Are you in a hurry to get out of your rental?

If you want your build to stay on track, you just need to know WHEN to make each decision. We know how exciting building can be and you’ll probably want to jump straight into the fun stuff, like choosing your showerheads, but those aesthetic things aren’t important in the early days.
After you sign up, your builder will immediately start all the preliminary work, approvals and certifications required to build your home, so it’s important to focus on all the structural elements like doors, windows and walls because if you accidently forget something like adding a door to the ensuite toilet (so you can keep a little romance in your life!), the builder will need to put all the work on hold and then redo the plans and approvals, which will cost YOU more in recertification fees, variation fees and time. Nail your design the first time to avoid delays that will cost you in time and money.

Do you really want to spend every single weekend doing the DIY list?

When you’re building a home, all the little things really add up to one big cost so it’s natural for everyone to ask “If I do that myself, will I save money?” More often than not, the answer will be 'yes' because you won’t be paying builder’s mark up. However that’s exactly how most people end up with an unfinished home and a never-ending to do list that consumes their weekends. So instead of asking “If I do that myself, will I save money?”, you should ask “is the hassle of doing this myself, worth the money I would save?”

Do you want to save money, without compromising on your wish list or adding it to your never ending DIY to do list?

If you are looking for ways to save, there are some things that are worth taking out of the builder’s contract because they have a lot of builder’s mark up applied to them and are fairly easy to arrange yourself, like concrete or air conditioning.

Do you want to feel on top of your money, instead of anxious every time you tap your card?

One sure-fire way to make your stress levels skyrocket is to run out of money.
If you want to take on some work yourself, you need to plan how you will pay for it – will you save for it or get it financed? Don’t get caught short.

Do you want to avoid living in an unfinished home?

Budget for everything and have a contingency plan.
Retaining, the clothesline, the letter box, reticulation, the crossover, kerb repair, gates… they’re just a few of the things most people forget to budget for, and they add up very quickly!
When you’re doing your budget, make sure you allow for all those items and have some extra money squirreled away just in case something unexpected pops up.