As local Northern Beaches builders, we generally like to conduct the first meeting at your home/land so that we can get a feel for your particular location. We spend approximately one hour discussing your needs and ideas, with a particular focus on what you need the final outcome of your home to be. This broad discussion will allow us to understand your particular requirements, which will then come together with your sizing and budget needs.
From our initial meeting, we create a Design Brief for your home. This will seek to capture the essence of the home as well as setting out rooms, overall style and size. Accompanying the Design Brief will be a detailed Proposal of Works. This specifies the building structure, cladding and roofing materials, internal finishes as well as plumbing and electrical inclusions. A well considered cost is also provided with this proposal. This cost is set using the Design Brief and Proposal of Works as a guide and is used as a starting point. It is often the case that we refine the proposal, with your input, before proceeding on to the next phase: the design stage.
Design work starts with the floor plans of your home. We are usually able to put forward 2 or 3 different floor layouts for your consideration and discussion. The best aspects of these layouts are then moulded into the final floor plan. Next, is the design of the external look of the home where we discuss various roof styles, cladding, features and specific window styles. As the design work progresses, we are able to build up our Comprehensive Inclusions Documentation. This document sets out the specifications of your home and goes on to form part of the Final Building Contract. As plans and specifications become finalised, the fixed contract price for your home can then be calculated.
Once we have refined the plans, specifications and pricing to meet your needs, we then prepare the Building Contract for your review before signing. This allows you to read through the Master Builders Association BC4 Contract, the Peninsula Homes Building Agreement and the Contract Plans as one set of documents. Any questions you may have can be answered before we sign the contracts together.
Following contract signing, architectural and structural drawings will be finalised ready for the approval process. If your home is CDC (Complying Development), then the required submission will be given to your chosen Private Certifier for approval. If your home requires a DA consent, then our local Town Planner will prepare the submission together with a detailed Statement of Environmental Effects to lodge with Council.
Once Council approval is obtained, we will review all the DA conditions and commence preparation of the required paperwork to obtain the Construction Certificate from the Private Certifier. The Construction Certificate is required for all DA works, takes approximately 3 weeks to complete and must be finalised before any building works commence. This preliminary time can also be used for you to finalise moving arrangements. At this time, you also meet with our Interior Designer to begin that stage of the design process.
Site works can now commence and will progress steadily throughout the build. As the build moves along, you will be in regular contact with us for both onsite meetings and to answer any questions you may have. We will also guide you as to when decisions on your selections are required and will source any samples you may require to assist in making these selection decisions.
Once your home is gyprocked, we will set a specific handover date with you. This will allow you plenty of time to finalise leases, arrange time off work and book removalists for the big day. In the final weeks of the build, we will meet regularly on site to ensure none of specific details are overlooked and can tend to any questions you have regarding finishes.