Hi fellow OzBargainers,
I have recently purchased my first home and want to do some renovations in this house which involves removing a wall merging my Kitchen and Laundry to create a bigger space. Being my first home, i have no idea where to start. Should I search for a Tradie or need to look for a builder? I am on a budget with limited DIY skills. Whats the best way to search for a right guy? I live in Victoria. Appreciate any guidance.
Tradie or a Builder
Isn't a builder a tradie?
Do you mean a carpenter?
I think they probably mean handyman.
Thanks @apsilon, yes i meant handyman.
If you have no idea get a builder as they will be able to determine if its load bearing. They will also be able to project manage any other trades such as a chippy, plasterer, sparky and plumber as required.
First go into the roof cavity and see if there are any beams going over the wall which are not one piece of wood or if there are beams that end on the wall. If there are then you need a builder as it's a structural wall and will need expertise and money to remove.
If there are no beams then get a tradie to give you a quote and check if its a structural wall so that quote is right.
As for getting the right person ask anyone who has done reno's or built a new house and ask them.
Thanks @AndyC1. I will check this as starter.
If you want to be a tightarse - get a builder to come out and give a quote. If they mention stuff like load bearing wall/engineer etc you know you need them.
If they don't, may you can wing it with just a couple of tradies.
For most things, I'd suggest watching Youtube and giving it a go yourself. However, with limited knowledge about your wall i.e. whether it's load-bearing, are there any electrical cables or plumbing pipes running through, etc then we can't give much advice other than to confirm these things first.
I have seen the 3 stooges tackle a job like that
Builder as the wall maybe load bearing and may need structural alterations.