HouseLab is for everyone involved in the design, construction and home management process. All project and home-related information can be uploaded to a secure, online hub. Warranties, manuals, plans, permits, paint colours, key contact details – everything is kept safe, ready to access whenever needed. No need for multiple applications like Dropbox, Excel, Google Docs, email, text and others, HouseLab is a one-stop solution. Setting up an account for personal users is completely free.

HouseLab allows homeowners and professionals to:

·     Handover a digital set of keys, creating a record of a home that's conveniently stored in a web app

·     Store and tag documents and products to easily access anytime, anywhere

·    Access up-to-date plans and permits ensuring architects, builders and homeowners are all on the same page

·     Create reminders and expenses to help manage a home

·     Use the defect module to make recording and remediating issues simple and transparent

·     Duplicate templates to create multi-residential projects quickly

·     Keep a digital archive of projects

·     Manage and maintain a home beyond handover

·     Access advice that helps demystify the renovation/building process

We’ve spoken with more than 100 industry professionals and found that on average, handovers cost between $500 and $2000 per project. On top of that, there are significant administrative costs that appear throughout post-occupancy. Too often new owners were frustrated by their inability to solve seemingly simple issues like operating their oven or how to use their alarm code, and construction managers or real estate agents were being taken away from their day-to-day job to resolve the issues. In some cases, businesses have employed administrative assistants to help manage the post-handover period. 

Many of these issues, and the costs they generate, can be significantly reduced through immediate access to the right information and right people.  

Nightingale 1 in Brunswick by Breathe Architecture – Photograph by Peter Clarke

Since launching in late 2017, HouseLab has helped handover numerous single and multi-residential projects, including the iconic and award-winning Nightingale 1 development. Nightingale was looking for a sensible and sustainable approach to handing over 20 apartments. Nightingale’s ethos revolves around well designed, sustainable and community-led building for owner-occupiers. This approach sat perfectly with HouseLab and reflects the belief that engagement with residents is one that extends beyond simply moving in. With Houselab, Nightingale residents have access to information on every product, fixture, fitting and surface detail in their home. In addition, the new homeowners were able to manage the defect process via the platform, allowing the architects, builders and residents to work within a centralised hub. It improved transparency, communication and, most importantly, trust. This is how communities are built and what made Houselab a logical partner for Nightingale. Even the body corporate managers were included in the process, so when the management rights transferred to them, they too had access to all critical building information, further enhancing the transition process.

Following on from the success of Nightingale, HouseLab is now working closely with one of Australia’s largest volume home builders, Porter Davis. They too have been unhappy with their handover process and, given the size of their business, a reduction in handover and post-handover operating costs can have significant impact on margins. Like Nightingale, Porter Davis also recognizes the importance of a great customer experience – and Houselab has shown them a way to help deliver that. It’s removing what was a cumbersome, print focused and inefficient process that created unnecessary back and forth post-handover communication with their customers. HouseLab solves these issues by creating one central location to store all the information related to the new home, from warranty information to appliance instruction manuals. 

For home-owners, a personal account is completely free and allows users to take control of their renovation, tidy that messy kitchen drawer of manuals, warranties, receipts and other paperwork and then maintain the home easily.  

In essence, HouseLab is a smart, simple and elegant solution to handovers that improves the customer experience and reduces the cost of doing business.  

For a one time fee of $100 per project (plus GST), or free for personal users, Houselab transforms the way homes are handed over and managed. 

Learn more at https://houselab.com.au/faq

WRITTEN BY HouseLab