Advice & Support

Our plans on the website are designed specifically to maximise living space and reduce the cost of unnecessary building materials; however, your Building Consultant will be more than happy to discuss floorplan changes and will be your best guide as to what is feasible and possible.  We can customise to suit your specific requirements and create new solutions for difficult build sites.  Be inspired by what we have to offer.

We need to know about solar as early as possible as this will impact engineering, timber framing and the energy assessment for the home.  If you decided to add it in after plans have been drawn, then you will be charged additional fees to have everything re-drawn and reassessed.  Please discuss the addition of solar to your plan early with your Building Consultant.

Significant changes to a floorplan (including a façade change) mean that engineering, energy reports and council approvals need to be amended and resubmitted, adding time and increased costs to your project.  In some cases, it may result in having to start the process again from the beginning.  Make sure you talk to your experienced Building Consultant before making any decisions.

Building engineers look at supports, loads, and building materials. They review proposed plans and make sure they follow building codes and regulations. They will also check the lot and surroundings of your proposed home, to ensure your plans integrate factors such as slope, existing features, and the surrounding environment and that the slab is designed specifically to the soil type for that location.

Fixed-price contracts are the most common form of the domestic building agreement. As the name suggests a fixed price agreement is where the builder agrees to perform building work for a fixed sum. Fixed price contracts generally allow for variations to the building work during the construction process. The contract will provide the way in which variations are to be valued and the contract price will be adjusted accordingly. If more work is done, the builder is entitled to be paid and the contract price will be adjusted upwards. If work is omitted, the owner may be entitled to a reduction in the contract price.

Once the Contract has been signed, you will be given a period of 4 weeks to complete your selections with our suppliers at their locations, followed by a Final Selections Consultation with our dedicated Bradford Homes designer.

As per the Preliminary Services Agreement, once your Concept Plans have been drawn, you are permitted one minor design amendment at no charge, with any additional changes subject to management approval.  There are no changes permitted to internal décor selections once you have had your Final Selections Consultation.

You will be allocated an experienced Site Manager who will keep you informed and updated on the progress of your job from the initial works for site preparation through to the day that your new home is presented to you. We are very proud of our Site Managers and their expertise and attention to detail is second to none!

Your Building Consultant will be able to provide you with information regarding the finishes in your home. During the selection process, you will also have the opportunity to upgrade any items and this price difference will be captured in a variation.

There are several factors that can influence how long the whole process can take – it’s the work done prior to the commencement of site works that can be hard to predict due to council approvals, changes to titles, subdivisions, or arborist reports.  All these things are specific to your site and your plans.  Your Building Consultant will be able to discuss this with you and give you a guide.  The actual building process can take between approx. 6 to 9 months depending on the size (single or double-storey) and complexity of the build.

Make sure to speak to your power and water companies early in the process – some sites will require that you pay for a power pit to the front of your property instead of relying on overhead external lines – and this takes time.  Sewer, stormwater, and water supply can all be affected by construction, so it’s best to investigate and get an idea of timeframes.

You will need to liaise with these service providers prior to construction and in the case of the demolition of a home on the site, you will need to ensure that the services are terminated to the boundary of your property.

If you need to have a driveway relocated, then you will need to contact your local council as soon as possible as this can be a lengthy process and needs to be completed prior to construction if there is an issue with access to your site (a common issue for subdivided blocks).

It’s best to start chatting to your neighbours as there is no doubt that they will feel the impact of construction and the activity that it creates.  if your build is on a boundary then you will need to discuss the removal of existing fencing with your neighbours and keep them updated on timeframes – your Site Manager will be able to help you with this part.

You can have a pool, but you will need to consider a few things:

• The pool may need to be installed prior to starting the building works and will need to be fenced and covered as per regulations.
• The location of the pool, if close to the home, will impact the engineered footings and will need to be considered when initial plans are being discussed with our Building Consultant
• There may be electrical/gas/water requirements to add to the build to accommodate for the pool
• Development approvals for pools are separate from approvals for the new home and the owner or pool supplier is responsible for all council approvals and insurances