How to choose a builder

Decide what you want in your home

Stockland’s Development Manager Hannah Madill says the best thing about building a house on a vacant block of land is that “you’ll get the home you want”. Which means it’s important to have a good idea of what you’re looking for before you start the process. That could include considering:

• Number of bedrooms
• Number of bathrooms
• Size of kitchen
• Number of living/dining areas
• Configuration of kitchen/living/dining areas (open or closed plan?)
• Need for a home office or creative space
• Amount of storage space
• Garage size
• Balcony or patio
• Washing line location.

Doing your research and finding inspiration from tools like Stockland’s Dreamcatcher Styleboard can be extremely helpful.

Questions to ask

Robert Graham, Co-head of Design at Stockland, says, “There are a lot of things to consider, so don’t be afraid to ask questions.” This is crucial to ensure you really do end up with the home of your dreams.

Key questions to ask your builder before the build begins include:

• Is this the optimal orientation of my home on the block?
• Have I chosen the right sized windows to take advantage of light?
• Are the wet areas close together to minimise plumbing costs?
• How would the design look and feel if it was flipped or rotated?
• Is anything not included in the quote?

Learn more about each step of the building process