How to get started with the building process
So, you’ve made the decision to build a new house and have liked what you’ve seen on our website or have been referred to us by one of our happy clients. What now? Here’s a basic step through of the building process and what to expect when you choose to build a new home with Sunstate Homes.
1. Refine your plan
The first step will be to refine the plan of your home – both the floor plan and the façade. We will work you on this process ensuring that we design a home that fits your needs, your budget and your block. We will never push you to spend more than you are comfortable with, and will use our years of experience to help design a home which will compliment your block and strike a balance between the features you desire and what is a comfortable price to pay for it.
We will also make a preliminary visit your block to offer advice to assist you in refining your floor plan and positioning your home on the block. This is an obligation free process which we provide at no cost to you.
2. Site investigations
Should you decide to proceed further, we will undertake a second visit to your block for a more thorough inspection, and we will arrange for our engineers to carry out a contour survey of the block and other investigations to ascertain things like the extent of any cutting or filling required (including any retaining walls), precise location of connection points for power and water, and the type of footings and slab that will be required for your home. This process usually takes around two weeks and the fee is $2,600.00 (or $2,900.00 for large blocks >1000m2) and this fee will be deducted from the contract price, should you decide to proceed to have Sunstate Homes build your home.
Completing these investigations will also enable us to provide with you a quote for your “site costs” – which is what we call the cost involved in preparing the block for construction of your home (site clearing, cutting and filling and concrete foundation costs).
3. Fixed Price Tender
When you’re satisfied with the plans and the specification, we will provide you with a Fixed Price Tender for your approval. This will include ALL identifiable costs associated with the construction of your home, including any site costs. There are never any hidden costs when you build with Sunstate Homes.
4. Preparing the working drawings
When you’re satisfied with the fixed price quote, we will commission our architect to prepare a full set of working drawings for your new home. We will help you to understand and review these plans until everyone is satisfied that they are to their exact requirements. This process usually this takes between two and four weeks, depending on the complexity of the plan and how many times we need to send it back for amendment, and the fee is $4,200.00 which again is deducted from the contract price, should you decide to proceed to have Sunstate Homes build your home.
5. Signing the contract
If you decide that you want to engage us to build your home, we will then prepare a standard Housing Industry Association Building Contract for you to sign. At this stage we will require a 5% deposit to cover our costs in submitting your plans to Council for building approval.
6. Building approval
We will submit everything required to Council in order to obtain building approval. This usually take three to six weeks, but sometimes longer depending on the Council and the individual circumstances of the application. We will take care of all of this for you. While this is happening, we ask that you book in with our experienced interior designer to finalise your colour selections and finishes.
7. Construction begins!
When the approved plans are received, finance documentation approved, comprehensive construction insurances put in place and colour selections are completed, commencement of construction would normally begin within five working days.
We will try to make the building process as simple, straight forward and enjoyable as possible for you. Throughout the pre-construction process and the construction process we are always available to speak to you or meet with you and most of the time you will have the option to deal directly with our company director and licenced builder. We think that really sets us apart from other building companies.
If you have any questions or would like to know more about the building process, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you!