Is Sydney Expensive

Interesting.. I agree, heating and insulation are quite standard (and cheaper) even in the southern states of the US where it only gets cold as much as Sydney. Could there be a particular reason our construction standards haven't evolved to that level (particularly concerning insulation and conditioning/ heating) whilst construction costs have broke all possible records?

 

is this one of those degree again which you cant get in via merit and macquarie offer you a degree if you have enough cash.. also if you are qualified as a citizen/pr you only pay 1/3 fee?

financial aid or not.. it dont change the fact their student debt is more than the economy of the 13th biggest economy in the world's yearly gdp.. which means in one way or another they cant afford to pay it back.

hk and london have way more population than australia at size smaller than a state..

australia house should be dirt cheap with the population/land ratio.

more like very ez to come and get a pr to stay in australia, for most country getting in to usa as tourist is hard enough let alone a green card.

 

I was reading a media report about the poor quality of Canberra apartments builds , but seamed to point the finger at lack of regulatory rules and no comeback 3-4 years down the road.
But that seams to also be happening in other states , who though it was a good idea to wrap hi-rise apartments in flammable cladding,even when it comes to fire safety standards the various fire and rescue authorities have one hand tied behind their back wrt to new builds.
We have heard of instances on certain apartment builds where interior fit-outs have started on individual apartments before the windows have been put in ,and over winter.

 

Lack of regulation is not the reason for poor construction. Houses built in the pre and post war period were built in an era of almost zero regulation and they are more sturdy, double brick homes etc.

The reason for the poor quality of building these days is that it is over regulated. The cost of complying with an ever increasing building and environmental code is so high, that builders have to economise on other parts of the build and use cheaper materials wherever they can. True.

 

When we built our home in 1988, we designed it to be solar passive, or whatever the modern terminology is. This was virtually unheard of at the time. Our draftsman and builders were old school and wanted to built a high quality home but the local council insisted they remove some of the structural features because they didn't comply with the new, lower standard, building regulations of the day. Our builders predominately built homes in Aspley from the 1960s to the 80s.

 

Partly. Everything is cheap quality these days. That's the way things are generally. Not just houses

 

I just finished building a GF,
Cost of project $160,000+ Intended duration 30+ years Aim =cash flow.

Construction quality.Excellent!!!!!


But the most important thing is the client. I optioned things like water proofing and tubbing bathroom well above code requirements ,better insulation.

Brick, high ceilings, larger windows on the northerly aspect, down lights through, larger pantry additional toilet in laundry ,generous outdoor areas and porch.

I could save $20,000 by excluding items

So you see the issue is not just the code its the developer hungry for money, council fees, compliance fees, insurances and so on.

Its hard to build a good product as the end consumer also does not understand in many cases why its extra.

A good apartment can cost $100k above for a better quality product. Convincing client is hard.


Question how many people tick double glazed windows from a a project home builder....Not many.

 

That's the problem - it shouldn't be a special tick box. It should be standard. Certainly in places with a cold climate. Obviously not in say Queensland. It's not an extra in many countries where it's the expected minimum. The culture that allows every little fitting to be "add on extras" as a normal business practice drives up costs. Everything is a scam these days. You could maybe excuse it if the price was low but building costs are ridiculous, certainly in Canberra. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a good quality product for that level of spend

 

Correct. And I don't think this will change in the near and mid terms. A lot of the expected demand is predicted to be inner city - hence the large scale construction of dwelllings in inner city. The big developers won't spend that kind if money without some demand modelling...

 

Agree....I would prefer to be on a minimum wage job in Australia than a minimum wage job in the USA

 

Yep....and it maxes out at only $18,500 a year....don't get me wrong - pretax savings are cool and the return we get in the USA for the fees is awesome (eg our Vanguard POGRX cost is only 0.30%pa......and they have been delivering returns of 15%+ for the last few years......compare that to my AMP Super in Australia.....)

But yes every Australian citizen should be super thankful for Aussie Super.

 

Agree. I have a mate involved in geothermal heating and cooling in NSW.....its insane how good the payback is for these installations.

Yes its a big whack up front....but put in good insulation and windows....when everyone else is running AC in summer or heaters in winter you are sitting in your house.....at the perfect temperature all for the cost of running a simple water pump.

 

Not every one can build If you option all good things upfront
Like

You should tick,

1. Solar panels
2. Staggered stud walls with insulation
3. Heat pump water heating(running during solar procuring hours)
4. Double/Triple glazed windows
5. Draft proof entrance door
6. Fully insulated roof with ventilation as required.
7. Thermal Insulation for Radiant Floor Heating Systems

Could you afford to tick all these? Some can inso the expensive architectural homes cost a lot to build.

Im sure some project builder do as well.

The above would add 30% to a build cost.

 

The trouble is that most people want the biggest house possible on their block, and so skimp on points 1 to 7 in order to achieve that.

 

I think it is expensive and tied too rates & our money being de valued all while wages stay the same.

 

Hi Dabbler, yes. As real estate investors, it is important to understand a fundamental truth: that it is our money that is changing value, not necessarily the property itself.

 

I enjoy the fact that some of the free activities in Sydney are free to be enjoyed by all such as the bay run, national parks to a degree, beaches and etc. In other countries in the world, there is a charge for everything.

 

I was of the understanding that at beaches in Sydney you are required to pay for parking. That's of course if you actually find a parking space!

 

Re: property build standards. People don't tend to put in what doesn't get valued when they renovate, and builders only offer what's required by code.

We had our house fully double glazed and fully insulated when we bought it and put many things in I would have expected as standard. Even though the property was only 10 years old, the lack of any kind of quality to the finishes for the price paid was pretty stark.

Coming from Europe, full double glazing was the absolute minimum I was prepared to accept, especially after having spent a year renting in a terribly cold and drafty Melbourne property when I first came. So we decided we'd upgrade when we bought a house which we did - it was very expensive.

I'm under absolutely no illusions that we will ever get that significant cost back when we sell the property.

Most Aussies in Melb on home inspections looking to buy a property give a pretty blank look when told a property is double glazed or insulated or built appropriately for the environment - they just don't "get it".

They realise the homes they live in are cold and drafty in winter, but accept this is "normal" and just the way life is. They then stick huge ac units to cope with the massive solar load which blazes onto their dark roofs and brickwork for 6 months of the year, and moan about the power bills.

Most don't even value the solar PV installations that owners put in or bother to put one in themselves.

Given a choice, most Aussies in Melbourne (can't speak for other cities) would rather buy h a larger, poorly specified, poorer quality house which has many rooms they don't use, than choose smaller, more comfortable and quality home, with decent quality finishes, specification and built for the local environment.

As long as they get an oversized integrated double garage taking up most of the frontage, several separate living areas, and as low maintenance yard as possible, they are good. Sad, but it's true - you only have to look at what gets built.

 

in most countries these stuff are free. most countries natural "stuff" are free.. any if u pay it goes back to into looking after the enviroment..

just the famous ones.. and they are bad anyway..the free ones are the one to go to !