Do I need council approval, or is my job complying development?
Most straightforward work — a bathroom, a kitchen, a deck under a certain height, many granny flats — goes through as Complying Development (CDC) and is signed off by a private certifier, usually in one to three weeks. Anything that changes the footprint in a heritage area, sits over a sewer, or breaches setbacks needs a Development Application (DA) through your council, which realistically takes eight to sixteen weeks. We tell you which one you are looking at during the free consultation, before you have spent anything.
What happens if you find asbestos?
Anything built before 1990 in Sydney should be assumed to contain it until tested. If we find bonded asbestos — sheeting, eaves, old bathroom lining — work in that area stops, a licensed removalist is engaged, and you receive a clearance certificate before we go back in. Where a pre-1990 building is involved we put a provisional asbestos allowance in the quote so the number does not move if it turns up.
Can we live in the house while you work?
Usually yes. On the Ryde second storey the family stayed downstairs for five months. We seal the work zone with dust walls, keep a usable bathroom and kitchen wherever the scope allows, and sweep the site each night. On a full strip-out with the power and water off, no — and we will say so at the quote rather than three weeks in.
How does the fixed price actually work?
You get one figure, itemised so you can see what every part costs and remove anything you do not want. Once you sign, that figure only moves if you ask for a change and sign a variation for it. It does not move because we underestimated, because material prices rose, or because something we should have checked before quoting turned up later.
That is why we lift a tile, open a manhole and look under the house before we quote. Guessing is how builders end up asking for more money halfway through.
What is the payment schedule?
A deposit within the limits the Home Building Act allows, then progress payments tied to completed stages you can stand in front of and see — frame up, roof on, waterproofing certified, practical completion. Never a payment for work that has not happened. For work over $20,000 you also receive icare HBCF home warranty cover before the deposit is taken.
Who deals with the certifier, the engineer and the neighbours?
We do. Engineer's design and certificates, the private certifier's inspections, the notifications your neighbours are entitled to, and the paperwork your insurer will want later. On the Castle Hill granny flat we kept the neighbours updated weekly, which is the cheapest way ever invented to avoid an objection.
Do you really take a $595 job?
Yes. A cracked render patch, a leaking flashing, a door that has not closed since the slab moved. Most Sydney builders will not send anyone out for less than a few thousand dollars, which leaves homeowners with a small problem nowhere to go. Small problems in old brick houses are also how big ones start, so we would rather see it early.
How long until you can start?
Someone is on your site within 48 hours for the free consultation. A written fixed price follows within three to five working days for most jobs, longer if an engineer or a certifier has to look first. Start dates depend on the size of the job — small repairs typically within two weeks, a full renovation four to eight weeks out.
Is the quote really free, and is there a catch?
Free, no obligation, no charge if you go elsewhere. We are on the ladder and under the house if that is what it takes to give you a number we can stand behind. If your job needs a paid engineer's report before anyone can quote honestly, we tell you that up front rather than producing a guess.
What insurance and warranty do I get?
$20M public liability on every job, icare HBCF home warranty on residential work over $20,000, and the NSW statutory warranty — six years on structural work, two years on everything else. Every certificate is handed to you at the final walkthrough, not posted six weeks later.
How do I check that your licence is real?
Search the licence number in the footer of this page on the Service NSW register. It will show the licensee name, the categories of work the licence covers and whether it is current. Do this for every builder who quotes you — it takes thirty seconds and it is the single best protection you have.
Which suburbs do you cover?
Greater Sydney. We have finished work in Marrickville, Earlwood, Newtown, Surry Hills, Ryde, Castle Hill, Bankstown, Beverly Hills, Kogarah, Cronulla and Manly, and we quote across the Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, North Shore, Northern Beaches, Hills District, St George and the Sutherland Shire. If you are outside that ring, ring us anyway and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right people.