The Facts about Being an Own-Builders - Coursework Example

THE FACTS ABOUT BEING AN OWN-BUILDERS Name Course Tutor Date of Submission Executive summary The aim of this paper is to elucidate on the concept of owner-builders. The scope of this paper is to cover who owner-builders are and their responsibilities. This paper also has a personal evaluation of the possibility of myself becoming an owner builder based on the concepts covered in the responsibilities and the second section. The paper then concludes the report by indicating giving a summary of the whole paper touching on the key points. Introduction There are very interesting facts about own-builders especially with the technological advancement in the society. Owner builders have slowly taken the place of contract or professional builders. The trend is great in that most people even from industries and professions unrelated are slowly preferring owner-building when undertaking their constructions. Owner-builders are professionally and legally recognized and there are a variety of induction courses and training available for anybody willing to take the capacity of an own-builder. It is important that one inculcates different skills that are required of an owner-builder as discussed in this paper. In this paper the concept of own-builders is explored to decipher who they really are, what their responsibilities are and from the two an analysis of myself as an owner builder is given. Who Own-Builders Are Owner-builders are people who are more or less similar to professional builders even though they are not in the business of building. The term owner builder means different things to different people (Victoria Building Authority, 2015). First off, it may mean an individual who takes the role of the builder and undertake the whole building project themselves without engaging any tradespeople and business men except in areas where professional expertise is necessary (Victoria Building Authority, 2015). The expertise areas in this case could be areas where the law requires qualified personnel. The second description that also fits in owner-builders is individuals who undertake some of the work in the building project while at the same time engaging and manning the project from its commencement to conclusion. In this case, the owner-builder engages subcontractors and other relevant professionals to undertake some pertinent tasks in the site. The third explanation of owner-builders is individuals who manage the construction process through organizing materials, sourcing for the relevant personnel and subcontractors as well as preparing the necessary documentation in liaison with relevant bodies. Some of the qualities that an owner-builder has to have include communication skills, decision making skills, planning and scheduling skills, leadership skills, and critical thinking skills in order to effectively manage the project (Sipek, Sipek, Foote & Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Australia), 2012). The owner builders must at least have some background in building and construction even if it means through some induction or training (Sipek, Sipek, Foote & Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Australia), 2012). There are number of reasons why most people prefer owner-builders. In fact, research has indicated that in an ideal year, there are over 40 thousand owner-builders who undertake their own building construction projects. Owner-builders save costs that otherwise would have been mismanaged by subcontractors. Depending on the competency of the owner-builders, there is a higher likelihood of managing mortgages and saving on 30% of costs that could have been spent on hiring builders (Sipek, Sipek, Foote & Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Australia), 2012). There are certain requirements for one to be an owner-builder. First off, they must own or co-own land where the whole project is to be located (Victoria Building Authority, 2015). In case the land is corporately owned or has trust issues then the owner-builder must have directorship of the company or be a beneficiary of the trust (Sipek, Sipek, Foote & Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Australia), 2012). Even in this case a consent certificate is a key requirement for one to be an owner-builder. The owner-builder can be a person who wants to build the building for sale or as their personal accommodation. The owner-builder is also a person who can undertake part of or all the work in the site except that which is specialized and beyond their scope. Responsibilities of Own-Builders There are many responsibilities of own-builders owing to the huge task that they undertake when embracing their duties. One thing that is clearly lucid this far is the fact that owner-builders have more or less similar responsibilities as the registered builders (Victoria Building Authority, 2015). First off, the owner-builders have a supervisory role over the whole building project. Legally, the owner-builders are responsible for the control of the project from the commencement day to the completion and even six years after (Victoria Building Authority, 2015). As a matter of fact, the owner-builders have the choice of supervising other manpower such as plumbers or electricians as well as engage the services of registered builders. All the tradespeople, business men and anyone else with a role in the building project is under the owner- builder (Sipek, Sipek, Foote & Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Australia), 2012). This means that the owner builder has liabilities when committing to a building project. Secondly, owner builders have the key responsibility of ensuring that proper signage is in place clearly indicating their names, approval number assigned to them, telephone number and other relevant data (Sipek, Sipek, Foote & Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Australia), 2012). It is noteworthy that contravention of the regulations that demand the erection of signage could attract fines and infringement notices. The owner-builders must also obtain from the relevant authorities certificate of consent so as to avoid any issues that might lead to court battles. Additionally, the owner-builders must be able to obtain the necessary permits for the building process to commence from the local authorities and various inspection bodies (Victoria Building Authority, 2015). Still on the same the owner builders must ensure that all the necessary documentations such as the approved plans, design specifications, financial documents, and permits as well as a plethora of other documents that are relevant to the project are made available when the inspection officers arrive at the site (Victoria Building Authority, 2015). It is the key responsibility of an owner-builder to plan for inspections of the site and the building in general through sourcing for building surveyors who are registered and approved to do so, in compliance to the law (Victoria Building Authority, 2015). The owner-builders also have the mandate of obtaining occupancy permits and certificates from relevant inspection bodies upon winding up of the project. The owner builder must also source for relevant financials to ensure that the project is well on its feet and running (Victoria Building Authority, 2015). Additionally, the owner builder must ensure that the area around the site is secure from intrusions and that all the possible hazards are well managed so as to maintain workplace safety (Victoria Building Authority, 2015). In compliance with the law, the owner-builder must ensure that all the workers in the site have personal protective gears and that they are trained on how to respond to any forms of hazards whether be it physical or chemical. Basically occupational health and safety regulations that are meant to protect all the workers onsite as well as those who pass nearby is the responsibility of the owner builder. The owner-builder must ensure that they are well aware of all the risks in the workplace and have well communicated plans in combating the same (Sipek, Sipek, Foote & Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Australia), 2012). This would mean that the owner-builders attend a short induction course that covers theory and practical on occupational health and safety. Last but not least, the owner builder has responsibility of providing domestic building insurance for a period of six years to the occupants and technical reports of various inspections as well. Me as an Own-Builder Having looked at the various explanations of who an owner-builder is and their responsibilities as well, I am able to assess myself. From a reflection point of view I am sure I fit in the shoes of a homebuilder. I have all the skills stated herein. I have critical thinking and strong decision making skills. I also have the ability to control, supervise and manage people. With my background in construction industry I am also able to tell a poorly built from a well-built house. I am also in a position to handle financial as well as contractual disputes based on my understanding of the various legal ramifications that owner-builders must comply with. Based on my construction background again I am also able to estimate the costs of labour and materials to be used in the project. I also have the understanding of the various bodies that are required to inspect and accredit a building project. Additionally, with my financial literacy skills I am able to come up with a working financial plan for the whole project. Having looked at the responsibilities and the requirements for one to be an owner-builder I believe that it’s a path worth taking and is actually one of the most cost effective undertaking in the construction industry when one manages the whole project well. Conclusion Owner-building is becoming a popular undertaking as have been indicated by annual statistics that are escalating at a steady rate. There are various explanations of what owner-builders really are. Generally speaking owner-builders are people who either undertake or manage the processes of a construction process for their accommodation purposes or for sale. Owner-building has proven to save a lot of money on part of the owners of the project and is slowly becoming a trend. There is therefore need to train and emancipate the masses on the benefits and demerits of owner-building. The owner-builders must also have accreditation bodies that ensure compliance to the set standards. Finally, upon looking at available literature and undertaking a self-assessment as to whether or not I am or can be an owner-builder, I am pretty sure that I have all it takes to be one. Bibliography Sipek, L., Sipek, M., Foote, H. and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (Australia), (2012). The owner-builder. Collingwood, Vic: CSIRO Publishing. Victoria Building Authority, (2015). Owner-builder all you need to know about becoming an owner-builder Application Kit and Information Statement. 1st ed. Victoria; Goods Shed : Victoria Building Authority. Read More