They say the best things take time. This is no different when building your dream home!
Unless you’ve done it before, or are already involved in the industry, it’s likely you’re not too sure on the specifics of the construction process – how do we get from design ideas to a wonderful home you can move into?
As a general rule of thumb, the home building process takes around 10-12 months from start to finish. This can be adjusted depending on your design choices – for example, if you opt for a pre-designed house plan, this stage of the process will be significantly shorter. Alternatively, if you opt for a completely custom design, this is more likely to result in a timeline closer to 12 months.
While the process can take up to a year, the actual build time is generally between 6-8 months, depending on the size of your home and your selections.
Your timeline can also depend on various external factors – how long it takes for council approval, the availability and delivery of bespoke materials or components, or the state of your block. Sometimes, additional work is required on vacant blocks to stabilise the ground before construction.
That said, smaller delays such as bad weather shouldn’t blow out your build, as a high-quality builder would have made allowances for this in the suggested timeframe.
The entire construction process can be separated into a few simple steps.
Pre-Construction and Design
This includes all the paperwork and administration required to build your home, such as soil testing, council approvals, planning permits and site surveys. It also includes all the major design work, working with an architect, building designer or Design & Build contractor.
Base Stage
Once everything is ready to go, the actual construction process can begin. If there’s already a property on the site, we’ll demolish it and clear the block of debris and vegetation. We’ll also level and layout the site, preparing for the slab to be laid.
Fencing will be laid around the site to ensure it meets all health and safety requirements. Our team will then dig trenches, erect the formwork for your footings and pour your foundations. We’ll install a sub-base, erect the formwork and add some reinforcements, before finally pouring the slab.
We will also arrange for underground utilities (such as water and sewerage) to be laid.
Framing
Once the foundation is laid, it’s time to create the skeleton of your home. If your design is a single-storey home, wall frames, roof trusses and windows will be installed. If it’s more than one storey, we’ll install steel beams and a subfloor. Then, we’ll add building wraps to ensure correct waterproofing, install any necessary skylights and fit the roof structure and material.
After this is all done, an independent building surveyor will assess our work and make sure it’s viable for the next stage.
Lock Up
It’s now that your home really starts to take shape. Our trades will be on site to create the interior and exterior of your property, adding elements such as cladding, gutters, plumbing, electrics, insulation and plastering. Once complete, the exterior will also be painted.
Fixing Stage
The bones and major muscles are there, but now it’s time to add the smaller elements. We will install fixtures and fittings, such as taps, baths, showers, toilets, cabinetry, door handles, benchtops and splashbacks. We’ll also lay tiles and floorings. Internal door frames, skirting boards and architraves will also be attached, and lights, powerpoints and appliances will be fitted.
We’ll then apply the finishing touches to your exterior, completing any necessary works like landscaping, a verandah or a driveway. The extent of this work will be stipulated in your building contract.
Completion
And we’re done!
After settlement is complete, we’ll hand over the keys to your brand new home, leaving you to enjoy it for years to come. We will return in 3 months to make sure everything is running as it should – and you are welcome to reach out with any concerns during this period.
We’ll also come back after 12 months for a maintenance check-up to ensure nothing needs fixing and give you peace of mind in your new home.
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If you’re ready to start the journey to your brand-new home, get in touch with the team at Crown Building & Construction today. We’d be more than happy to run you through our services.
