Build To Your Price … Not Ours

Last month, we focused on how you can compare the overall value you should expect to receive from your builder; and we had a look at how focusing on price alone will not give you enough information.   However, whoever you choose to build with, price is going to be one of the deciding factors.  After all, building a new home is going to be one of the biggest investment outlays that you will make in your lifetime.

So, let’s talk a bit more about $$$ and how project builders differ from custom builders.  A project builder works on economy of scale.  They have built the same house over and over and over again.  They can come to pricing arrangements with their suppliers based on sheer volume and know exactly what a particular design will cost them to build.  That is why the brochures in display homes will have a *From or *As Displayed price.  However, while they may know the cost to build a generic design, they don’t know the cost of building that design on your chosen block.  This is where the site specific extras come in, such as planning approvals, site works, retaining walls etc.  All of these extras will be added on to the advertised price as required.  On top of this, you may then want to make changes to the design and/or specification to make it more suitable to your particular situation and lifestyle.  All of these changes also cost money.

As a custom builder, we build every house once.  Essentially, instead of us giving you a design and price up front, YOU give US a brief and a budget.  From here, we work backwards to create a home design and specification that is unique to you.    At the beginning of your building journey, we will be able to give you a ballpark figure based on our experience, current market conditions and standard inclusions.  This figure is usually worked out on an average square metre rate where size and specification are both considered.

Once we are in the ballpark, it’s time to start focusing on the nitty gritty of your home; perfecting the design and specification to create your one-of-a-kind build.  Again, we do this by working within your budget and brief. This means finding the balance between the size of the home and the inclusions that you want, to create a home that will work best for you now and into the future.  The proposal that we give to you will include everything that we can foresee will be required to build your home; as we have already taken into account any site specific requirements.  We will even give you a list of pricing options for those items that were more on your ‘wants’ list than ‘needs’.  At this point, the final cost comes down to what you choose to include.