5 min read

Building a house is a big decision. It’s also a process that can be stressful, regardless of whether you’re building for the first time.

There are many decisions to make, details to address, and so many people involved. It’s easy to get lost in the process and feel intimidated talking to New Home Sales Consultant’s or directly with a Builder.

Feeling overwhelmed by the number of decisions you need to make, second-guessing your choices, and the financial commitment (most likely a 30-year loan) can make even the most confident people feel very uneasy.

Building a home is one of the most significant decisions you’ll ever make. It may be daunting, but it’s also exciting! As a result, you’ll likely have many questions and opinions.

Either way, you need to understand what to look for to know which builder will give you the best value for your money. In addition, you need to know the right questions to ask and when to negotiate the price.

Finding a builder you can trust can be unnerving, but finding the right person for the job is vital – after all, the quality of your home and the construction experience will have a massive impact on your life, possibly for years to come.

You want to find the right builder for you — someone who will listen to your needs and desires, offer expert advice and help you stay on budget and schedule.

But how do you find the right one?

The first step is figuring out what you want and need. This means asking questions like:

• What kind of space do I want to create?
• What style do I want to evoke?
• What floor plan will suit our current lifestyle, and will it also accommodate our future needs?
• What’s my realistic budget, and can I still build the house I want with it?
• How important is the builder’s attention to detail to me?
• Would it bother me to see something not finished well, or is “near enough” good enough for me?
• Will I be allowed on-site during the build to see how things are going, and is it important for me to be able to go to the building site whenever I want or is it by appointment only?
  

The next step is to decide what type of home you want to build. For example, do you want to build a home for one family to live in, a home for an extended family, a single-level home, a double-storey home, or something else entirely?

This will help you narrow down your options and determine what type of Builder will best suit your building requirements.

Once you’ve decided on the kind of home you want to build, the next step is to find a Builder who specialises in building that type of home. For example, not all Builder’s construct double-storey homes.

The best place to start is by getting references and referrals from friends, family, and neighbours who have appreciated their Builder and enjoyed the building process with them.

Once you’ve gathered a few recommendations, it’s time to do some background research. This will help you determine whether the Builder has a good reputation and has delivered quality homes in the past.

You can also search online for reviews from past customers, read social media posts from other homeowners who are happy with the work done on their homes and talk to fellow homeowners who have a similar style of home and construction to yours. This will give you a good idea of what to expect from each Builder and whether they’re a good fit for you and your project. And don’t forget to ask the Builder directly for testimonials from the clients they have built for.

When you’ve narrowed down the list of Builder’s you’re considering to build your home, it’s time to compare what each Builder offers as their “standard inclusions”. This is where you’ll understand which builder will give you the best value for your money!

Understanding what each Builder has included as their entry price is critical. Knowing which materials, finishes and colours you will be able to select from without paying for expensive upgrades are essential to know BEFORE you sign the Builder’s contract.

Having detailed descriptions in your contract of each inclusion, rather than a general description, will ensure you will get what you have signed for.

A Builder may provide you with an actual list of inclusions, called an Inclusion List, or you will be told that they don’t have standard inclusions because they can build you a home based on your budget.

Sometimes, a New Home Sales Consultant and Builder may offer you the flexibility to select whatever you want when you get to the Colour Selection appointment, but that’s after you’ve signed the builder’s contract. This means you’re likely to be choosing expensive upgrades during the colour selection appointment.

You must ensure that the Builder will allow you to have everything you want included in your contract described in full detail BEFORE you sign the builder’s contract.

There’s some excellent information on this Australian government website, Your Home, that you should check out before you even start looking for a builder.

Let’s summarise the steps that will help you select the right Builder to build your home:

1. Figure out what you want and need by asking yourself these questions:

• What kind of space do I want to create?
• What style do I want to evoke?
• What floor plan will suit our current lifestyle, and will it also accommodate our future needs?
• What’s my realistic budget, and can I still build the house I want with it?
• How important is the builder’s attention to detail, to me? Would it bother me to see something not finished well, or is “near enough” good enough for me?
• Will I be allowed on-site during the build to see how things are going, and is it important for me to be able to go to the site whenever I want or by appointment only?

2. Decide what type of home you want to build.

3. Find a builder who specialises in building that type of home.

4. Get references and referrals from online forums, friends, family, and neighbours.

5. Search online for reviews from past customers, and read social media posts from other homeowners who are happy with the work completed. And don’t forget to ask the Builder directly for testimonials from the clients they have built for.

6. Compare what each Builder offers as their “standard inclusions” regardless of whether they offer an Inclusion List or they offer to build to your budget.

7. Check out this Australian government website, Your Home, to make sure you’ve covered everything before you sign a builders contract.

8. Ensure that the builder will clearly describe in the contract everything you want included BEFORE you sign on the dotted line.