Building the home of your dreams can be a lengthy and sometimes difficult process that requires the help of multiple individuals and businesses.
Hiring a custom home building company can aid in saving you a lot of time due to their expertise and large network of contract workers (all of which are well trained and are compliant with local regulations).
But how do you choose the best builder? Read the below article for useful tips on picking the best custom home builder for your project.
Where do you start?
Ideally, you should start inquiring about custom home building companies as soon as you begin the design phase with your architect. Bringing a construction expert on board early-on can provide accurate cost estimations and determine feasibility of some of the design choices.
They should work closely with the architect involved including, keeping the planned developments on schedule, providing their own design ideas, suggesting cost-efficient alternatives and mitigating potential construction issues. Keep in mind the majority of this should happen before the actual construction takes place.
Remember, you shouldn’t settle for the first builder that you talk to. Doing research and interviewing with multiple companies can help to have your project seen from a different perspective. In some cases, they can even suggest cost-effective options and provide new ideas that you hadn’t even thought of.
The cheapest option does not always mean the best option. A company offering the lowest quote that looks like a bargain can potentially be hiding expensive costs or using second hand materials. A good custom home builder should be someone who you can trust and is always keeping you up to date on the decisions made during each phase of construction.
In Australia, there are two common contracts used by home builders when doing their work, which are the HIA and Master Builder contracts. These will specify the five stages of building a new home, showing an overview of the work and what will be done on each stage.
Building a home takes time, so be patient. It can take up to 18 weeks on average for the pre-building phase, and in between 6 to 12 months on average at the construction stage. The builder’s good communication will be put to test at this phase, given that regular updates on the construction status should be given and any issues addressed carefully.
It is also crucial to remember that amid the coronavirus pandemic there has been large amounts of information released by the Victoria government regarding construction work. For example, the Third Step restrictions in Australia allows new construction contracts to be signed, as long as the companies provide their COVIDSafe Plan ensuring physical distancing and face mask requirements for all their employees. Keep these guidelines in mind when determining commencement dates for your construction, to ensure that accurate timelines can be determined.
Melbourne has some of the best and most experienced custom home builders in Victoria, serving their clients with high-quality well-designed homes. Be sure to conduct interviews with multiple reputable companies, to make sure you get the best possible outcome for your residential project.
