You've decided you're finally ready to build your dream home. Congratulations!
Now comes the fun part - planning and construction. Unless you're an experienced home builder, the whole building process can seem a bit daunting.
But don't worry, we're here to help. In this blog post, we'll walk you through the timeline of new home building in Perth (Western Australia) from start to finish so you know what to expect along the way.
So let's get started!
Finding The Right Block of Land for Your New Home
Timeline: 1 - 6 months
Finding and buying the perfect block of land isn't always an easy or fast process. Depending on where you're buying land and what type of land you're buying, finding a good fit could take weeks, months, or even longer. As with everything, there are a lot of pros and cons to building your own home.
There's a lot to consider when buying land—price, location, size, and quality of the soil, among other factors.
It's important to do your homework in advance to make sure you find the right property for you. That way, once you get it, you'll be sure that it's the perfect choice for whatever plans you have!
Finding The Right Home Builder For You
Timeline: 4 - 8 weeks
Finding the right builder for your dream home can be a difficult task, but it's certainly worth finding the perfect match.
To locate the best builder for you, it's crucial to make sure you do your research. When finding a builder, check out reviews and ask your friends and family for their insights and experiences.
Talking to previous clients of potential builders is also a great way to get an honest opinion. Doing these things will ensure that you can make an informed decision when selecting a builder that can meet your specific needs and requirements.
Also, consider their award history. If the builder has a good track record of winning industry awards over an extended period of time then you can be more confident in making your choice.
Planning and Home Design
Timeline: 8-12 weeks
Once you’ve found the right builder to build the dream home for you, then the planning and design stage begins. During this period, usually taking place over 8 to 12 weeks, you'll be able to discuss your budget and plans with your builder’s in-house designer as well as decide what features should be included in your new house.
This stage is all about turning your vision into a tangible reality!
You can choose one of your builder's pre-designed homes or work with their designer to modify a design to meet your specific needs. And if your builder offers the option to create a custom new home, you will be able to start from scratch and create a custom home design just for you.
Make sure to have a look at our home building checklist so you don't forget anything important.
Not only are there decisions to be made, but also site plans have to be put together for a full development application plan and also one that's approved by the council. But don’t worry, if you build with Novus Homes (or any other reputable builder) we (or they) will take care of everything and provide you with the guidance you need.
Once consent has been given, construction can start and your dream home will soon become a reality. Planning it out correctly takes time but it's definitely worth it in the end!
Preparation of Construction Site
Timeline: 4 – 6 weeks
The preparation of a home construction site is an essential step to ensure that the home building process runs smoothly and is completed on time. It typically takes between 4 and 6 weeks, depending on the condition of the land. This involves a site survey and soil test in addition to levelling, excavating, making underground connections, etc. All these steps are vital for ensuring that the home will be built on safe ground with even surfaces and no unexpected surprises during construction. With proper preparation before starting any home building projects, you can rest assured knowing that your project has been set up for success.
We should say at this point that time frames are also affected by the availability of trades. In Perth, and across the country, we have seen in recent years the impact that trade shortages can have on timeframes. This was evidenced during the pandemic, when government building grants caused a huge bubble in the construction industry and trades were in short supply, therefore having a negative impact on construction timeframes.
Base Stage
Timeline: 8-12 weeks
The base stage of home construction in Western Australia typically takes between 8-12 weeks. This is an important step in the home building process and involves laying a strong foundation for the structure of your home. It involves all the necessary preparatory work for a home to be built on: concrete slabs, footings and piers, plumbing and electrical runs, etc.
Once this stage is completed, the home building process can move onto the next step.
Plate High Stage
Timeline: 8-12 weeks
This important stage typically takes 8-12 weeks and involves building the "skeleton" of the structure - including internal and external walls, roof trusses as well as floor separating ground and upper floors (in 2 storey homes).
The plate high stage involves forming walls, ceilings, and other infrastructure with appropriate framing materials such as steel or metal studs, whilst working meticulously to ensure every corner is structurally sound.
The length of this particular stage also depends on factors such as the size of the structure and climate fluctuations.
Where possible, experienced builders always strive to complete this stage within 8-12 weeks in order to maintain a productive schedule in subsequent construction projects. However as mentioned previously this can be impacted by the market and availability of trades.
Lock-up Stage
Timeline: 3-6 weeks
The lockup stage of home construction is when the home starts to take shape. It involves all the structural elements that will make up your home, such as walls, roofing and window frames.
This stage typically takes between 3-6 weeks in Western Australia, depending on factors such as size and climate fluctuations as well as trade availability.
First Stage of The Interiors = Fixtures
Timeline: 4 – 8 weeks
It can be overwhelming to decide between wallpaper samples, tiles, and paint colours. But the best part of the entire process is without a doubt the fixtures stage.
It’s at this stage when all those details you painstakingly chose in pre-start come together as one dreamy aesthetic vision for your home. From bathtubs to lighting, taps, and showers, there’s something so satisfying about seeing it all begin to fall into place!
Of course, with design trends changing faster than ever before, having fixtures that are up-to-date is important. Depending on availability, most projects will take 4 - 8 weeks to line up specifics such as faucets and showerheads - ensuring a truly great finishing touch!
Second Stage of The Interiors = Fittings
Timeline: 4 – 8 weeks
The fittings stage of home construction is an exciting one, as adding the small touches to your home begins transforming it into its final form. This stage usually takes anywhere between 4 and 8 weeks depending on the number of items that need to be installed.
Adding fixtures such as taps, counters, light fixtures, plugs, and appliances will be a vital component in bringing your interior design together. Make sure to select pieces that work well with each other and suit your preferred style! It may take some extra thought, but the result will be worth it.
Final Clean and Inspections
Timeline: 1 – 2 weeks
Any reputable builder of luxury homes in Perth will ensure that your new home is handed over in the best possible condition, with a thorough clean and a final inspection.
At Novus, our Directors like to personally inspect the home before the official final inspection with you, the client. This ensures that we are happy with the home before you take your final look. We find this ensures that our homes always maintain a high standard of finish and quality and that the final inspection is a fun and exciting experience for our clients, as any issues have already been addressed.
Conclusion
So, there you have it! These are the steps and timelines involved in building a new home. The overall construction process itself can take anywhere from 12 - 24 months from the time your slab goes down to finally moving into your new home.
Of course, this is just a broad overview - if you're thinking about building your own home, we recommend getting in touch with one of our home-building consultants. They will be able to answer any specific questions you might have and help you get started on making your dream home a reality. Give us a call today