Considering building a new, custom home? Amazing, there are so many outstanding benefits to building a custom home and your own property. But before you sign the contracts and start building, there are a few things you simply need to know about custom building.
Leneeva Homes, as one of Melbourne’s premier custom builders, is here to help make the process easier for you. Remember the following considerations before choosing to custom build your new home.
Obvious, yes. Imperative, most certainly. Before you begin the process of planning for a new custom build, it’s vital to know how much you can spend. It is also important to be realistic about your building goals so you can allocate funds to the things you want the most. You’re more likely to stick to your budget and reduce the financial stress as well as have fewer regrets down the track.
Looking for a floor plan that’s designed for your lifestyle? You might be better off dedicating a sum of your funds to hiring an architect to design your new home. Whatever your building priorities are, just remember that building is just the beginning and you’ll require a budget for landscaping, interior design, décor and more to complete your custom build.
For most types of houses you will need two permits:
Fees and processes for these will vary from state to state and between different local councils. But whatever you’re planning to build, you’ll need to be prepared for the paperwork, costs and time involves in securing your permits before building.
It’s worth checking with your council to find out whether the home you want can be built without the need of a planning permit. If you carefully follow your council’s guidelines, you might be able to bypass this process and move straight to a building permit application.
When it comes to hiring a contractor to build a house, you want to have an extensive checklist as well as questions to follow up with your list of candidates.
This includes:
These questions to ask a home builder will deal with issues that are just as vital as being able to deliver your home within your determined budget.
There are various types of building contracts available but any contracts should clearly stipulate the rights and responsibilities of you, contractors and your builder.
To protect your property from the very start, ask your solicitor to check your building contract for builders’ insurance provisions and workmanship warranties. Ensure the final price in the contract is what was agreed upon and that you fully understand what the allowances and conditions are for cost variations. Your contract should also refer to detailed drawings and plans, a process and payment schedule and details of deposit required. Additionally, there should be a cooling-off period upon signing your contract.
Ultimately, a contract provides certainty and protects all parties involved in the build. Therefore, you should take your time, ask plenty of questions and above all, stick to the golden rule of contracts in mind: if you don’t understand it, simply don’t sign it. Stick with this rule and you should be fine.
To find out more regarding custom home builds in Melbourne, simply get in contact with the experts at Leneeva Homes. Give us a call on 1300 754 124 or submit an inquiry form on our contact page and we will get back to you with all the information you require.
