Australia, while being one of the drier regions on the planet, has coastal wet areas as well. Either of these climate types can do its damage to the construction of a home. Dry climates can reduce the soil’s ability to bear a load and cause shrinkage which will damage a home’s structure. The moist areas have their own downfalls including mold and termites. It is very important that the builder that you hire is very familiar with the area that you will be building your home.
How Familiar Is Your Builder With Your Build Site?
It is important to find out whether your builder has experience building in your area. While many builders are very good at what they do, the soil conditions can create very diverse conditions that a builder from out of the area will be unfamiliar with. Knowing how to build and understanding the existing site conditions can be very different. Find out how many homes the builder you are using has actually constructed in the vicinity that you are considering.
Assuming that the builder that you are using has built homes in your area, get a list of addresses and references and find out from his previous customers if they are satisfied with the work and any necessary follow up support that was needed. Contact home owners that have been in their homes for over five years, as well as ones that have been recent builds. This will give you a feel for whether or not any problems showed up down the road.
Steel Construction or Chemically Treated Timber?
These days, both steel and treated timber construction tends are receiving due consideration because of the specific characteristics of each. Steel because of its stability under most conditions. It has one of the highest ratios of weight to strength of all materials. It is much lighter than wood and it does not contract and expand like wood does. Steel will not warp and can not be eaten by termites. Steel also allows for more precision cuts than wood and is therefore squared and this provides additional stability. However, wood that is properly chemically treated to resist termites can provide high quality construction in dry areas as well. Wood is lower cost than steel and special stabilizing construction methods should be used. There are no visible differences that would make one method more visually appealing than another.
While this information is all important to know, it is imperative that you choose a builder that you have the utmost confidence in and rely on his expertise. If you choose an experienced builder, he will be able to guide you in the right direction and help you make wise decisions to be sure that your home will be sound for many years to come. He will be able to adequately convey the pros and cons of each type of building material. That’s why making an informed decision when you select your builder is one of the most important decisions you will make. It will affect every other aspect of the building process.
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