From Dirt to Designer – A Guide to the Home Building Process

So, you’ve recently purchased a plot of land in hopes of building your dream home.   can be one of the most exciting processes of adult life – after all, you get to play pick and mix when it comes to what fittings and fixtures will become a part of your new family home. Before you embark on your home building journey, it is always wise to familiarise yourself with the entire home building process. In this article, we look at everything that occurs during the building process. Read on to find out more, and in no time, you’ll be amazed at the transformation from dirt to designer! 

1. Choose Your Home Builders Wisely

The first step to take when you’ve acquired your piece of land is to make sure that you choose your home builders wisely. With hundreds of home designers in Sydney, you may be wondering where to start. Which builder is going to offer you exactly what you want and need? Your choice of builder is just as critical as your choice of designer, so always look out for builders who have a good reputation and raving reviews. Always look into builders past work, previous references and credentials. It is also important to choose a builder that suits your preference of style in order to have a shared vision that you can both bring to reality. 

      2.    Consider Your Budget and Finance Options

One thing to really pay attention to in the home building process is your budget, along with the finance options available to you. When building a property, you’ll need a construction loan to fund the entire process where your lender will decide on how much you need for your building project and offer injections of money in increments. Many lenders require up to 20% deposit on these loans, so always try your best to work within your budget in order to not run into a financial rut in the long run. Sticking to a pre-planned budget and building plan is essential when taking out a loan as construction home loans often rely on an estimate of the assumed value of your completed home. 

      3.    Choose A Practical Home Design

When it comes to deciding on your home design, it is important that you balance out practicality and style. If you are building a home for your family, chances are your needs and requirements will differ from that of someone who is building a home for just themselves. Finding the right home design is an exciting and important decision, so we always recommend visiting a number of showrooms and display homes before making any final decisions. You can always utilise helpful tools such as Floorplanner that allows you to create mock floor plans that you can work with. Consulting your designer during the process of figuring out your home design is one of the best things you can do as they can offer their expert advice and suggestions based off all the past designs they’ve worked with. 

      4.    Communicate Constantly

Once your builders have embarked on the task of building your dream home, we can’t stress enough how important it is to keep communication constant. It is important that you get regular updates on the progress of your build and actually head down to the site as well to take a look at its progress. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinions if you’re unhappy with certain aspects of the build – with effective communication, there is always a way to work around any issues that may arise. Clearly laying out what you want and communicating this to your builders and designers is the best way to ensure a smooth and fuss-free building process. 

      5.    Consult an Independent Inspector

Last but not least, if you feel the need, we advise that you consult the help of an independent inspector. These inspectors can check up on the progress at every critical building stages, from foundations and footing to frame, lock up and pre-handover. Inspectors can assist you in checking on the quality of the build and ensure that the building site is cleaned up prior to being handed over to you. Both you and your builder will then be required to sign off on the official PCI document at the end of the inspection. If you are happy with the results, you may then move on to the official handover where you make your final payment and finally get the keys to your brand new home! 

We hope that this article has given you some valuable insight into exactly what goes on during the home building process. With a little know-how, you’ll be sitting in the living room of your dream home in no time. All the best!