What exactly is an owner builder signing on for?
What responsibilities will follow the owner if they sell within the six and a half year period?
The benefits of owner building are numerous, and most are based on saving money and keeping control. If the owner builder retains possession of their work for the full six and a half year period then everything is copacetic. However if they sell within that time, then they have some responsibilities to subsequent owners.
Three distinct warranties
The owner builder gives three distinct warranties to the new owner when they sell;
- The work was done in a proper manner
- The materials used were suitable for their purpose
- The work was carried out to the regulations.
So what exactly is an owner builder guaranteeing?
Proper manner
Work needs to carried out in a proper and workmanlike manner. So if your wife does a great job painting the timber weatherboards, but you skipped the step of undercoating the cut ends, and the boards rot out from the ends, the result is unworkmanlike. Equally if you do your own insulation work and four bags remain in their original packaging in the roof that you never quite got around to finishing. But it is not only your own work that might be in question, if you employ a poor electrician who places wires loosely in the roof space and does not clip them off, then you will be held liable for that work. You can rely on the electrician to do proper work, but you are giving the warranty and you may be called upon to rectify that work.
Suitable for purpose
Materails used in owner builder work need to be new (unless specified otherwise) and good and suitable for the purpose for which they are intended. If you fit a linear shower grate from Bunnings that has no lips around it to connect with the waterproofing, you will have a beautiful modern looking bathroom, but the grate is not suitable for that use, because it must be used over a puddle flange. By the way if that last sentence sounded like Captain Kirk from the bridge of the Starship Enterprise then you need to do some more research before tackling an owner builder bathroom project.
Carried out to the regulations
The owner builder is guaranteeing that the work is being carried out to the regulations. Most tradesmen have a hard time keeping up with the current regulations which change constantly, and so the task is harder still for an owner builder. If you get a set of stairs installed by a reputable firm, but then change the thickness of the floor covering on the ground floor say by adding tiles on a screed, then the stair will not comply with the National Construction Code.
my firm belief is that it is a natural right of every person to build their own home
I am not trying to scare owner builders, my firm belief is that it is a natural right of every person to build their own home, but owner builders and indeed professional builders need to be vigilant and well informed. If their is a doubt, most things can be solved in minutes by calling an expert.