Stages and payments
What happens at each of the eight stages, the check that ends it and what you pay.
Eight stages, one fixed price
Each build stage ends with a check. You pay the progress payment for a stage only after it passes and you have walked it with your supervisor.
1
Site visit
Week 1
We walk the block with you, look at the slope, the soil and the planning rules, and peg out where the house could sit.
Ends with
Soil test and survey booked
You pay
Free
2
Design
Weeks 2 to 9
Your designer draws the house with you: plans, elevations and a 3D model, with a first price at the end.
Ends with
You sign off the plans
You pay
Design fee
3
Permit and fixed price
Weeks 10 to 17
Construction drawings, the engineer’s details and the building permit, then a fixed-price contract to sign.
Ends with
Building permit issued
You pay
5% deposit
4
Base
Weeks 18 to 21
Site cut, footings and the concrete slab. The engineer checks the steel before every pour.
Ends with
Slab inspection
You pay
15%
5
Frame
Weeks 22 to 26
Wall frames and roof trusses go up. Nothing is covered until the frame passes inspection.
Ends with
Frame inspection
You pay
20%
6
Lock-up
Weeks 27 to 33
Roof, outside walls, windows and the front door go on: the house can be locked.
Ends with
Waterproofing check
You pay
25%
7
Fixing
Weeks 34 to 42
Insulation, plaster, the kitchen and bathrooms, doors, wiring and plumbing, then paint.
Ends with
Pre-handover walk-through with you
You pay
20%
8
Handover
Week 44
The final inspection with you, the occupancy certificate and the keys. We come back after three and twelve months.
Ends with
Occupancy certificate
You pay
15%
Weeks and payments (sample) for a single-storey home of 200 m².
Questions about paying
Can you build on a sloping block?
Yes. Up to a 1-in-10 slope the site cut is in the fixed price. Steeper than that we design a split level or a suspended floor, and price retaining walls after the soil test.
When do we pay, and how much?
Nothing for the site visit, a design fee for stage 2, a 5% deposit when you sign the fixed-price contract, then a progress payment at the end of each build stage: 15% base, 20% frame, 25% lock-up, 20% fixing and 15% at handover (sample).
Can we change the design once building starts?
Small changes are possible until the frame stage, as a written variation with its price before any work is done. After lock-up, changes to walls, windows and plumbing get expensive.
How long does a new home take?
About ten months from the first site visit to the keys for a single-storey home: eight weeks of design, eight for the permit and the contract, then 36 to 44 weeks on site (sample).
Can we visit the site?
Yes, with your site supervisor. You get a walk-through at the end of every build stage, and you can book a visit any other week. Closed shoes, and children stay outside the fence.
Send us the address of your block
Tell us where the land is and what you would like to build. A designer calls you within two working days and books a free site visit: an hour on the block with the person who would draw your home.