Spec Homes

Legal Aspects of Home Purchase

Normally a buyer first comes into contact with the property through a real-estate agent. Remember that the agent works for the seller, not for the buyer, and that the seller pays the agent’s fees or commission for negotiating the sale. This means that the agent’s obligations are primarily owed to the seller, not to the […]

Lighting

Lighting can transform your new house into a home. Early planning about your lighting requirements can save a costly and inconvenient retrofit at a later stage. As part of this planning process you will need to decide about the type of lighting you require. This decision is more than thinking about whether you want downlights, […]

Liquidated Damages

A liquidated damages (LD) clause is common in many building contracts for commercial or institutional buildings, but less common in residential contracts.  Liquidated damages are an amount which the builder agrees to pay to the homeowner for late completion of the project.  This is usually an amount per day or per week.  Liquidated damages are […]

Bonding

Bonding is a term used in a number of contexts for people involved in the land development or building sectors. Below are two of these uses. In the land development sector, suppose a developer has a land sub-division requiring $10 million worth of civil work and provision of essential services, but has only completed $7 […]

Defects Liability

Under many building contracts, you have a contractual right to have defects addressed. The contractual rights can be exercised by the property owner, but not usually by a third party. There are general entitlements under the Building Services (Complaint Resolution and Administration) Act 2011 that allows a person to make a complaint about defective building work. […]

Earthworks

Risk of Owner Earthworks   Some home owners take on the task of organizing the earthworks and their certification themselves, rather than the builder charging for the responsibility. The aim of this is often to reduce building costs, removing these works from the contract with the builder.   This in theory sounds fine, until you […]

Tips: First Home Buyer

First home buyer – tips Buying a first home can be a daunting experience. To make this process enjoyable, think about the following tips:   1.     Read the contract carefully Make sure that you understand all the terms and conditions. If not, ask!! 2.     Allow extra time for delays Despite the best intentions projects can run […]

Financing a Renovation

The first thing to consider when you decide to renovate is exactly how you want to enhance your home. It seems obvious, but making sure you have a clearly defined vision from the start will minimise the risk of getting carried away and allow you to stick to a budget. Once you decide on what […]

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