“It’s only an internal wall. I can knock down it.” A lot can go wrong, as many DIY renovators have found the hard way. They carry the entire weight of your dwelling. All outside walls are load bearing.
A builder may charge $1350 per square metre to remove a wall in a wood frame home, and $1500 per square metre for a brick house. This does not include the cost of licenses, engineers reports and any obligations to the council.
Interfere with the structural integrity of your house, and you could be putting the health and safety of you and your family at serious risk. That is why this is one task you can’t legally DIY.
If you would like to remove an inner wall, you MUST use a certified builder to execute the work.
This Report will help you figure out:
Who will carry out the job for you
Things to look for when hiring a builder
What they might charge you
Make sure your builder is licensed and insured
All countries require builders to be licensed and insured to perform work in your dwelling.
Based on where you live, builders will typically hold a specific class of licence. This defines what scope of work they’re permitted to carry out. The course may, for example, limit the license holder to only working on kitchen renovations. This will be detailed on the contractor’s license, alongside their name, license number and the expiration date. Selecting an unlicensed builder is against the law and might result in a fine or worse.
Builders should also carry legitimate insurance, such as professional indemnity, public liability insurance and builders warranty insurance.
Hiring a builder
When it is time for hiring a builder make sure they’re ideal for your job.
Are you qualified and licensed or registered?
Can you hold valid insurance (professional indemnity and public liability insurance)?
Have you eliminated an inner wall before?
Can you provide a written quotation?
It’s crucial that you have a contract with your builder. A construction contract is a legal agreement between you and your builder. It’s designed to safeguard the interests of you and your contractor. It should detail all aspects of your job, such as:
The total scope of functions
Timeframe and schedule for work to be completed by
Detailed costing of this Work
Program for if payments are expected
What happens when there are flaws
Total contract cost
It’s essential that you get legal counsel before signing a contract with your builder, as it has to comply with the relevant legislation in which you live.
