Building a house isn’t something that you can do overnight. From choosing a home design to gaining local approval, a lot needs to be organised before construction begins. And depending on your circumstances, building a home can take anywhere from six months to a year to complete. Just ask John and Lisa. Setting out on their home construction journey, they were able to successfully navigate the home building process from start to finish. To help you better understand how long it takes to build a house in Australia, we’ll guide you through the home building process step by step with John, Lisa, and Better Built Homes.
Home Building Process Step By Step
Building a home takes more than a few tradesmen and some blueprints. There are a variety of factors to consider that significantly affect the home building process. Although builders will do their best to work around potential obstacles, delays do happen, even at the best of times.
For example, getting council approval for your home could take a few weeks or even several months, and that’s before anyone puts a shovel in the ground. Construction timelines can also vary from home to home, with weather conditions able to halt work due to heavy rain and extreme heat or even lead times for materials and equipment. Plus, not every home building process is the same, with house-and-land packages and knockdown rebuilds involving substantially different requirements.
House-and-Land Package
If you’ve never heard of the term House-and-Land before, then don’t worry because it’s exactly what it sounds like. You pick a house design for your empty block of land, and then 6 to 12 months later, you’re spending the first night in your dream home. Sounds simple, right? Well, that depends entirely on you. Because House-and-Land packages are restricted to a select number of designs, if you require further customisation, you’ll probably be waiting a little longer for your move-in date.
Knockdown-Rebuild Home
Out with the old and in with the new. That’s what John and Lisa wanted. Demolishing their existing home, they replaced it with the Astoria 39F floorplan design from Better Built Homes. A modern family home with a guaranteed wow factor, the Astoria 39F is a two-storey home with five bedrooms, three baths, five living areas and plenty of natural light.
Because Knockdown-Rebuild projects require demolition, it can take about three to four months for the council to approve the project. They will also need to approve your home design before construction can begin. Fortunately, the demolition process should only take about a week to complete, provided there are no issues with the original home, like asbestos, access issues or bad weather.
Once demolished, the site will need to be prepared for building, which should take up to ten days to complete. With the paperwork out of the way, construction can finally begin, which should take about six months to complete.
Building John and Lisa’s Dream Home
John and Lisa began their Knock Down Rebuild on the 17th of February, with demolition taking just 16-days to complete. Construction commenced two weeks later, with builders pouring the concrete slab on the 8th of April. With the foundations ready, timber frames were then erected alongside plumbing and electrical installation in just two months.
In July, builders installed the cladding and roof, followed by the bricklayer and gyprock in August. With most of the exterior now complete, builders turned their attention to the inside of John and Lisa’s home, completing carpentry and waterproofing in September, and masonry, tiling and kitchen cabinetry in October. Installing the carpets, skirting and utilities during November, John and Lisa were handed the keys on the 18th of December, just in time for Christmas.
Things To Look Out For When Building A Home
- Slope: every home building project requires the land to be graded for stability. It’s much easier to build on a flat foundation.
- Soil Type: not every soil is made the same and can significantly impact the structural integrity of your home. Just look at the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
- Tree Removal: Sometimes, trees get in the way of your new home, and removing them takes time.
- Natural Disasters: depending on your location, you’ll need to consider whether flooding or bushfires will impact your property, as stormwater drainage or fireproofing may be required.
Designing a Better Built Home
Awarded best home builders in Sydney, NSW for the last three years, Better Built Homes delivered an honest, professional and dedicated Home Design Service, allowing John and Lisa to realise the best home possible. John and Lisa were able to discuss their individual requirements, going through each aspect of the design process, without compromising quality or style. Each home design comes with a long list of high-quality home inclusions that other builders often call extras. Called the Better Living Inclusions package, John and Lisa received luxury finishes and fixtures in every room – at no additional cost!
Visit Better Built Homes today for more information on how long it takes to build a house in Australia or any other building project.
