Why It Pays to Engage a Builder Early

However, engaging a builder before, or at the same time as an architect can make a huge difference to your project, in the long run, saving you time and money. It can also be the best way to establish your budget early on and ensure this is maintained throughout the design stage.

At the start of your building journey, you should think about exactly what you want in a dream home. What are the essentials and what are the dealbreakers? If you take this time to really think about the components of your ideal residence, you won’t make costly amendments to your home plans later down the track.

You should also make sure you do your homework on prospective builders – speak to past clients or subcontractors about their experience, read reviews online and check out their past projects. Most importantly, when you’ve chosen a builder, make sure you receive a detailed quote that breaks down all the costs associated with the build. Find out more about how to budget for a building project here.

Builders are the leading authority on construction costs

Builders are the leading authority on how much things cost – from labour to materials, they’ll be able to give you the most up-to-date figures. A builder can also provide an alternative option on products or methods of construction, which can assist with your budget. In contrast, while architects have some knowledge of costs, they often work with ballpark numbers, instead of actual costs.

Designing a home based on architect costings alone could result in huge discrepancies, resulting in a change of your entire design or blowing out your budget at the end of the build. Not only will this cost you financially, but it could also potentially delay the project.

In a recent project, we were able to work with the architect to control costs structurally, but we also tweaked fixtures and fittings externally and internally to make sure the plans and specifications fit the client’s budget.

Builders have real experience with all kinds of projects

A builder can also provide expertise when it comes to your design, providing solutions to complex issues. For example, if your new home is set to be on a sloping site, or has access issues, they will be able to identify these and provide resolutions that could once again save you time and money.

Having a second opinion in the form of a builder also means they may pick up additional design issues that you or your architect may not have recognised. Doing this in the early stages can make it easier to amend and will reduce the risk of costly decisions down the line.

Finally, engaging a builder early can result in a smooth and stress-free build. As they have been involved from the very early stages, a builder will be able to monitor any changes, address any concerns as they arise and become a single point of accountability throughout the entire project. This means that if you have any questions, concerns or queries, the builder will be able to answer them quickly – and action them if needed – without fuss.