• Building a new home – your responsibilities

    When you enter into a contract with your builder, there will be certain inclusions as well as a number of exclusions so it’s important to check carefully to understand which parts of the process you are responsible for and which will be taken care of by your builder.

    Taking care of some areas yourself is a great way to keep your budget under control but if your responsibilities are not made clear up front, these areas can cause headaches and misunderstandings later in the process.

    Every builder has a different approach and some will include certain aspects while others will exclude them. This can make it difficult to compare quotes accurately as you can’t simply look at the bottom line but must make allowances for the different ways of quoting.

    Here are a few examples of areas to discuss with your builder:

    Excavation and removal of soil – while the builder may include the excavation activity the removal of the soil from the site may be at the homeowner’s expense.

    Retaining walls – if you’re looking to create garden beds, or you’re on a sloping block ask about what allowances are made for supporting structures such as retaining walls.

    Interior fittings – some homes may only include the most basic of interior fittings so ask about items such as floor coverings, light fittings, bathroom accessories, exterior paths and driveways that may need to be added to your budget.

    Fencing and gates – these essential items are often left out of quotes but if you have children or pets they’ll need to be managed during construction so be sure to ask if there is an inclusion or if these will add to the cost.

    Site cleaning – most diligent builders will always manage the building and construction rubbish but cheaper quotes may exclude this element so do check what’s been allocated. Rubbish removal and tip fees can add a sizeable chunk to your budget.

    Landscaping – a new home needs a beautiful garden so you’ll need to be clear about what landscaping, if any, is included in your quote. If none, make sure you talk to a landscaper to get an accurate idea on what it will take to create garden beds, plant new trees and lay lawn.

    Natura Homes has an excellent reputation for customer service and communication – we go out of our way to make sure you’re clear at the very start what’s included in our quotes and we maintain our level of communication with you throughout the build. Talk to us today to find out how easy it is to build a new home when you work with a reputable builder.

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