How I Choose a Builder
How I Choose a Builder
Choosing a builder is one of the biggest decisions in the building journey and one of the easiest to get wrong. From the outside, most builders look similar. But once you understand how their systems, supervision, suppliers and contracts actually work, the differences are huge. This guide breaks down exactly what I look for — and what I avoid — when helping clients choose the right builder for their home, their budget, and their expectations.
Because building shouldn't feel risky.
Dream it
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Dream it 〰️
What Tier of Builder Matches Your Budget and Goals?
Before anything else, get clear on your budget. That alone will narrow down the builder tier you should be looking at: Volume, Semi Custom, or Fully Custom.
But it doesn’t stop there. Even within each tier, there are massive differences:
- Volume builders range from basic, no changes allowed operators to higher end ones who allow layout tweaks, better inclusions, and faster turnarounds
- Semi custom builders often offer the best flexibility to cost ratio if you know where to look
- Custom builders can deliver exceptional work, but costs vary wildly depending on finish level, supervision, and brand
I help clients match their budget to the best value proposition by balancing inclusions, build quality, site supervision, and timeframes.
It’s not about finding the cheapest or the flashiest. It’s about finding what delivers the most for you.
Not All Volume Builders Are the Same
Volume builders can vary dramatically in price, flexibility, and transparency.
Some operate strictly within set guidelines and cater primarily to first home buyers. Others offer greater flexibility or at least the illusion of it. In slower markets, some builders promise variations they are not truly equipped to deliver, just to secure a sale.
Even something as visible as facade choice can reveal a lot. Basic facades with minimal detailing often suggest a budget focused builder targeting entry level clients. More detailed, architecturally styled facades usually indicate a higher end volume builder with more design capability and better support systems behind the scenes.
Understanding who the builder is catering to gives insight into their workflow, inclusions, and quality control. A builder designed for speed and price will operate very differently from one designed for service and detail.
In my experience, the biggest factor in a smooth volume builder experience is how much detail is captured early, before any level of commitment. The more documented and defined things are at the start, the more reliable the process becomes.
Volume builders will always be the most cost effective tier overall. But when selected with caution and knowledge, they can offer a compelling value proposition.
Semi Custom: Flexible but Not Fully Tailored
Semi custom builders typically work from their own range of floor plans but allow varying degrees of structural changes. Some are flexible within reason, while others will redraw the home almost entirely to suit your block or preferences while staying within a semi volume price range.
Their selections and inclusions are usually fixed, but their layout options offer more freedom than traditional volume builders.
However, this tier comes with a catch. In many cases, the salesperson is also the person doing the drafting, interpreting your ideas without true design training. The result is often a home that lacks proportion, flow, or architectural intent.
It is also worth understanding that some custom builders operate at similar price points, especially those who build more homes per year. A custom builder delivering 300 homes annually will often be far more affordable than one who builds five or ten. The lower the volume, the more premium their pricing tends to be, which does not always reflect value.
This is where people get confused. You are not just choosing between volume and custom. You are choosing the scale and structure behind the builder. I help clients cut through that and land in the right place.
Custom Builders: Why Disconnect Between Design and Cost Creates Risk
Custom builders offer the most flexibility, but also the widest variation in cost.
Some take on complex builds like basements or architectural sites. Others build just a handful of homes per year at premium prices. And there are also high volume custom builders who offer tailored results at more accessible rates.
The biggest issue in the custom space is the disconnect between design and cost.
Most floor plans are drawn by an architect who has no deep understanding of what those ideas actually cost to build, especially as costs move constantly in today’s market. It is not their world to track pricing fluctuations, supplier changes, or construction feasibility. It is their world to track styles and trends. And with pricing changing as fast as it does, even if they wanted to keep up, it is near impossible.
That is why price overruns in custom building are so common. Budget gaps of hundreds of thousands or even millions are not unusual. A stunning design can be priced weeks later and turn out to be completely unbuildable within the original budget.
I believe less than 30 percent of custom designed homes ever reach site. The reason is simple. One party designs without pricing expertise. The other prices without design input. And the client is left holding the gap.
It is not that builders or architects mean to mislead. It is just the natural outcome of professionals working in silos.
This is where I bring real value. By putting cost and feasibility into the design conversation from day one, I help clients avoid wasting large sums of money in professional fees or losing months chasing a plan that was never financially viable.
Custom building is not bad. It can be incredible when done well. But it requires more time, more detail, and more collaboration than most people expect. And with clients often time poor, they place their trust in professionals who may not be aligned with each other.
I make sure that trust is grounded in clarity, not assumptions.
Look Into Their Master Plans — It’s All There
A builder’s master plan set is one of the most revealing documents you can get your hands on and most clients never think to ask for it.
These are not sales brochures or spec sheets. They are detailed architectural documents that show exactly what you are getting for the base price. They often reveal more about a builder’s real standard of quality than any display home ever could.
Inside the master plans you will typically find:
- Floor plan layouts to scale
- Kitchen and bathroom joinery quantities
- Overhead cabinetry inclusions
- Tiling and carpet locations
- Electrical layouts with standard lighting and power
- External finishes, windows, and door schedules
- Facade details and what materials are actually included
- Standard ceiling heights and bulkhead placements
Understanding these details before finalising your builder is critical. It helps you assess whether what is shown in the display is actually included and whether the quality outcome you are expecting is what you will receive.
I always review these documents with clients to flag anything that might fall short before it becomes an expensive upgrade or disappointment on site.
“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
The Site Supervisor Is the Most Important Person in Your Build
You can have the best sales consultant, the smoothest contract process, and a flawless design but if you get a poor site supervisor it can all fall apart.
The supervisor is the one who actually builds your home. Their eye for detail, their presence on site, and their communication style will shape the entire build experience and final result.
What I look for and what you should ask includes:
- How many homes is the supervisor managing right now
- Do you have direct access to them or are you filtered through admin
- How often are they physically on site
- Do they allow walkthroughs and updates with you present
- What kind of reporting or updates do they give you along the way
- Will the supervisor take on board items covered by an independent quality assessor
- What is their communication style like, how quickly and clearly do they respond to questions or concerns
This person controls the quality of the trades, the pace of the schedule, and how quickly issues get picked up or ignored.
You only get one shot at building it right. The supervisor is the one who makes sure that happens.
In my opinion, this is the most important person in your journey.
“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
I Always Check Their Recent Builds, Not Just Display Homes
Display homes are designed to impress and they do.
They are built by the A team, using upgraded materials, hand picked trades, and show level finishes. But they do not represent what a normal client will receive.
That is why I always visit multiple live construction sites before recommending a builder. Ideally, I look at five different sites across different stages of the build.
Here is what I pay attention to:
- How clean and organised the site is
- Frame quality, is it straight, plumb, and properly braced
- What framing materials are being used
- Where do their trades come from, are they local or subbed out to the lowest bidder
- Overall build quality as the home comes together, not just the finishes
And this is key. Build quality does not mean stone benchtops.
It means the stuff under the surface. How square the slab is. How consistent the framing is. Whether it looks like a team who cares or just a rushed job to meet a deadline.
In my view, a builder who refuses to allow access to their active sites is a builder who has something to hide.
This is the most expensive purchase most people will ever make. And the truth is not in the showroom. It is in the dirt, plaster, and nails of a real site under construction.
That is where the real quality lives. And that is where I look.
“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
Know the Suppliers — They Reflect the Builder’s Standard
Every builder works with a specific set of suppliers.
These include everything from window and door manufacturers to appliances, heating and cooling systems, tapware, bricks, cabinetry, and more.
What many clients do not realise is that the builder’s chosen supplier list is a direct reflection of their quality standard. Some builders use cost effective brands designed to meet minimum spec. Others invest in more reliable, higher performing brands to deliver a better end result.
When reviewing a builder, I always look at their full supplier list. Who makes their windows? What brand are their taps and sinks? Which brick company do they partner with? Do they offer well known appliance brands or generic packages?
A lot of people try to compare builders side by side as if it were apples to apples. For example, two builders may both say they include double glazed windows. But one may use a premium supplier with higher acoustic and thermal performance, while the other uses a basic option with no real efficiency gain. On paper it looks the same. In reality, the experience and outcome are completely different.
This is why knowing who the builder works with and how they build matters. It tells you more about their values and their finished product than the brochure ever will.
“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
Read the HIA Contract — It’s Not Just Paperwork
The HIA contract is used by most builders in Australia but that does not mean it is automatically fair or safe.
It is a legally binding agreement and one of the most overlooked parts of the entire build process.
Before signing anything, you should know:
- What the builder is actually liable for if delays happen
- What your rights are if something goes wrong
- What happens if they do not build on time
- Whether the so called lifetime structural guarantee is actually meaningful or full of exclusions
- What terms and conditions have been modified or inserted by the builder
- If there are any unfair clauses that shift risk onto you
Every builder tweaks their HIA contract slightly. Some insert clauses to cover extended timelines. Others limit their responsibility for costs if issues arise. Understanding these details before you sign is critical to protecting yourself.
Most clients only look at the contract once they are emotionally invested and have already paid a deposit. By then, it feels too late to question anything.
This is where I come in. I review the contract up front so you are clear, confident, and protected before you commit.
“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
Still choosing the right layout?
This guide focuses on choosing a builder, but if you're still deciding on the right floor plan:
“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
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“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”