You may think of him as the grumpy Foreman, the bloke on The Block who appears on camera whenever things start going haywire, lays down the law and disappears again, leaving bruised and battered contestants wide-eyed in astonishment.
By Cassandra Turner, Interior Designer at Turner & Roberts
But the truth is, Keith Schleiger, AKA, The Blockinator, is a builder, a carpenter and a foreman with over 27 years industry experience, who really just wants to be a good guy. Really! And to prove it, he’s written a book detailing just how personally and financially rewarding it can be to be an owner/ builder, with detailed information on everything including managing costs, legal issues, safety and insurance as well as stepping you through the process from start to finish. Anything that relates to the process, Keith has covered. No grumbling included!
Rescu. caught up with Keith on the eve of the launch of his first book, Be Your Own Builder, to find out the truth about the man we love to watch.
RESCU: What prompted you to write a book?
Keith Schleiger: Having worked on The Block and in the industry for a little while now, I felt I was in a good position to do so. I’ve watched a lot of contestants with little or no building experience achieve good results. Essentially they are in the role of owner builders themselves on the show. I’ve seen what goes right but I’ve also been beside them when things go wrong.
RESCU: Your book essentially guides readers through the entire process, including why to consider being an owner/ builder, how to get started, who to hire and what to expect at each step of the way. Having said that though, I imagine being an owner/ builder would not be for everyone. What personal traits would you say someone considering becoming an owner/builder absolutely needs to have?
Keith Schleiger: They must be a good manager. When you are an owner builder you are also the project manager which means working alongside and managing everyone involved in the project, from the architect to the engineer, the tradesmen to the building inspector. That’s dealing with multiple roles and multiple personalities. A sense of humour is a must. With the right team it can be good fun.
RESCU: You have recently built your own home. What were the biggest lessons you learnt as an owner builder that you hadn’t already experienced working for others?
Keith Schleiger: The reality of having to stop when there’s not enough money! Expect as a given that you will need 30% more than your initial budget. Also don’t get too stressed about having every little detail finalised, like choosing colours, before you start. There will be time to do that as the project progresses. The best thing is seeing the project really come to fruition bit by bit, as you are on site every single day.
RESCU: What are your top 5 expert tips for anyone undertaking the process?
Keith Schleiger:
- Get your finance sorted. Then go back and get 30% more!
- Have your carpenter also act as a foreman.
- Try to finalise your building plans before you start
- Get 3-4 quotes for everything you do
- Get involved in things like cleaning up and sourcing materials yourself. Perhaps surprisingly, these are areas that you can save a lot of money on by doing the hard work yourself rather than having others do it for you.
Be Your Own Builder is available now at bookstores or online. RRP $29.99