I’m feeling optimistic again, if still daunted by the whole process.
But I can see a way forward again. The Certifier sent a prelim notification of all the things they need in order to submit plans to Council – what’s known as the DA (development application).
To bring you up to speed – I’m $40k in and have no approval from Council that the cottage can be relocated. So I’m moving through the process trusting that I can get the approval to move it, then still have enough money to complete the renovation and extension.
The Certifier withdrew one requirement from their list. I do not need to provide a ‘slope stability report by a geotechnical engineer to determine the extent of site works’. Yes, my eyes rolled back when I saw that initial request. It was partially what triggered my despondency. So to have it crossed through and dismissed made me very happy
I’ve been talking to a builder. He may be able to take on my project, which also means that I can tick off another requirement to submit my DA for approval. We’re still in the very early stages of talking, and to be honest, at this point I just want to be able to put a builders QBCC number on the DA. But in order to do that I need to do some due diligence to figure out if I can work with this builder, what the hell the cost might be for this extension and renovation, and if it’s going to be feasible.
At this point I have no idea what it’s going to cost. $100k? $200k? I sure hope not…
If I don’t find a builder I need to sit for my owner/builder licence when I come back from Sri Lanka.
The other thing I need to do is go down the very unsexy rabbit hole of wastewater treatment plants. I need to nominate a sewage system that I will install. It’s no simple matter, as these systems cost anywhere between $20 – $30k to install. All to treat the effluent of one person. The other thing is that these systems take up such a massive space – almost one third of my 800sq m block. The trenches sit just below the surface and nothing can be built, grown or laid over them. So it means grass or ground cover is the only thing that can be used to cover the entire front of the block. Not such a big deal, but it does dictate the location of the house, and ultimately the footprint. The cottage can conform within the space allocated, as it’s a small home.
So, off I go to dive into sewage treatment plant specs for the night!
Spend to date: $40k
Image is of a verandah corner that is similar to how I’d like my front and side verandah to look.
