If you're looking for a highly personalised, high-quality house, you’ve likely decided that a custom-built home is the best way to bring your vision to life. Before you embark on this exciting journey, understanding the steps involved can help you navigate the process with confidence.
At A Class Building and Construction, we've put together this guide to help you understand each stage of the custom home-building process, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience.
The first step in the custom home-building process—before you buy your block of land or start planning your ideal home—is to set a realistic budget. You'll need to work closely with your lender to establish a realistic budget, considering not just construction costs but also expenses like land purchase, demolition (if needed), site preparation, and specialist services such as engineering and surveying. Planning and permits should also be factored in.
It's also a good idea to have an initial consultation with a draftsperson, architect or designer now. These professionals can guide you through local planning regulations or restrictions, so bringing them into the process as early as possible is a wise move.
It's around this time that you should begin looking for a block of land in your ideal location, as this will influence your home design.
Once the design process is underway, you'll need to find a reputable custom builder. Finding a local custom house builder is a good idea because you'll be able to view their previous projects and ensure their style aligns with your own.
Look for a custom home builder that you trust will communicate well throughout the construction process and other critical stages of the build. Look for a builder known for high-quality materials and craftsmanship. They also need to have the right project management skills to stick to the building time frame, manage other trades and avoid costly delays. Your custom home builder should also be able to provide a high level of post-build support to make sure any future issues can be addressed quickly.
Meet with home builders (and their construction supervisors if possible) and ask lots of questions to ensure they can follow your project vision and bring it to life.
With your architect’s guidance, your design will evolve from an initial brief to finalised plans, covering everything from window placement to interior finishes. It's critical to conduct surveys like soil testing in conjunction with this process, as they provide data that is critical to how your home is designed.
While not every new home requires council approval, some custom home projects do, depending on local town planning laws and how your block is zoned. This is called a planning permit. You will also need to have your block surveyed.
The next milestone in your custom home building journey is a building permit. This is where the council gives the go-ahead to the construction phase based on the approved plans.
Pre-construction works will include steps like the demolition of your old home, land clearing and earthworks for site levelling, depending on the unique features of your site. Once these things are complete, construction starts on the foundation of your home.
During this initial phase of construction, the site is measured, footings are poured and, if your home sits on a concrete slab, moisture barriers and termite protection are installed. Provisions are also made for plumbing waste and water connections.
There are several stages involved in the custom build process. The first is the construction of the frame, which is critical to the structural integrity of your forever home. Next, exterior walls, roofing, doors and windows are added. This is known as the lock-up stage. Finally, the fixing stage involves internal cladding, plumbing, electrical, and waterproofing.
With your custom home taking shape, it's time for the interior design plan to be initiated. The flooring will go down, cabinetry will be installed and painting will transform the space. Before you can move in, there are a few final steps involved in the custom home build.
The final step in building a custom home is the inspection to ensure it is up to code and meets all your expectations. Appliances and systems will be checked at this stage and landscaping may also be completed.
Now is a good time to confirm your maintenance period with your builder so that if you're not happy with something once you've had time to settle in, you can contact them to correct any defects.
Here are our top 3 tips for making your dream home a reality with as few hiccups as possible.
A lot of the work in building a custom home happens during the planning stages. It's important to take your time during these early stages to ensure you've thought everything through. Having a firm plan in place means you're less likely to change your mind, helping you save money and avoid expensive delays.
Unexpected costs are a part of building. They will always happen, no matter how carefully you plan. Most lenders recommend a contingency budget of 10-20% to cover unexpected costs and keep your project on track.
We can't stress enough how important it is to find the right custom home builder for your project. Custom builders need more than the correct licenses and insurance to help you create your forever home. Choose someone who's local and has worked on other local projects, who understands your budget and who works with high-quality materials. And don't forget to consider any additional services that can make your life easier, like architectural design or seeking approvals on your behalf.
If you're looking to build a custom home in the Wollongong region, A Class Building and Construction might be the right fit for you. We offer a collaborative in-house approach to building luxurious custom homes to suit our clients' unique needs.
Visit our website to book a building consultation or call 0414 183 503 to speak with us today.
The most expensive parts of a custom home build are the foundation, framing and roofing.
Custom-designed homes are of a higher quality and are customised to a homeowner's unique requirements, from the floor plan down to the materials and interior design choices.
First, the site is prepared, then the foundation is laid, framing is constructed, the roof, cladding door and windows are installed and then the interior is fitted out before the house is finally complete.
While building time varies depending on the size of the home and materials used, construction of a custom home usually takes from 9 to 15 months.
