At Wide Span Homes we offer a cost effective alternative to the tradition brick and mortar homes - with our steel kit home product range. Not only are our kit homes made from steel, a light, yet extremely strong material (saving thousands on freight and labour), but we supply just the shell, effectively allowing our customers to finish their home to suit their building, budget and aesthetic requirements. Customers can then outsource certain services and products to finish their home. This method has the potential to save Wide Span Homes’ customers thousands – due largely to not having to pay builders margins.

There are unlimited advantages to becoming an owner builder, however, it is extremely imperative that if this is the course you want to take, that you do your research before signing the dotted line.

Please consider the following:

• Have you already bought land?
• Have you looked into your local council’s requirements?
• Have you the time to commit to building your own kit home?
• If so, are you required to hold a permit or licence?
• Have you looked into financing options for owner builders?
• Employing a builder? Do they have experience in erecting steel buildings?

Have you already bought land?
This to many is like … What comes first the chicken or the egg? Do you choose the design of your house first, and then find land to suit? Or do you find land first and find a kit home that fits? Ultimately, this is up to you, but as land becomes scarce and harder to find the perfect lot, it sometimes makes more sense to buy your land first and then find a design to suit.

Council Requirements
Council requirements are different in every region; therefore it is up to you and not the supplier, to find out what your local council requirements are. Certainly, Wide Span Homes can identify key issues to help with your council submission, but (as with building any kind of home) it is really important for you to understand your limitations when building a steel kit home in your area.

Can you commit the time?
Building a home is a time consuming project. A full time builder can take up to 12-months to build a home. Do you have the time and patience to build your own house? If you do, then once you have finished erecting your kit home, you will feel a great sense of accomplishment. Many previous steel kit home owner builders have said that building their own kit homes was an extremely rewarding experience, and the final product made the project all the more worthwhile.

Owner Builders Permits and Licences
It is important for all owner builders to note that each state has their own regulations when building your own property. You may need certain licences and permits to do so. Before making your purchase, you should find out all the necessary details from your local council.

Steel Kit Home Builder
If you would prefer to employ the services of a professional kit home builder, make sure they have experience in building kit homes. Building a traditional brick and mortar home is completely different to building a steel kit home; so again, please do your research before signing on the dotted line. Too many times, I’ve heard about builders blaming kit suppliers for discrepancies in the build of a home, and once looked into; it was because the home was erected wrongly – due to lack of experience, and neglecting to follow the instructions.

Owner Builder Financing
Getting finance as an owner builder is a completely different experience to finding a construction loan when you have employed the services of a professional builder. However, it isn’t impossible – you just need to do your research. Many of the banks may turn their noses up, but there are also many banks and credit unions who are happy to assist. They will no doubt have regulations, but again, do your research; find out if you need to have a specific licence (and see if it is easy to obtain). The internet is a wonderful place to find information, take your time and do your research – if there is a will, there will most certainly be a way!

This list may sound daunting now, but if you do the research properly, you will no doubt find all the answers and be on the way to building your dream steel kit home.