No point building castles in the air by Ann Pilmer (an extract from The Age)
Wish lists are just the start. Renovators have to budget for unexpected costs.
What’s on your renovation wish list – a new kitchen and bedroom, extra living space, an en suite, outdoor kitchen, cellar and a home theatre?
Whatever your budget, rethink it or stretch it. Fees and hidden costs such as GST will eat up a fifth or as much as a third for smaller projects.
Sole practitioners, architects Jane Cameron and Christopher Hewson, say they frequently have to disillusion new clients about the real cost of renovating.
Bronwyn Pratt in her renovated Albert Park house. Even with knowledge of the industry, she says she was taken aback by the hidden costs. Photo: Ken Irwin
”We live in a cut-price world,” says Mr Hewson. ”People can buy at a discount online and they see short cuts and DIY projects on reality shows, or a glossy picture in a magazine, and they think all this is easy to achieve. They don’t understand that costs can’t be readily pruned in real life and can’t be extended to professional services.”
In archispeak it’s about the cost of works versus the overall budget. Read more…