do need to reclad your home, you need to find a tried and trusted builder with experience in recladding homes of different materials. Not all building contractors are skilled in recladding so tread carefully before you commit yourself.

Recladding is not a cheap job, if it’s done properly so be aware of a builder offering a low price. This is usually just to get the job, which then has some nasty add-on costs.

Here is what you need to look for when you need a builder for recladding your home

Find A Builder With A Lot Of Relevant Experience

You need to make sure that the builder you hire knows exactly what they are doing. If you work with someone that has tackled plenty of recladding jobs before, you can assume that you’re in good hands.

Simply having experience isn’t going to be enough. You need to make sure that you work with a builder that has experience that is actually relevant to your job. Does the builder have experience with the material that you need – wood, plaster-board, metals, or whatever cladding material you have on your home.

Work With A Builder That Has Good References From Former Clients

You should work with someone that has impressed their clients in the past. When you’re considering a builder for recladding, one of the first things you should ask them for is a list of references.

Contact all of the references and talk to the builder’s clients and see what experience was of not just the finished recladding, but how they performed against the budget, the time schedule, and the overall building work. Clearly, if those references have favourable things to say, then you can take it to the next stage and get a firm quotation.

Search For A Builder That Can Work With Your Budget And Schedule

You probably have some sort of schedule in mind for your recladding project. You’re going to want to make sure you choose a builder that will be able to stick to the schedule you have set. Some builders are very busy, which means they might not be able to get to your project for a few weeks or more. If sticking to a schedule is important to you, you need to make sure you find a builder that can work with your time frame.

Sometimes you may need an emergency job such as after a heavy Auckland storm. If you need to have the project finished right away, you’ll want to work with a builder that will be able to start on the job immediately.

In either of these cases, some recladding firms will charge way more than others. This is often a sign that they don’t want the job but at the same time, you probably don’t want to pick the cheapest either. The low-price recladders generally have add-on costs so the recladding of your home can end up a lot more expensive than a medium-priced firm.

Make Sure Your Builder Has The Right Credentials

It’s always important to confirm that your builder is fully licensed. You’re also going to want to make sure you work with someone that is properly insured. A lack of paperwork could be a major red flag.

You may want to ask a builder to show you their credentials. The majority of builders will be happy to comply with a request like this, and it should give you some peace of mind.

There are a lot of things you have to take into consideration when you’re choosing a builder for recladding a home. This isn’t the kind of decision that you should make lightly; you should think carefully about who you should work with and why you want to work with them.

At Fever Pitch, we are proud of the work we have done for our clients and more than happy to share references with you to verify our quality and capability.

Increasing The Value Of Your Home Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive

Often when people think of ways to add value to their home they think of big renovation projects like extensions, creating open-plan living spaces, adding extra bedrooms, and the like. But adding value to your home doesn’t have to come at such a huge cost.  

You can add value and increase the overall functionality of your home with a smaller renovation and building projects.

Some Of Your More Popular Small Building Projects

Decks And Patios

One of the best ways to improve the usability of your home is to make the outdoors more family-friendly. Make it more attractive to people to go outside.

Two of the best choices for that are adding or improving a deck. This works especially well in areas where there is a good elevated view you can take advantage of. Who wouldn’t like to be able to walk out of their living room onto a fantastic new deck and take in the local sights?

For homes with living spaces on the ground floor, a patio is a great addition. This can make damp ground usable. You can also add, a BBQ and seating area, decorating the patio with plants and other adornments.

Retaining Walls, Fencing, And Garden Buildings

Still outdoors, improving walls, fences, or adding outdoor buildings and garden features like a pergola can not only add value but make the garden area look much more attractive.

Bathroom And Kitchen Renovations

Going indoors, the two most valuable renovation projects you can have carried-out are a bathroom, or a kitchen renovation or make-over.

Both of these add significant value to your home, but they also add a huge amount of extra utility. An old bathroom is likely to be a bit cramped and will look dated at best. Combining a toilet and an old bathroom into one, a new modern-looking room will have a huge impact.

Similarly with your kitchen. Old appliances, cabinets, and layout can make even a good-sized kitchen feel tight. A new design, upgraded appliances, and fresh decorating will make your kitchen much more usable, and look great too.

Opening-Up Internal Space

Often, old designs needed load-bearing walls to stop the house from falling down. This restricted the options for creating open spaces in your home. Nowadays, we can open-up those spaces by using the latest building materials and techniques while keeping your home safe. If you want to get rid of an annoying wall but aren’t sure if the house will fall down, give us a call.

External Maintenance And Repair

Often people neglect to paint or re-seal their exterior wall materials. Over time their house can become worn by the wet weather, and harsh sun we get in Auckland. As a result, the external walls become damaged, leaky, or just plain ugly.

Replacing or re-cladding your walls can not only make your home look far more attractive, but it can make it healthier and cheaper to run, too.  No more damp, no more draughts, no more lost heating.

Regular Maintenance Projects Can Save You Money Too

We often find that people need us to carry-out small renovation projects simply because the house wasn’t maintained well. As they say, a stitch in time saves nine.  

Here are some common reasons to carry-out maintenance small projects we can do for you.

• Make your home safer
• Healthier living environment
• Longer life
• Reduced heating bills
• More attractive appearance
• Lower renovation or maintenance costs in future
• Fix small jobs before they become big projects
• Keep your insurance cover affordable