Plan on building your forever home? We'll help things progress smoothly.
Planning and building a new home is an exciting and challenging project.
Qualitas Builders will be with you every step of the way to make sure your new home is even better than you imagined. We’ll share our experience and expertise to make the process as enjoyable and stress-free as possible. Read our new build tips below to get you started.
It starts with your budget
Meet with an independent financial consultant or your lender to talk through your plans. Have open discussions with your architect and builder about your budget and your must-haves versus your wish list. Without a budget, your architect may end up designing a home you simply can’t afford to build. We recommend having concept plans drawn so your builder can prepare a preliminary estimate. This ensures the scope and design for the build will be affordable. Once we confirm we are all in the same ballpark, the architect can produce a detailed design and the plans can be re-costed to take into consideration any additional structural details and changes that may be required.
Hire the right team
You’ll be working closely with your architect and builder for many months, so you need to be able to trust them to offer expert guidance and help you make decisions. They should be well qualified, understand your needs and budget, and be great communicators. Ask your friends and family for recommendations and check out their previous work. If you’re comparing quotes, make sure they include the same scope of work, materials, fixtures and finish.
Design for now and the future
The size and layout of your home should reflect your family, your lifestyle and how you like to entertain. Does the master bedroom need to be near the kid's rooms or do teenagers need their own space? Do you need enough room to host large gatherings? Do you need to allocate space for your hobbies or a workshop? Will there be enough room for the furniture and appliances you want or large items you need to store? How might your life be different in ten years or more?
Making decisions
Once plans have been drawn up, look at them in detail and consider how the rooms flow, the size of the spaces, the amount of light and whether there is enough storage. Make any changes before you submit the plans to the council to avoid time delays and increased costs. Time is money when you’re building, so try to have as many decisions made as possible before your builders start work. Pick out your flooring, appliances, cabinetry, countertops, tile, and light fixtures so you don’t slow the build down because you haven’t made a final decision.
While you'll probably reach decision overload at some point, make sure to enjoy seeing your dream home come together. It’s an incredible thing to see your vision coming to life, and we’ll be there to guide you every step of the way!