Becoming an owner builder is something many find to be quite rewarding; it allows you to complete the construction of your own domestic property, with your hand mainly having major control and influence. The allure of autonomy and significant cost savings is the selling point, and most people will go through numerous hurdles to establish themselves as an owner builder.
The most important hurdle is undertaking an owner builder course, which provides all the necessary information needed. However, time is key, and the key question to ask, and ultimately answer, is how long would such a course take?
In truth, it depends. Numerous factors go into determining the time needed to undertake an owner builder course. Institutions offer many courses that vary in the time taken to complete them. Some could last for a few days, and some could potentially go for 2-3 weeks if not months. It doesn’t have a simple answer, but could be analysed through the types of courses available and how they help students to become owner builders.
An example of a typical course is a Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building), and this qualification provides a complete and thorough preparation for an applicant to gain the knowledge required. The entire course covers 16 subjects that contribute to the applicant’s overall knowledge and preparedness. Such a course is likely to take between 30-40 weeks depending on the institution.
However, depending on the current competencies and experience of the applicant, they may already have knowledge or perhaps training in a number of the subjects present in the course. Should an applicant study a single subject, this may take 2-4 weeks to complete. More time is required for any additional subjects undertaken.
It is also common to find abbreviated courses that merge most of the subjects into a single course. Such courses are not accredited, meaning the learner does not get a statement of attainment to confirm completion. However, depending on the provider of the course it is likely that an applicant will gain some knowledge. The timelines tend to be much shorter, typically an entire course may run for 3-4 weeks.
Owner builder courses can vary in time taken, and knowing the differences of courses from this aspect can help you to become an owner builder at your own pace. Ultimately, it is best to define time in terms of how well you as an applicant are prepared for the owner builders assessment which is part of the application process and how well prepared you are to successfully manage your project.
Parker Brent is accredited as a provider of the Certificate IV in Building and Construction, among other courses. To see what might suit you best, head to our courses page at www.parkerbrent.com.au/courses/ to find out more.
