Choosing the right builder

Building a home is likely the biggest financial commitment you’ll ever make – but perhaps more importantly, it’s an emotional investment too – and we understand that the build process itself can have a profound emotional impact on how you perceive and connect with your new home.

That’s why it’s so important to choose a builder that’s well-aligned with your goals and values, and who is capable of taking care of your financial and emotional investment, as well as delivering your stunning new home. With that in mind, we’ve listed a few key factors to consider when you’re choosing a builder.

Customer service

Often, the very first point of contact you’ll have with a prospective builder will be in a display home. The role of a New Home Consultant is to answer your questions and be as generous with time and information as possible. Beware of consultants who use scarcity tactics to encourage you to purchase quickly, or dismiss your concerns or questions. Customer experiences at the first touchpoint are often indicative of the culture within a business, which means that experience is more likely to carry through your entire build experience. Trust your gut.

Inclusions, value, and price transparency

A low base price might look attractive initially, but once you dig a little deeper you’ll often find that what’s included for that price is nowhere near realistic – and you’ll likely be hit with further costs down the track once it’s too late to back out. Look for a builder who offers high-quality inclusions as standard, because that’s usually the best assurance that you’ll get good value for your money, and won’t wind up stuck without a floor in your home – because you’ve selected a builder who considers flooring an upgrade. Bonus points for being transparent about display home pricing – we hear so many stories of people falling in love with display homes and finding it impossible to get a straight answer on how much it would cost to build a similar home. 

We pride ourselves on being completely transparent in our pricing and offering market leading inclusions. You can find out comprehensive inclusion guides for each of our ranges here.

Credibility and customer sentiment

The beauty of the internet is that you can now learn from the mistakes and recommendations of every person who has walked the new home path before you. If you’ve got a short list of builders you’re considering, take some time to go through their verified reviews and testimonials online. Take particular note of any that have been less than glowing, and how the company has responded – it’s important to have an idea of how the company handles feedback and responds when things don’t go perfectly as planned. Don’t forget to look at the service warranty and what happens after your builder hands over the keys – are you given an opportunity to live in your home and review it before your relationship ends? You should be!

Design and flexibility
Think about your needs for your new home, and how those needs are likely to evolve in the future. Does the home design you’ve selected accommodate those needs, and if not, what adjustments can be made? Look for a builder that’s prepared to offer flexibility and tweak your floor plan to better suit your needs and the block you’ve selected. 

Efficiency and process transparency

Your builder should provide a standard timeline outlining each stage of pre-construction and construction, including how long you should expect each stage to take. Ask what the process is for handing over from one team to the next. Do you have a designated point of contact for each stage, and do they communicate with each other? Look for a builder who has taken time to streamline the process as much as possible, where the team is able to communicate with clarity and transparency at each and every stage of your build. 

We do our absolute best to provide our customers with a seamless service experience and a stunning home that’s stacked with high-value features, and we’re proud of the way we prioritise both value and transparency for our customers. Our New Home Consultants are ready and waiting to answer your questions – we hope we’ll see you in one of our beautiful display homes soon!