According to a study done with builders in Adelaide it was found that custom home can take up to about 18 months to build. Yes, designing, budgeting, approvals and finally constructions take at least 18 months to get you a custom home of your dreams.

What does “Planning” imply?

Planning a new home is all about foreseeing the end result. Picturise the way you want your home to look and function like. Designing, costing, council approvals, construction- a custom home demands you a lot much time than a traditional home. Also, if you are new at it and it is the first time you are building a home for yourself, you might make a mistake which can further take more time to resolve. So, here are custom home builders in Adelaide spilling the beans to highlight the five stages you need to know of a custom home building process for time estimation.

Stage#1: Initial site meeting and preliminary design

Duration: 8 weeks The stage involves:

• Meeting builders, choosing the right construction company.
• Speculating preliminary building agreements
• Soil test and contour surveys
• Meeting many designers, sharing your requirements, discuss your designs in brief for more details.
• Developing initial design as per your choice.

Tip: If a builder doesn’t have a firm process for the design and council approval for your home it is a red flag.

Stage#2: Estimate and Lodging for Planning Approval

Duration: 6 weeks

The stage you discuss cost and money required to build a custom home of your choice. This is often the last thing people talk about, so people are mostly baffled by the budget blow up that follows at the end of the process. Once you are done with the design, lookout for the designers that are willing to provide detailed cost estimate to you.

The stage involves:

• Initial price estimate, depending on the engineering and other factors.
• Getting footings and timber framing done to get the actual cost estimation.
• Getting regular updates on pricing and inclusions from builder, so as to get near to accurate budget actualization.

Stage#3: Planning Approval and Selections

Duration: 12 weeks The Stage at which your home goes through council approval process. It involves:

• Getting plans approved.
• Selecting fittings and fixtures
• Builder works on getting energy rating finalized, getting private certification. Post final council and statutory fees submission, you have now full approval on building the home.

Stage#4: Contract and Bank Approval

Duration: 8 weeks Finally, you are about to get started on the construction work. The builder you choose has the information needed to give you a quote, no hidden charges, nothing. On agreeing upon the final quote, it is time to sign a contract with your builder, post which the builder will provide the bank pack to get the final approval on the construction loan, after which you can pay your deposit and start the construction.

Stage#5 Construction

Duration: 5-9 months The stage involves monitoring and being updated of every activity that is happening on your construction site. And in few months’ time, you have your dream house.