Custom Home Builds in Brisbane Pros and Cons

Key takeaways

Building a custom home provides you with full personalisation, allowing you to create the perfect space for you and your needs
Custom builds can be more expensive and take longer, and you might struggle to make a profit when selling if the design is too niche
You need an expert builder to help you with a custom build, and you should ensure that you complete your due diligence to avoid losing money

Do you want the perfect house designed specifically for you? Then, a custom build might be the perfect option. Instead of choosing from existing plans, you can customise your house to suit your exact needs. You can add space where you need it, increase the windows, change the layout, and ensure that your house remains functional for years. When deciding to create a custom home, there are many benefits and drawbacks you need to consider. To help you make the right decision, we have detailed each benefit and drawback in our guide below.

What are the benefits of building a custom home?

Building a custom home comes with a few benefits, like your ability to personalise the home, and adapt it to suit your location. Each benefit has been detailed below to help you decide if it's the right choice for you.

You can adjust the design to suit your location

Not every location works well with pre-designed houses. Customising your design to take into account slopes from mountains or protected trees that cannot be moved ensures that you get the right home for your space.

You can personalise the design to suit your tastes

When creating a custom home, you can personalise it to perfectly suit your needs. You can swap formal lounges for open-plan spaces or add additional rooms to provide plenty of work space for everyone in your family. When customising your home, you can make many changes that allow you to create a unique house that perfectly suits your needs.

You can make the space as functional as you need

Everyone uses their homes differently, and by customising yours, you can ensure it is perfect for your needs. You can increase the floor space or divide it up differently to create additional bedrooms or a double garage. Customising your home allows you to future-proof the functionality of your house, providing you with space for everything you need.

You can enjoy a higher-quality home

Custom homes are often made with higher-quality materials, providing you with a higher-quality home. By spending more on higher-quality materials now you can save on repairs and maintenance costs, making it a more cost-effective option.

With a custom design, you decide how the space flows.

What are the drawbacks of building a custom home?

Building a custom home does have a few drawbacks that you should consider before choosing to build your home. These drawbacks should not put you off, but they should be carefully considered to ensure it is the right option for you.

They have higher upfront fees

When building a custom home, there can be higher upfront fees, including services for quotes from builders. These costs need to be budgeted for, and you might end up paying for these several times if plans fall through or you need additional surveys.

Custom home builds have smaller contractors

Usually, custom home builders are smaller companies, which comes with a higher risk of insolvency, leaving your build stagnant. There is a higher risk that you will be left with debt and an unfinished home. It is essential that you work with a reputable and experienced builder and have a plan in place in case of insolvency.

There are lots of variables to consider

When building a custom home, there are lots of variables you need to consider, increasing the risks. As you can choose so many elements of the home, you can encounter hidden costs, especially if they are difficult to source or there aren’t many contractors with experience installing them.

They can take longer to build and sell

Custom homes usually take longer to build, especially if the design is complex. They can also take longer to sell. Not everyone will love your design or find that it works for them, so you might struggle to sell your home quickly or for the price you want.

Why Use A Builder Broker?

Because your builder choice makes or breaks the entire project. And you deserve to have someone on your side who knows the industry inside-out — and isn’t afraid to keep builders honest.

Book a FREE consult with our brokerage service today.

Book A Free Consultation

At Buildi, we’re focused on mitigating your risks by utilising proven strategies. If you are thinking of building in the greater Brisbane area, here is how we can guide your custom build:

Free consultation – We will sit with you to understand what you are looking to accomplish.
Due diligence – We work with you to ensure you’re buying the right block of land at the right price without hidden problems.
Builders tender – We will take your requirements out to the market of builders, and they will bid to win your business.
Present solutions – We will compile the top 3 options and present you with a comprehensive proposal on builders’ strengths & weaknesses, along with prices and specifications.
Contract signing – We will work with you and your selected builder to ensure there is full transparency in what you are entering into.
Building your home – We work closely with the builder to ensure all service levels are met and your project is on schedule.

We’ve got the advice you need to communicate clearly with your builder about custom designs, layout changes and specific requests. Contact us today!

When Fancy Floors Flop

In construction, a finished job is only as good as the tradesperson hired to complete it. When Marie started her journey, an element that she felt passionately about was flooring. Marie did extensive research on flooring options and ultimately decided to go with a hypo allergenic, breathable insulated floor through a third party supplier. Even though she paid top dollar for her new floors, she had no idea what she was in for.

When the contractor finally showed up on site (which was months behind schedule), things became worse. The tradesperson quit halfway through and sent an inexperienced colleague to complete Marie’s floors.

The end product was disgraceful. It was littered with stripes and messy marks. When the contractor went out of business shortly after, she had no choice but to redo the whole surface. Marie spent $20,000 on nothing. Her situation is not uncommon when building a custom home.

So how could Marie have avoided this situation? She did her research and followed all the right steps. We have some tips on how to protect your best interest in situations like the above:

Work with a builder that will be open to managing and holding suppliers/subcontractors accountable.
Get references. Ask your contractor for 3 recent clients and call them for a reference.
Always pay invoices after the work is completed.

Walking away from $30,000

The email below is another example of how a custom design plan can unravel. These clients had everything drawn, engineered and approved through council. The total cost of their plans was $30,000. We were put in touch with them after all this had been undertaken.

After many attempts at getting a builder to meet their budget, they decided to walk away from the project. $30,000 of their hard-earned cash was lost. Most of the quotes were coming in at $150K over budget.

These customers had inconsistent estimations of their build costs. They weren’t able to get a hold of an accurate quote for their build without forking out lots of money first. Instead of trusting somebody’s “best guess”, it’s better to do your own research. How much did other clients pay for similar builds in similar areas? How much information can you gather before you start paying for build plans?

Our Tips for Building a Custom Home

Tip 1

Prior preparation will prevent a poor outcome. Make sure you complete all the necessary checks on your block of land before you start your custom home build. Having a greater level of clarity will mean you don’t get blindsided by additional costs. For example, a category 4 noise overlay can cost upwards of $30,000.

Tip 2

Get your squad together. You will need a team of professionals who will help you through the custom home journey. It’s best to have the following lined up (with quotes provided) so you can estimate your outlay costs: an architect, structural engineer, certifier, soil test company, acoustics engineer and hydraulic engineer.

Tip 3

If you wish to minimise your outlay costs, find a builder that has an inhouse drafting team. This will allow you to hold the builder responsible for deliverables, (i.e. budget and schedule).

Tip 4

Get everything in writing. When subcontractors give quotes, they are offering you transparency and accountability. Always push to get a detailed quote so you can have clarity around deliverables. Ask for the quote to outline timeframes as well.

Tip 5

Hand your builder a list of specific questions about your customisation. If you want sliding doors, for example, ask what price range you’re looking at. Also, find out who can install them and how long it will take. If you and your builder have the same understanding, this gives your doors a better chance of sliding into your home hassle-free.

Find your builder for a custom home in Brisbane today

When building a custom home in Brisbane, you will want to work with an experienced builder who is aware of all the regulations they need to follow and can ensure that your design is practical and safe. Unsure of the regulations for building custom homes in Brisbane? Let us match you with the perfect builder! At Buildi, we only work with experienced and reputable builders who can help bring your dream home to life without you worrying about costs spiralling or being left in the lurch. Let us find your perfect builder today.

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