If you have already decided to build your own Queensland home instead of buying one from a real estate company, then there are several things you need to put in mind, especially when it comes to dealing with tradesmen. Since you will not work with a general contractor, you have to be hands-on on every aspect and level of your home construction and supervising and coordinating with tradies is a major part of it.
Unfortunately, the truth is that some tradespeople in QLD are difficult to deal with because they tend to overcharge their clients while others simply care less about their clients. Hence, you should not feel bad about being anxious on dealing with tradies. However, you should not be discouraged from continuing with your own homebuilding project. As a would-be owner builder QLD, instead of being overly anxious, you would want to prepare and to equip yourself with information that would make the negotiations and transactions seamless and spotless.
Listed below are some of the most practical and fool-proof ways on how to effectively deal with tradespeople.
- Research about the people you intend to hire – Before jumping into a negotiation deal with tradies, it is advisable to do your own research first. Familiarize yourself with the people’s history, profile, past clients, pricing rates, specializations, and other related information. One effective way to do this is to go online and search about their profile and read about clients’ feedbacks and comments. You would want to know more about them for you to have a peace of mind and to know what to expect during the project. Also, by doing this, you would know whether or not they are worth your confidence and money.
- Be realistic – When meeting with tradies, you would want to be realistic in your offers. Every minute of a homebuilding process is important; do not waste your and their time and effort by making an unrealistic offer. Hence, it is important to do your research about the price trend in the housing market before meeting with tradesmen. Always ground your expectations at a realistic level and you will have a smoother negotiation deal.
- Don’t negotiate when you’re mad – The secret to a good negotiation with tradies is to do it with a clear mind and calm disposition. Negotiation can be very stressful and energy draining, and having a temperamental disposition would not hand any solution at all. Deal with tradespeople calmly so both parties could reach a workable agreement without consuming so much of your time, effort, and energy.
- Have flexible requests – If the tradesman cannot offer a price any lower, and you trust their quotation, you may bargain for other home amenities instead. If the price is firm, go after additional home amenities and fixtures instead. You may request for additional lighting fixtures, interior carpet, garden landscaping, among others. If your request is workable, most likely the company will be glad to oblige.
Becoming an owner builder QLD can be very stressful and energy-draining duty, especially when you hire the wrong people for the job. Aside from it will delay your project, you may also end up spending more than saving, compromising the very purpose of becoming an owner-builder. Hence, it is extremely important that you hire the best people for the job. Only entrust your money to tradies who have years of experience in the industry, have genuine care for clients, and have the skills to get the job done in time. When you are able to get the right people on board, your owner-builder experience should be a fun and enjoyable project. The moment when the house gets done, you can proudly say that it is a product of your hard labour and good decision-making skills.