Common Mistakes when Building your First Home and How to Avoid Them

Building your first home? Everyone’s heard the horror stories. The build that ran months longer than expected. The cracks that appeared in the slab. The building company that folded leaving a trail of broken hearts and half-finished homes. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by what can go wrong when you pour your heart and soul into your dream home.

Here are four of the biggest mistakes you can make when building your first home and how to dodge them like a seasoned pro.

1. Not knowing what’s included in the price and what’s not

Knowing what you’re getting for your money is crucial when you’re building your first home. The best way to do that is to read the fine print in your contract carefully. If you can’t tell whether something is covered, make sure you seek clarification, preferably in writing. Many display homes are fitted out with high-end fittings and fixtures to create a sense of style and luxury. Unless you’re specifically contracting for those items, they won’t be included in the price.

2. Not seeing the full potential of your block

Building your first home calls for the ability to take a two-dimensional plan and accurately predict how that will translate into three dimensions on your block. That takes years of experience. You need to consider whether the dream home you picture in your mind’s eye is suitable for the land you plan to build it on. Unless you’re experienced in building, it’s easy to make a mistake with orientation, dimensions, natural light, privacy issues, floor plan function and flow. An experienced builder will help you realise your block’s full potential, even if that means suggesting an alternative design better suited to your land and your lifestyle.

3. Not thinking ahead

There’s no guarantee that what you want now will be the same as what you want five years from now. When you consider the upward pressure on housing prices, stamp duty and the raft of other costs associated with pulling up stumps and moving, it’s not surprising many people opt to stay put when in the past they might have moved on to a second home. If you’re building your first home, it’s important to do some crystal ball-gazing and imagine how your lifestyle might change: Kids, ageing parents, even being able to take advantage of an option to work from home. It’s crucial to factor in some flexibility to your floorplan wherever possible so that your house can change and grow with you and your family.

4. Not picking the right builder

By far, the biggest pitfall out there when you’re building your first home is choosing the wrong builder. Sorting the wheat from the chaff when it comes to builders can be tricky. Do your homework: wherever possible you should ask to see some of the finished examples of their work and ask to speak to some of their clients, as opposed to just relying on online testimonials, which can be fudged. Look for longevity in the industry. Membership of the Master Builders Association of Queensland is also a good indicator of quality because it tells you that your builder is fully licensed, insured and adheres to a strict regime of quality control and continued professional learning. They’ll be up-to-date with the latest materials and techniques. They’ll also be subject to a swift, effective and transparent system of dispute resolution in the unlikely event a problem arises, so you’ll have peace of mind.

Building your first home and looking for the right builder? Choose Murchie Constructions. We’re Master Builders and have been making first home dreams a reality for generations. We’ll make sure your first home happiness comes without the hiccoughs and horror stories. Click here or call us on (07) 4132 7777.