Building

Getting something built — costs, quotes, contracts, permits and owner-building.

Procuring construction is a different skill from construction itself, and it is the part homeowners are least prepared for. You will be asked to sign a contract worth more than most people's first mortgage, on terms drafted by the other side, containing mechanisms most buyers cannot name.

This pillar covers the commercial side of getting something built: what the work costs, how to compare quotes that aren't comparable, which approvals are triggered and by whom, what a fixed price actually means, and the responsibilities you take on if you decide to be the builder yourself.

Topics in this pillar

Getting Quotes & Hiring Trades

How to read a quote, compare builders properly, and avoid the traps in a building contract.

Building New

The new-build process end to end: land, design, contract, construction stages and handover.

Permits, Codes & Approvals

Planning permits, building permits, the NCC and what you can and cannot do without approval.

Defects & Dodgy Work

How to spot substandard work, what your rights are, and how to get it fixed.

Recent Field Notes

What to ask a builder's previous clients

The list matters more than the questions. Ask for the three most recent completed jobs, call all three, and ask how the relationship ended rather than how it began.

What is practical completion?

Practical completion is the point the work is finished enough to use — not the point it is perfect. It triggers the final payment, starts the defects liability period, and hands risk back to you.

Why renovations run late

Most renovation delays come from a short list of repeatable causes, and most of that list is foreseeable. Here is what actually pushes a program out, why a one-week slip is never one week, and what you can control.