Introduction
When you step into one of Brisbane’s display homes, the games begin. It’s a battle between what you want and what you need, and you’re up against Brisbane’s best interior designers.
What costs extra in a display home? How much can be changed? Is taking a virtual tour online good enough?
In this article, we will answer all your display home questions AND show you Brisbane’s display home locations!
Step 1 – Internet Research
It’s always useful to know where you want to build before you look at home designs. If you haven’t done so already, we recommend checking out our article on buying land in Brisbane.
In any case, the internet is a good place to start shopping. You will find thousands of facades from dozens of building companies on the internet. Here are some things to remember as you visit a builder’s website:
- Building companies like to simplify their designs with plans.
- Often, pictures of plans DO NOT show exactly what will be included in your house. Instead, you have to look at the inclusions.
- Inclusions can usually be found on a builder’s website. Now here’s where things get tricky….
- Builders like to group different kinds of inclusions into ranges. Each range represents a different level of quality and a price tag to match.
- Each display home will showcase a specific range of inclusions that has nothing to do with the plan.
Before your visit a display home, you must know the range you are looking at and the specific inclusions in that display. Here’s one example of what can go wrong if you don’t:
Greg and Sandy spend Sunday afternoon shopping for homes online. They finally find a design they like, but don’t know how much it costs. On Monday, they drive to the display home in West Brisbane. A sales assistant walks them through it and says, “Only the furniture and landscaping are excluded”. Greg and Sandy feel confident. They sign a fixed price building contract and begin to build their house…
Ever ordered food from a menu and received a meal that looks nothing like the picture? 9 months later, Greg and Sandy own a brand-new home that looks like the display home’s cousin. Somehow, their bathroom isn’t as nice as they expected. The walls are plain and cold too. Worst of all, their driveway is made of mud. Their builder tells them what they expected to see was not included in their range. Display homes can be misleading.
Step 2 – Talk to the Experts
Before driving to a location, make sure you know which path you are going down. Do you trust the company showing the display? Do you personally know anyone who has done business with them?
Building companies are great at selling houses, so it’s clever to team up with someone who’s good at buying houses. Look no further than a building broker. A good brokerage will do the following:
- Understand exactly what you want to build.
- Perform due diligence so you know you’re buying the right block of land at the right price with no hidden problems.
- Advertise your project to a number of builders. Builders should bid to win YOUR business.
- Present you with each builders’ strengths, prices and particulars so you can make an informed decision.
- Provide clarity about the contracts being signed.
- Ensure all expectations are met during your build and your project is on schedule.
A building broker wants YOU to get the best deal, and they’ve done it all before. With someone by your side, you will become the master of T&Cs and fine-print.
Step 3 – Choose Your Inclusions Wisely
Whether your plan is considered “standard” or “extravagant” is relative. If you do your research, branding can create opportunities for smart buyers to save money on inclusions. Here’s what we mean:
Bob’s Building Company builds houses. With Bob, there are 4 ranges of inclusions. These are ranked by price (low to high):
- Bob’s Basic Inclusions $
- Bob’s Classic Inclusions $$
- Bob’s Pioneer Inclusions $$$
- Bob’s Deluxe Inclusions $$$$
Last year, Bob built over 400 houses! Out of 400 houses, 320 included “Bob’s Classic Inclusions ($$)”. This means 80% of Bob’s customers bought the second cheapest range of inclusions. This is why:
Bob’s Building Company has 20 display homes in Southeast Queensland. All of Bob’s display homes feature “Bob’s Classic Inclusions”. When people walk through his display homes, they want to buy what they can see and touch.
But hold on… Are “Bob’s Classic Inclusions” good value?
Turns out “Bob’s Basic Inclusions” are almost the same, but much cheaper! By choosing the cheapest range of inclusions and upgrading a few things, a few of Bob’s customers were able to get the better value.
If you want to learn more about how to get the most out of a builder’s inclusions and upgrades, contact Buildi. We have the knowledge and expertise you need to save thousands of dollars on your build. Get started with a free consultation today.
About Virtual Display Homes
Online virtual tours are available on many building companies’ websites. Just like with Google Street view, you can look around some display homes in 360°. Virtual tours are great for saving time. You can check out a dozen plans in one afternoon without leaving your couch.
That being said, it’s difficult to check the quality of finer details and finishes online. There are many things a camera won’t show.
Brisbane Display Homes: Locations
As you can see, there are many display homes in Brisbane. It would take ages to visit them all, so it’s smart to get an idea of which ones are worth visiting.
Furthermore, we like to think about how your home will look where you build it. A trendy, modern display house might look good in its display village, but what about your chosen suburb? Investors often warn against buying the nicest house on the street.
Summary
- Before you a visit a display home, make sure you know which range you’re looking at.
- We recommend teaming up with experts who will shine a line on the confusing terms and conditions, fine print and any questions you have.
- By choosing a cheaper range of inclusions and upgrading, you may be able to save money.
- Taking a virtual tour can save you lots of time and effort, but it won’t be as thorough as a real-life tour.
- Researching your chosen suburb is just as important as researching your home design.
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