Building in under a QLDer costs

Discussion in 'Renovation & Home Improvement' started by Mich, 28th Oct, 2016.

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  1. Mich

    Mich Active Member

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    We are looking at buying a QLDer which has a height of 1.8-2.1m underneath the house (no slab just dirt and a laundry with wooden slats around the bottom of the house).

    I am wanting to have the Master bedroom downstairs with a sitting room and bathroom. Nothing flash!

    I have been told by a builder this will cost between $150 000-$200 000 !!! I nearly died!

    I was hoping to spend no more than maximum $100 000 absolutely finished. Is this possible?
    Can I do it with out raising the house?
     
    Mich, 28th Oct, 2016
    #1
  2. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    You can dig down but that means drainage, waterproofing etc. With our house we ended up not saving by digging down because we hit rock.

    I'd hate to spend even $100k and not end up with a legally habitable room.

    We have two houses we will lift soon and I believe the actual lift is the cheapest part of it. You'll still have to do plumbing, drainage, slab, weatherboard, windows, internal walls whether you raise or excavate down.

    Why not do the lift and get it all approved and make a legal job that should add value to your house?
     
    wylie, 28th Oct, 2016
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  3. Mich

    Mich Active Member

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    You might be right. Ive seen lifts for between $8000-$25000 on the net so far.
    I guess its the rest of it that I need to find out about.
    Surely someone out there has done it for a lot less?
    As I said Im not wanting internal stairs or anything fancy..
     
    Mich, 28th Oct, 2016
    #3
  4. Phase2

    Phase2 Well-Known Member

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    Lookup @Tim86's posts. lots of good info there.
     
    Phase2, 28th Oct, 2016
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  5. wombat777

    wombat777 Well-Known Member

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    Perhaps take a look at it from a long-term perspective? Is spending extra dollars justified from the perspective of potential for capital growth? If you have nice views or are in a popular suburb are the extra $$$ for a job done properly including internal stairs worth the investment?
     
    wombat777, 28th Oct, 2016
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  6. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    This /\ /\ /\

    Is this for you to live in, or for rental?

    We are having to weigh up just how much to spend on the houses we will lift, whether to enclose them with weatherboard, add windows (even if we add weatherboards but don't build in completely downstairs, just batten them in, add new external stairs or add internal stairs (my preference), without doing more than that initially.

    I'm budgeting $100k for the complete lift, reconnection, certification, stairs x 2, new kitchen and bathroom if needed, fencing. We may not even slab the underneath just yet.

    If we spend $100k we won't get any more rent than we are getting now because it is all unseen, and the house offers nothing more to a tenant than it does now.

    It is part of a bigger plan though and if we do the bigger job (build under properly, add second bathroom and another bedroom and second living area), our rent may rise from $580 per week (just choosing one house as an example) to $700 per week. That isn't good return on the cost to do the renovation.

    And also, right now, if we shifted the house we are getting $580 per week for, we would be hard pressed to get $500 per week, so we won't be doing anything while rents are so flat.
     
    wylie, 28th Oct, 2016
    #6
  7. gman65

    gman65 Well-Known Member

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    Would leave it as is unless a premium location
     
    gman65, 28th Oct, 2016
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  8. Mich

    Mich Active Member

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    I do not have, nor do I want to spend $200 000 on adding one bedroom and an ensuite. Also we do not want internal stairs as we want the two areas to be seperate (away from teenagers).
     
    Mich, 28th Oct, 2016
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  9. Marg4000

    Marg4000 Well-Known Member

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    Even if you do not want internal access, most people do. For resale values you may be wise to include internal stairs, even if you choose not to use them.
    Marg
     
    Marg4000, 28th Oct, 2016
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  10. Tim86

    Tim86 Well-Known Member

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    The price you were quoted is accurate.

    I raied and built in under a 10m by 10m queenslander. it cost around 90k diy.

    To pay a builder I would have needed to spend twice that.

    Most people get a quote for raising their house and building underneath. and then realise it would cost less to build a whole new house. And then they give up on the idea.
     
    Tim86, 29th Oct, 2016
    #10
  11. Azazel

    Azazel Well-Known Member

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    Could be an idea to find a spot that you could put some internal stairs later, even a small spiral staircase.
    Might be handy if you ever sell.
     
    Azazel, 29th Oct, 2016
    #11
  12. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    You will lose a lot of your height with a slab if you don't dig down. Digging down means ensuring it is waterproof.

    I reckon you could make your master bedroom, ensuite and sitting room for the money you want to but it will be low ceilinged, dark and you won't add any value.

    And I'm confused by your comment that you don't want internal stairs. When you want to pop to the kitchen for a milo in winter, you will have to go outside and use external stairs. Unless I'm missing something. That is another bad idea in my opinion.

    I think not lifting is a mistake because whatever you add downstairs will not likely add as much value as you will spend.
     
    wylie, 29th Oct, 2016
    #12