First Floor Extension or Ground Floor Addition
Process

Where do I start

You can contact us on this website or call us Freecall 1800 777 038. We will discuss your needs and take your details.

Within 7 days, one of our Design Consultants will contact you and make an appointment for approx 2 weeks time. It is an appointment and we do turn up. Our Design Consultant will only attempt to contact you 3 times on the numbers you supply us. If you do not return our call, we will assume you have changed your mind.

For First floor additions, it is very helpful to have a copy of your existing house plan before the Consultant arrives. Plans can be obtained from your local council for a small fee (sometimes free). This will help the Designer fit the upstairs extension in the best way, and will provide better clarity for estimating purposes.

In the case of couples wanting to do an extension or addition, both partners will need to be present for your appointment with our Consultant (this is mandatory). Our consultant will discuss the options and design concepts with you. After two weeks, they will produce the design and any alterations can be discussed and finalised. We do up to three free designs, after this a fee will apply.

Once the design is agreed upon, a budget estimate is produced from the design sketch. After costing has been accepted, we will send out the critical trades such as Electrician, Plumber etc, to consider site conditions. They will need two weeks to finalise their quote to us. We will then submit our fixed price quotation to you.

Even though the design and quotation process takes 6 to 8 weeks, it is our experience (and that of our clients), that other builders, comparatively, have not arrived for their first consultation.

We put a lot of work into the design Concept Drawing, and so it remains the property of K.P.G Quality Constructions until a contract is signed. We will deliver a copy directly to your Lending Authority, if required for acquiring finance. They will be under obligation not to surrender the drawing to you.

What happens next

Within one week of accepting our fixed price and design, we will come to your home at a covenient time, and go through and explain the contract. This meeting will take approximately two hours (or two coffees long).

Within 2 weeks the concept drawing goes to the plan drawer. They will come to the site to measure and produce the drawings and documentation for council submission. This will take about four weeks. Once the drawing is completed, the consultant will meet with you again to make any adjustments. This must be done before submission to council to avoid extra fees and up to six weeks delay while amendments are sent to your neighbours for their approval. About now, our clients other builders are wanting to have their first meeting.

Once plans are in council, we have no control over the time of processing, but our consultant will keep track by contacting the council at regular intervals. Newcastle council takes six to eight weeks, Lake Macquarie about four to six weeks, Wyong Shire about four weeks, Maitland and the Coalfields about three to four weeks.

When do we start building

After council approval, our consultant will pick up the documents. Our Contracts Administrator will check for any Council conditions that may require cost adjustments to your contract price. A copy will then be sent to you. We then order the materials for your project and it will start to arrive on site about three weeks later. Other trades will be active during this time eg. Surveyors or Electrical Poles etc.

During this period, I (the builder) will contact you for a meeting, held at your home about 7.30pm, for about two hours (or another two coffees). Until now you have been dealing with my design consultant. This meeting will cement our relationship as you find out who I am, and I explain the Psychology of Building, Programming, Problems within the industry that may effect your project, your roll in the project and answer any of your questions.

For First floor extensions we will not commence building until our purpose made membrane has arrived with the floor components. This membrane will allow you to live in the house for the whole time while we are working above you.

How long will it take

Completion time is subject to the size, site condition of a project, rostered days, public holidays and weather. Four years ago when our industry was not regulated, we would complete a $150,000 First floor extension in 15 – 18 weeks. Today that same project takes about 25 weeks. Availability of trades is now an issue. Councils require more inspections than previously, causing interruptions to work flow. O.H.&S is also a large factor in slowing down construction time.

Importantly, a builder does not make money from being inactive, so it is always our intention to program your project in an orderly and consistent fashion. Programming will be discussed in detail at our meeting. You will end up with a design that suits your needs, and a quality that meets your expectations.