Hi Astro
Possibly a removal could be good for the right handy person mate. Here's what happened to me :
1. Found a cute colonial at Wynnum - picked up for a 'steal" at $3K and took house remover with me who confirmed a nice easy 2-piece move at $17K additional delivered and stumped
2. During the move, the vast majority of internal wall sheeting collapsed - the removalist said "oh I didn't realise they had taken out all the internal VJ's - I thought they had pastered over them" - luckily he suggested this was mostly their fault and they would help fix
3. As I was moving in Caboolture Shire, they take a $30,000 bond (or did back then, and at the same time Brisbane City Council was only $10,000) which they keep until you have jumped through flaming hoops
4. As I wasn't too handy, the internal renovations budget blew out - some windows smashed, needed replacing, kitchen needed replacing anyway, as did bathroom, floors polished, internal paint etc etc.
5. As it was moved in 2 pieces and lets just say they weren't the most skilled craftsmen you have ever seen (one cut the flooring in the hosue with a chainsaw!) the way it joined back together was not exactly pristine !
In the end it looked ok. Nice little colonial on the hill with verandah overlooking the dam. The cost to build a decent lowset brick back then (that everyone seems to want, I didn't, admittedly) was around $70,000. When I added up the costs of removal and make good, and the lost interest on the $30,000 bond etc I spent around $70,000 doing the removal project. It was all the extra work and things like cost of new stairs etc. Its easy to blow a couple of grand per staircase etc.
Admittedly, we're talking very unskilled here and had to pay for everything.
If I could be conned into moving again it would be a SINGLE SHIFT small colonial with all the internal VJ's still there, original flooring etc. The removalist suggested they move a lot better, and there would be much less drama setting them up in the new place. Plus at least you have the real valuable stuff like the feel of timber, the VJ style etc.
I think many councils have followed suit with the bonds and strict conditions on removals. I still reckon for the average person the cost of a reasonable spec home (with better depreciation and more suited to tenants, and not anywhere near as much ongoing maintenance) would be about the same as the average removal. The priceleading "$x delivered and stumped on your land" neglects to mention the costs of make good, plumbing, council etc. so I can see why lots of people are still keen.
Only my point of view from my highly unskilled viewpoint
. I am in the process of trying to put a spec home on a block of land. Only been going 2 weeks and already the building co. has managed to stuff up at least 3 things to do with the soil test and contour survey, and are now refusing to quote on building till we prepare the earthworks ourselves. Grrrrrr. So much for the hassle free method of leaving it all to someone else. Its hard work this property stuff eh ? So maybe I'm just a whinger !
Best wishes
TryHard
