Do Your Homework

The important decisions for a successful build
Getting it right is important. Our experience shows if you make two keys decisions you are likely to achieve your dream.

1. You need your finance to work for you.
It needs to simplify your building project, and deliver the right amount of funding at the right times – not too much – not too little. Having experienced support through NewBuild, you have someone that can help answer your questions, and manage you through any potential pitfalls. It also needs to manage or eliminate the extra financial burden that building can cause.

2. Choose a builder that will build your dream, on budget and on time.
Choose a builder you are comfortable with, has a good reputation, and is a good communicator. Building is like putting a huge jigsaw puzzle together…so many parts, some before others, some later. You need to be able to comfortably talk through your dream, and tweak it along the way, should it not be going to plan.

Once you have your finance sorted, you need to find a good builder. Start with an honest builder. We may joke that you are guaranteed to find an honest builder, but you will…sometimes at the start of your build, and sometimes at the end. Too many clients have chosen a builder solely on price, just to later find the price just going up.

If you focus solely on price to determine your builder, then you do run the risk of your builder having to make up the shortfalls through variations and disproportionate PC sums (see PC sums). Choose your builder based on your local knowledge of their reputation, their honesty, and especially how well you get along…this will prove very helpful.

Make sure your builder gives you a fixed price contract (FPC). ‘Labour only’ (LOC) contracts require you to have at least 40% deposit. ‘Fixed price’ contracts predetermine the total cost so you are not caught by surprise. But be aware of PC sums or items excluded altogether. Some items that are often excluded may include council fees, consents and permits – all of which can be quite expensive.

You may choose to cover some items yourself coverings, driveways, landscaping or fencing. This is called "Owners Care". NewBuild will work with you to ensure you have sufficient funds to complete your home. Make sure everything is included to complete, and that you have sufficient funding before you start. Too many start without any assurance they have the funds to complete.