Looking to build a home in 2020? Here’s your guide to navigating the process, courtesy of My Homes WA.
30 second summary:
• With the Australian Government announcing the Homebuilder Grant, it’s a perfect opportunity to build the home of your dreams.
• There’s so many more advantages to build vs buy: with an established home, it’s often buyer-beware!
• Learn about what to expect when you build a house in Perth, from design to construction and final inspection.
Thinking of building a home in Perth this year? With the Australian Government announcing the Homebuilder Grant, it’s a perfect opportunity to build the home of your dreams. When you build a home, you get to be involved from A to Z, from choosing a gorgeous home design and even customising it so that it’s exactly what you were looking for. Why settle for less than the perfect home?
Other than aesthetics, there’s so many more advantages to build vs buy: with an established home, you can often find yourself with unexpected and unpleasant surprises. A home inspection can only detect so much, and many Perth homeowners can tell you stories of plumbing troubles, old fixtures experiencing storm damage, and plenty of other issues. When your home is designed and built by experts (like My Homes WA!), you know what to expect – with an older home, it’s all too often buyer-beware!
Of course, building a home is more complicated than buying a home – it’s no longer just “sign on the dotted line”. Especially if you’re a first-home buyer, home building can seem overwhelming; but having the support of a home building company that understands your needs, actively listens and wants to see your dream home become a reality can make all the difference. (By the way, want to know more about first-home building? Check out our First Home Buyers Portal!)
Without further ado, here’s what to expect when you’re building a home in Perth in 2020.
Stage 1: Financing
You may be able to finance building your home with equity or cash; however, most Australians will need to take out a construction loan. This is different from the standard home loan for an established house: instead of providing a lump sum payment on settlement, construction loans take place via progress payments aligned with each major stage of construction. You’ll receive invoices as the home building progresses, which you’ll approve and then the bank will pay your home building company.
As well as loans, you may also be eligible for grant funding, as well as other rebates or stamp duty concessions. In particular, the First Home Owners Grant and the HomeBuilder Grant. Here at My Homes WA, we’re specialists in this area, and have helped many people get into their home, so feel free to get in touch for more advice on financing your new home, and check out our dedicated Home Financing page.
Stage 2: Purchasing Land
Naturally, you can’t build a house without land to build it on! Many Australians will choose a house and land package to make this process a bit easier; also, if you choose to buy land and then build a home on it later, stamp duty will be payable on the land’s purchase price. If you buy the land first, your home building company will start construction when settlement has taken place and the land is in your name.
However, there’s also benefits to finding the land and then organising for a residential home builder to build upon the land you own – in particular the flexibility to select the land you want, where you want. If you want more advice on the benefits of house and land packages vs buy land and build, get in touch with our team, and check out our blog on Everything You Need To Know About House And Land Packages.
Stage 3: Home Design
One of the greatest things about building a home instead of buying is that you can choose a home design you love! From fixtures to fittings and finishes, it’s a wonderful feeling to make your house truly a home. At My Homes WA, our vast experience in home design means that we can help you make the most of your land – whether you’re looking for a home design for a single storey home, a double storey home, a narrow-lot home design or more.
Check out some of our award-winning home designs for a great dose of house and home inspiration!
And of course, if you’re looking to customise your home design to suit your needs and tastes, an expert home building company like My Homes WA is just the ticket. For a home as unique as you are, check out our information on custom home designs.
Stage 4: Building Your Home
Finally, your dream home is becoming a reality! Generally, this takes place in several stages. The first stage involves building the base of your home, from laying down the foundations of your house, levelling the ground, installing the plumbing and so on. The second stage will be constructing the frame of your home – the trusses, roofing, windows and so on. Next is lock-up: all of the tasks involved for “closing up” the property such as walls, doors, and insulation. Then comes the fourth stage: fit-out, where all the fixtures and fittings needed to complete the home are constructed, plumbing and electrical systems are finalised and so on.
The final stage involves adding all the finishing touches – painting, installing fences, polishing walls and floor, and so on. After the home is built, you do final rounds of inspections to make sure the property is built correctly. And voila – your new home!
Of course, buying a home is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your life, and you want to make sure it’s done right by a reputable home building company. We’ve previously written about things to look out for when choosing a home builder, from researching their reputation to checking credentials (and of course, reading the small print on your contract!)
Here at My Homes WA, we offer a guarantee of quality, with 12 months maintenance on all new home builds. This warranty is backed by our quality workmanship and confidence in using only the best construction teams. We’re proud to have a 4.8 star rating on Product Review, with many happy homeowners. Let’s talk about how we can make the building process easier for you!