Best custom builder

NoviceBuilder · Jul 11, 2007 11:53 am

I would be interested in hearing everyones views on the best custom builder which you have dealt / built with?

We are currently trying to engage a builder to build our dream home and want a builder who offers a design service as well as does quality work.

We are based in Melbourne so any input / feedback which can be provided would be appreciated

Regards,
NoviceBuilder

pasey25 · Jul 11, 2007 9:19 pm

what kind of price range are you thinking ? Custom can be very pricey.

Depending on that i have some suggestions

NoviceBuilder · Jul 11, 2007 11:29 pm

Price range would be up to $300,000

Any suggestions would be appreciated

Regards,
NoviceBuilder

mattwalker · Jul 11, 2007 11:36 pm

Novice,

$300,000....?

What are you hoping to get for this money? size, finish etc?

NoviceBuilder · Jul 11, 2007 11:49 pm

The size of the house we are looking at building around 30 squares plus a double garage

The rooms which we are wanting included are as follows:

4 bedrooms
1 Study
1 Formal lounge
1 Kitchen
1 Meals / Dining area
1 Alfresco
1 Home Theatre
1 Family Room / Rumpus
1 Laundry
1 Bathroom
1 WC
1 Powder Room

We would like the following items to be included:

Double vanities to bathroom and ensuite
900mm upright oven
Glass splash back in kitchen
Feature paint to 3 internal walls
18mm Caesar Stone to kitchen bench
Water filter to kitchen
18mm Caesar Stone bench to vanities in bathroom / ensuite / powder room
Towel storage to vanity in bathroom / ensuite
Handheld shower head in bathroom / ensuite
Square inset basins in bathroom / ensuite / powder room
Stainless steel kick rails in kitchen
Butlers pantry
Overhead cupboards in laundry
Double bowl / double drainer sink in kitchen
3 in 1 Bathroom Heater, Exhaust fan and light to bathroom / ensuite
2550mm floor to ceiling through out
Niche to bathroom and ensuite
Light above vanities in bathroom / ensuite
2340mm internal doors throughout
300mm raised ceiling in entry
Insert laundry trough with laminated cabinets and two pot drawers
Security camera and intercom for front door
Tea towel rack in kitchen
Towel rails in bathroom / ensuite / powder room
Toilet roll holder to WC and ensuite
Timber French doors to the Alfresco area
Timber French doors to study
Laundry with walk in linen closet
Two gas fireplaces in built
3 TV points in total
Remote control to garage
Panelift door to front of garage
Floor boards to Entrance, Kitchen, Meals and Family / Rumpus
Tiles to wet areas
Carpet to all other areas
Flyscreens to all windows
Window locks
Central heating – Zoned with programmable thermostat
Evaporative cooling
Floor downlights to the entry

pasey25 · Jul 12, 2007 11:35 am

I think that you may find it difficult with that budget for what you've listed as requirements for a truly custom design.

What design features are you looking for that change it from one of the thousands of project home designs into a true custom design? Sloping block, views, etc?

maybe talk to one of the project builders who also do custom. Maybe someone like GJ Gardener

Vlad76 · Jul 12, 2007 12:47 pm

In Melbourne there are a couple of popular builders that allow you to customise your design - Glenville and Ravida. Both are very expensive, especially Ravida, and I found that my builder Clarendon still allowed me plenty of changes to their existing design which was almost 100% suitable to our needs.

Ravida has great quality and design reviews but their prices are about 15k per square plus.

Glenville is expensive yet their quality reviews on this forum have been pretty bad.

There is also Englehart - another expensive custom builder in Melbourne. They build a lot in expensive areas (Brighton, Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell etc) but again - the individual design comes at a huge cost.

I would say for your budget you may have to look at volume builders that would allow you some customisations.

NoviceBuilder · Jul 12, 2007 1:22 pm

Thanks for the feedback. As you can see from my nick "NoviceBuilder" I am a first time home builder so all of this is completely new to me. We have already had a quote under my budget amount which includes all of the features listed. However I am a little confused by the replies so far? By custom I am referring to builders who will modify their plans to suit the house design that me the customer would want.

The replies I have received to date have left me wondering is the budget too low? What figure have others who have built a house through a custom builder?

Can I assume that most people in this forum go through a project builder and make modifications to existing plans? If so which builders have you found to be more open to this?

NoviceBuilder

stonecutter1309 · Jul 12, 2007 1:28 pm

Custom builder = design and build a brand new layout just for you.

I don't think I've met a project builder who won't make some changes. The only thing project builders don't like to change is the location of staircases and major wet areas (bathrooms, laundry, kitchen). Of course - every change costs more money

We thought we'd have to go custom until we found the perfect project home - $390k for around 41 squares (double storey)

pasey25 · Jul 12, 2007 1:41 pm

NoviceBuilder

Thanks for the feedback. As you can see from my nick "NoviceBuilder" I am a first time home builder so all of this is completely new to me. We have already had a quote under my budget amount which includes all of the features listed. However I am a little confused by the replies so far? By custom I am referring to builders who will modify their plans to suit the house design that me the customer would want.

The replies I have received to date have left me wondering is the budget too low? What figure have others who have built a house through a custom builder?

Can I assume that most people in this forum go through a project builder and make modifications to existing plans? If so which builders have you found to be more open to this?

NoviceBuilder

yes, there is a difference between modifying and completely custom.

Another one that comes to mind that may be in your price range is Meletis. I believe someone on this forum is using them for a completely custom design although they also have standard designs which you could customise.

mek · Jul 12, 2007 1:48 pm

That would be us (ie. building with Meletis). We are building a custom designed house for around the same budget, but smaller than yours (31sq incl. double garage and outside area) and a few of your requirements are included:

NoviceBuilder

Double vanities to bathroom and ensuite - YES
900mm upright oven - NO but got 60cm Miele oven and 70cm gas Miele cooktop
Glass splash back in kitchen - YES
Feature paint to 3 internal walls - NO, white is fine for us
18mm Caesar Stone to kitchen bench - YES, but went for laminate due to colour issue
Water filter to kitchen - NO
18mm Caesar Stone bench to vanities in bathroom / ensuite / powder room - YES, look at kitchen
Towel storage to vanity in bathroom / ensuite - NO, just plain vanity
Handheld shower head in bathroom / ensuite - YES
Square inset basins in bathroom / ensuite / powder room - YES, no powder room
Stainless steel kick rails in kitchen - NO
Butlers pantry - NO, got pull out pantry
Overhead cupboards in laundry - NO
Double bowl / double drainer sink in kitchen - YES, an expensive one
3 in 1 Bathroom Heater, Exhaust fan and light to bathroom / ensuite - NO, going for hydronic heating, but got fans
2550mm floor to ceiling through out - YES, plus curved roof with 4.0 m height at highest point
Niche to bathroom and ensuite - NO
Light above vanities in bathroom / ensuite - NO
2340mm internal doors throughout - NOT SURE REALLY
300mm raised ceiling in entry - NEARLY 4 M
Insert laundry trough with laminated cabinets and two pot drawers - ALL 1 METRE POT DRAWERS EXCEPT ONE
Security camera and intercom for front door - NO
Tea towel rack in kitchen - NO
Towel rails in bathroom / ensuite / powder room - NO
Toilet roll holder to WC and ensuite - NO
Timber French doors to the Alfresco area - NO, IMPROVED ALUMINIUM 3-PART STACKING SLIDING DOOR, DOUBLE GLAZED
Timber French doors to study - NO
Laundry with walk in linen closet - NO
Two gas fireplaces in built - NO
3 TV points in total - ONLY 2
Remote control to garage - YES
Panelift door to front of garage - YES
Floor boards to Entrance, Kitchen, Meals and Family / Rumpus - NO, 60 X 60 CM TILES
Tiles to wet areas - YES
Carpet to all other areas - YES
Flyscreens to all windows - YES, WINDOWS DOUBLE GLAZED
Window locks - YES
Central heating – Zoned with programmable thermostat - NO, HYDRONIC
Evaporative cooling - YES
Floor downlights to the entry

- NO

Other: square set cornices, alarm, all double glazed windows, water tank, solar hot water.

I think you could do it.

mattwalker · Jul 12, 2007 1:53 pm

Novice....

I asked for that! :shock:

I think you need to be looking at around $13000 psqm for something like that in Melbourne's suburbs

Thats only gong to allow for 23ish squares....Not enough.

I agree with Vlad. Find a volume builder and do some customising....

penjay · Jul 12, 2007 2:15 pm

Novicebuilder,
We got a quote from a custom builder for a similar size house with similar inclusions (about 38 square including garage) and he quoted around $11,000 - $12,000 per square. It was way out of our price range. We eventually went with PD and added what we wanted to the standard plan. It worked out to about $7000 per square.

BaysideBuilder · Jul 12, 2007 3:58 pm

We have been looking at a builder called New Dimension - they do project homes as well as true custom homes and everything in between. I haven't been able to find any feedback on them on this forum, but its been a good experience so far (but very early days). They seem to be reasonable in terms of cost so might be worth a look.

http://www.newdimensionhomes.com.au/

Andrew