Lancaster Homes Unique 13 Step Process

Jul 15, 2022 | Home Design

Our Process

On the Blog last month we talked about why custom home builders charge for quotes, we promised to follow up with a deeper discussion about our unique process at Lancaster Homes. So, here it is!

1. Making contact

We will ask you a few questions to determine if we would be the right builder for your project. This is followed by a call with our builder Baden, where we will explore the scope of work, time frame and project feasibility.

2. Site visit

Our first in-person meeting is a site visit at your block of land. We will further discuss the brief, your requirements for your project and project feasibility in context to your particular site.

3. Preliminary agreement

Following your site visit and evaluation, we will present you with an agreement setting a scope of works from your brief. We will discuss the brief for your home and determine which design pathway will be best for your build, either Signature (Custom) or Designer (off the plan).

Its worth mentioning here, that we love to build homes designed by external designers too, so if you already have plans drafted, the preliminary agreement and fee will be caluclated accordingly.

4. Design phase

In the design phase, our designers will take your brief and develop stunning concept plans for your new home.

5. Preliminary plans

Preliminary plans are more technical set of drawings that provide us with enough details to calculate a reasonably accurate estimated cost to build your new home. This will ensure your new home design and your budget are aligned and you are comfortable to proceed further with the process. We’ll then engage our geotechnical engineer to provide a soil test on your land and obtain further required information to calculate a fixed price quotation for the project.

6. Interior Design

Our interior designer Renee will start the interior design phase of your project once you are happy with your house plans and estimated build cost. We will help you choose bathroom designs, materials/products, and more. All of the interior design schedules and documentation will form part of the contract so you know exactly what is included when you sign the dotted line.

7. Proposal

A detailed proposal is prepared. Our proposal is tailored to your specific site and will include any additional costs related to finding solid rock below the surface or required changes to meet unforeseen site conditions. Our quote will include all of your selected finishes and fixtures so that minimal PS and PC allowances are listed, so you know that the price already includes everything you want in your home, meaning there will be no unexpected variations after the contract is signed.

8. Sign contracts

A fixed price HIA (Housing Industry Association) contract is signed, along with all of the relevant applications and service connection forms so we can get your project approved and ready for construction. We will invoice you for a deposit as outlined in the building contract instructions, which will enable us to lodge your application with the local council.

9. Full construction drawings

Behind the scenes the full detailed construction documentation is drafted ready for council approval.

10. Approvals

Our team will work behind the scenes to lodge the DA/CDC on your behalf and action the connection request for your water and energy accounts.

11. Commencement

Once approvals are obtained, we’ll schedule a commencement date and get started on building your new home. The timeline will vary depending on the complexity of your design and materials specified, but under typical circumstances the build will take between 16 weeks and 6 months. During construction you can keep up to date with documents, variations, photos and the schedule through our client portal. We will also walk you through your build with scheduled site visits so you can see the progress of your new home.

12. Completion

When complete, we will meet you at your property for a walk through to ensure you’re satisfied with how it turned out. We require final payment prior to handover, and your lending institution is likely to conduct a site visit prior to releasing the final payment.