Expert Advice

Engaging a personal builder has numerous advantages, says Zazen Building & Design managing director Dino Colica

BUILDING a new home is not for the faint-hearted. The number of decisions you have to make may be daunting. It is also demanding on relationships, time and finances.

Sparing yourself the expense from heartache and disappointment begins with selecting the right builder. Here are some tips to assist you with your decision-making process and pave the way towards a positive building experience.

Choose the right builder. When shopping around to compare prices quoted by different building companies, you should ensure that you understand what the builders are including as standard in their quote. For example, one builder may include a higher specification for tiling or painting than another builder and, therefore, the quotes may not be fairly compared when making a decision.

If you are not sure, always ask. It is better to ask what seems to be a novice question, rather than be shocked by any unforeseen variation charges at a later stage.

Searching the internet to find your builder is always a great tool, as is walking through the many display homes on show in the metropolitan area. Ultimately, the best way to discover a new builder is by asking family or friends for their recommendations.

The advantages of hiring a personal builder. Generally speaking, when you select a personal builder, your home is customised to meet your needs in terms of quality, energy efficiency and function.

By limiting the number of homes they build each year and only working with the finest suppliers and tradespeople in the industry, personal builders will always maintain the highest possible standards of quality, combined with consistent build times.

With a small personal building company, it is not uncommon for the client to deal with the owner/s of that company or business throughout the entire building process. As a result, the care and pride taken by the builder to fulfil their client’s expectations are of paramount importance.