FAQ's
Major Questions
Inspection of block by the JADK
Our team visit every site to ensure that the site orientation, access, and other matters are all evaluated prior to tender. Every building site is unique and a number of factors must be reviewed and addressed prior to deposit. The site can affect your lifestyle & home design choices.
Cost overruns
Unfortunately many builders do not complete soil tests and levels before providing you with an estimate. Possibly the largest unplanned expense during construction relates to peering, storm water, sewer and retaining. The uncertainty can be easily eliminated by some careful planning and investigation.
House size-Square metre areas (SQM) and changes during construction
All builders calculate the size of their homes differently; this makes it extremely difficult to compare home designs between builders. We suggest that rather than making your decision based on the SQM of your home, that you should identify your needs and ensure that the home meets your living requirements. How many bedrooms, bathrooms, garages, living spaces your family desire? And what size should these spaces be to adequately meet your needs?
JADK do not penalize you with a charge to modify your design, we merely charge the additional construction costs involved – sometimes this may even mean a credit for you. JADK ensure that all changes are priced prior to signing contracts, it is very difficult to control the cost of changes you make after purchase orders have been issued by us. Making all changes upfront will definitely save you money.
Standard inclusions
All builder invariably have a standard inclusions list as a starting point. We suggest that you review this thoroughly and compare what is on offer as this can save you thousands of dollars. If you do wish to make additions or changes ensure that these are done upfront so that you are clear on what your costs will be and that they fit with your budget. Like most businesses, builders establish relationships with their own preferred suppliers, sometimes this may limit your selection of fixtures and fittings. These relationships also mean that in the unlikely event that you do select an item outside our standard range that we have negotiated deals for these items on your behalf as well. We are more than happy to price these non-standard items for you upfront to avoid hidden surprises later down the track.
Visit JADK homes completed or has under construction?
Yes, completed homes are an excellent source of information and demonstrate the builder’s quality of workmanship, care and design prowess. We are happy to provide you access to such facilities in an effort to make your decision making process easier. If you would like more examples of our workmanship feel free to contact JADK, we are more than happy to provide you with a list of local jobs currently under construction or recently completed so that you can witness the building process firsthand. Please note, strict WH&S regulations will not permit you to enter a building site without being accompanied by a JADK representative so please ensure that you contact us first.
Construction Manager
How many homes will your construction supervisor be managing as well as yours? Will he be able to attend to your needs effectively throughout the construction process or are you just another number? At JADK we limit the number of homes our construction Manager oversee throughout the entire construction phase. This ensures that our Manager's attentive to the needs & wants of each individual client.
Discussion with Construction Manager
Absolutely, it is imperative that you have direct contact with your construction Manager who will ultimately be responsible for the construction of your new dream home. This is quite possibly the largest and most important purchase you will make in your lifetime, by having direct contact with our Manager, you have a peace of mind. Together you can detect and resolve any issues or concerns that you may have throughout the construction process directly, which will potentially save you stress, time and money.
Site Visit
JADK recommends that this must be done by appointment so that one of our authorised representatives and/or your Construction manager can accompany you and ensure your safety on site. Our reps will do this at the following stages throughout construction. 1) Slab 2) Frame 3) Pre-Sheet 4) Fix-out 5) Completion
JAK certification
It is imperative that your builder be appropriately licensed –Our Builders Licence Number in NSW and ACT can be checked. To check the licence details of your builder please refer to The NSW Office of Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au or The ACT Planning and Land Authority at www.actpla.act.gov.au.
Home Owners Warranty Insurance
Home Owners Warranty (HOW) Insurance is one of the most important elements of working with any builder. HOW insurance provides you with peace of mind that you will be protected in the unlikely event that a builder is unable to proceed with the construction of your home. HOW insurance will ensure that your home will be completed. JADK Home Owners Warranty Insurance is provided by QBE one of Australia’s largest insurance companies.
Builder history
Word of mouth is by far the best form of referral; however there are other ways of researching the history of a building company and its quality of care. Here are some little things to look out for: • How long has the business / builder been operating? • Testimonials from customers • Awards for building practices as well as their designs. • Review their standing with the industry bodies. • References from suppliers, bank institutions, insurance companies etc.
Structural guarantee
A structural guarantee is a necessity of any building company with merit. This guarantee is your peace of mind if anything should occur to the structural integrity (beams, trusses, slab, etc.) of your home. The company and its insuring body will honour this guarantee in the event that the structural member or members are found to be faulty. This guarantee is offered by the builder, but in the case of the builder no longer being in business the insurance company who hosts the policy will ensure that the fault is rectified. We provides a 6 year structural guarantee.