Swerve house reno

[RiverPatrol]

That is some major work Steve. Keep on keepin' on!

when I moved house I shoved some non essential spares under the house, time to move them I think

Got any side steps under there?

[miller]

Lookin good Steve

[Swerve]

Well been stuffed around by concreters this week.

Been trying to arrange a tradie to do the steel fixing and concreting for the strip footings, pads, and slab for rumpus and garage. Have had about 10 parties come out, but you never hear back and get no quotes. So called a concreter friend of my draftsperson, responded on Tuesday with $14k !!!!! that’s excluding concrete, pumps and steel. Seriously I fell of my chair. Ontop of this I also have $1500 excavation, $1300 soil removal, Steel supplies $1500-2000, Concrete $7000 approx, Concrete pumps around $700 a pour, brickwork $1000 approx. So $14000 on top farken hell.

Anyhow that night one of the quote I have been waiting on for 3 weeks came in !!!!!! $6000 including two concrete pumps ( 2 pours), so around $4500 I labour compared to the $14000 , much happier.

So know I have my excavation tradie lined up, now my concreter lined up, just need to get the rear balcony removed, clean the site, mark out the footings and all systems go. Current costs

Excavation $1530
Soil removal $1400
Concrete removal $1000
Chipper $250 (you seen how many trees I have cut down )
Excavator hire to groom site $500
Concreter $6000 (inc pumps)
Steel $1500-$2000
Concrete $5500-$7000
Brickwork for slab $1000 approx
Termite barrier for footings $1000 approx
Total - $21,680 feeling sick now

[RiverPatrol]

Ouch!

[miller]

[bosque]

Wow.
I read this yesterday and thought this must be the prices downunder. Your draftsperson steered you in the wrong direction. That concrete guy was busy but threw out a high # just in case you were "willing". They did you no favors.
If you are not busy, demo that slab and whatnot yourself. BFHammer and a bar (maybe a sawzall/hacksaw -reciprocating saw to snip rebar) is all you need. Break them into garden pavers or stack them as a retaining wall. Demo that balcony yourself.
Termite barrier? Unless it is a mesh type that I do not know price, why not crushed granite or basalt? We have this cheap and easy here so mesh not used much. You can do this after he pours the footings, mesh or crushed rock. There should/could also be a vapor barrier to protect the rebar, you can do this too! it is just plastic down before rebar and pour. This is stuff that can be done by you if the contractor has a heart. It does not put him out too much and besides...you are the boss so dont let them forget it. Digging footings is one thing but Soil removal? Are you kidding? Someone in your neighborhood must be gardening, people pay for dirt delivered. Put an ad in the local paper, ask around.
So that is some work for you but saves soil removal, concrete removal, termite barrier....thousands.
I am building a garage/shop for a friend starting next week, 35 x 45 foot.

[Swerve]

Wow.
If you are not busy, demo that slab and whatnot yourself. BFHammer and a bar (maybe a sawzall/hacksaw -reciprocating saw to snip rebar) is all you need. Break them into garden pavers or stack them as a retaining wall. Demo that balcony yourself.
Termite barrier? Unless it is a mesh type that I do not know price, why not crushed granite or basalt? We have this cheap and easy here so mesh not used much. You can do this after he pours the footings, mesh or crushed rock. There should/could also be a vapor barrier to protect the rebar, you can do this too! it is just plastic down before rebar and pour. This is stuff that can be done by you if the contractor has a heart. It does not put him out too much and besides...you are the boss so dont let them forget it. Digging footings is one thing but Soil removal? Are you kidding? Someone in your neighborhood must be gardening, people pay for dirt delivered. Put an ad in the local paper, ask around.
So that is some work for you but saves soil removal, concrete removal, termite barrier....thousands.
I am building a garage/shop for a friend starting next week, 35 x 45 foot.

Concrete removal - I am doing the slab myself, that $1k is to dispose of the concrete !!! A 4m3 skip bin cost $400. The garage slab filled 6m3. I also have concrete paths, rockey edges, all the balcony slab, brick walls supporting the balcony and the footings. Have budgeted 10m3 for disposal.

terminate - Have rules and reg with council, I also need to spray all the strip footings and put barrier in place on slabs. To get a whole sprayed in Oz is about $2200.

Soil removal - I have about 25m3. Soil is clay and only good as fill, even then not ideal as needs compacting. The price I have actually is very good. My neighbour works as a owner operater excavator/ bobcat/ truck work. he said the pricing I had is cheaper then his cost. Besides that once the slab goes down, I dont want t have to cart it out over my slabs, plus dont have 3 months to get rid of it.

You have to remember the average 3bedroom house price in Sydney is about $650k, to build a house is around $400k everything for a 4 bedroom, two living area house, plus land.

Today side cleared


Loaded for tip

[RiverPatrol]

You have to remember the average 3bedroom house price in Sydney is about $650k, to build a house is around $400k everything for a 4 bedroom, two living area house, plus land.

I had no idea that housing was so costly there. Those are upper middle class Southern California prices!

Keep up the good work. It's going to be so worth it when you're done.

[bosque]

Yes, it sounds like you have done your homework. It will be fantastic to see it through. Keep up the shots......errr, pictures!

[Swerve]

Well collected HP from storage, has been there over 12 months and only started once. Anyhow started up after 8 months same battery. Unloaded all the stuff I had stored on the back. Need to find a place to put it as have no garage or balcony.

Been pulling stumps out with HP, moving bricks and concrete (yes Dave, used your idea)

Empty HP


Pulling Stumps


Some spare, Fibreglass windscreens and bonnet (hood for yanks)


Soft top frame (front)


Thanks Dave