Author: Brian Ashworth January 6, 2022

5 Tips For Building Your Ideal Home

Guest Post by Natalie lge

Whether you’re building a house in Darwin or searching for the best Bellarine Peninsula builders to construct your dream holiday home, there are some common factors that go into residential construction in Australia that all prospective homeowners need to understand.

For a smooth, error-free construction process with an ideal end-result, keep the following six tips in mind:

1. Have a general plan for your future

It may seem strange to ask you to have a plan for your future when you’re focused on building a house. . . However, this is highly relevant as it can help guide you in the many decisions you will face throughout the construction process.

If you haven’t planned out your future, you might think the cheaper three-bedroom display home will be suitable.

If you sit down and think about children, family visits, and other factors, you may decide to invest in a larger house and land package, with more rooms, a bigger backyard, and space to build a granny flat down the line.

Those who don’t want kids may even opt to go smaller!

The point is that if you want to build your dream home, you need to think about all the different stages of your life.

Things may not go to plan, of course, however, any dream home should be planned around the fulfillment of your dreams in life.

2. Take advantage of display homes

Display homes are there to give you a feel for what the plans will look like in real life.

Even the best 3D model can’t capture the feeling of standing inside a home and seeing how furniture and appliances fit.

So, take plenty of time to explore various display homes before committing to a builder and a plan.

Take note of what you like and don’t like about each one, and you’ll soon have a clear picture of what your dream home looks like.

3. Be careful in choosing a builder

Even before the pandemic, there were problematic builders in Australia.

However, over the last two years, many have folded due to unsustainable business practices.

When a builder goes out of business, prospective homeowners are rarely fully reimbursed, even if the work is substandard and/or hasn’t been completed.

This is just one of many potential problems you can face with a builder, and the consequences can be devastating, so, it’s essential to do your due diligence and ensure you sign up with a reputable company.

4. Budget for extra expenses

If your budget barely covers the initial quoted cost of the home, you’ll have no room for unexpected expenses that may arise.

Perhaps you want to go off-plan and have a more spacious loungeroom or wider front door.

There are many reasons why your plans may change, so make sure you budget appropriately.

5. Finish with a thorough inspection

When you get word that your house has been completed, it’s tempting to sign off on it so you can move in right away.

However, doing so can leave you stuck with all sorts of problems and no avenue to remedy them (apart from paying to fix them yourself).

You need to be thorough when doing a Practical Completion Inspection (PCI)

If you aren’t confident book an an expert to look over your new home will give you confidence that you can move in without a care in the world.

 

Building a house is challenging, but if you go in prepared, it can be one of the most rewarding journeys of your life.

Start with the tips above, do your due diligence, and that dream home will soon be yours.