From Blueprint to Move-In: Navigating Each Stage of Your Custom Home Building Journey
Author: Joe Grbavac
Date: October 12, 2023
Joe Grbavac, Director OMNI Built Homes
With over 25 years of experience in the custom home building industry, Joe has overseen numerous successful projects from conception to completion. His deep understanding of the intricate processes involved and his commitment to quality and client satisfaction make him a trusted expert in the field.
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE ON THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A HOUSE IN BRISBANE: WHAT TO EXPECT AT EACH STAGE
Building a home is an exciting journey, and at OMNI Built Homes, we’re here to help make the home-building process easy and stress-free.
As a leading Brisbane home builder with over 25 years of experience, we know the stages of building a house well and are here to provide you with the information you need. So, we’ve created this guide to the stages of building a house and the home-building process.
Looking to build your house with OMNI? If so, you can rest assured that we’ll be here to answer any questions you have about each important stage in the building process, and we’ll guide you along the way. With customisable builds on offer if you want something specific, we make it easy throughout the entire building process.
1. Planning and collaboration
The building process of a home begins long before the foundation is laid. It starts with a vision, one we’re eager to help you flesh out and turn into a reality with planning and collaboration.
The process to build a house starts with a list of what you want that house to look like when completed – in its overall look and feel, and its features.
You may have a look at your existing home (whether you’re renting or own that home) and think of the features you love (and those you’d change). You might take a look at some new home build projects for inspiration, or explore some floor plans to see what resonates with you. However you create it, a list of must-haves, wants, and must-not-haves will form the start of the planning.
At OMNI Built Homes, we offer three types of inclusion packages; OMNI Advantage (small homes), OMNI Living (extra inclusions), and OMNI Living Plus (luxury homes). You can browse our floor plan examples in each of those three ranges, or request a custom home design.
When you build your new home with OMNI, we start with a collaboration appointment, where we’ll ask you about your needs, wants, and visions for your dream home. This will let us hone in on your available build options and inclusions, and tailor the actual build to your preferences. It’s how we create dream homes.
2. Quote, proposal and pricing for options
The next stage of building a house is to confirm the pricing, based on your wants and needs and the options that match.
For the OMNI Built Homes building process, we send you a transparent proposal following our collaboration meeting with you, which includes the costs, inclusions, and available options.
Once everyone is on the same page with the proposal, inclusions and specifics, we get your sign-off on the official building contract. Once your building contract is signed, your dream home is locked in. Here’s where it gets even more exciting.
3. Design and visualisation
The next stage in the building a house process is about the finer details.
We’ll work with you to get your input on all the exciting choices you get to make to really turn your house into a home. From paint colours to floor coverings, light fixtures, kitchen appliances and more, these choices will make your new home feel complete. We have a dedicated Interior Designer who will work with you to make sure you get the aesthetic and flow you love.
4. Construction: the physical building process
Here’s where the house construction stages begin, moving towards your complete new home.
The construction stages include the base stage, frame stage (where we begin construction), the lock-up or enclosed stage, the fixing and fit-off stages, the practical completion inspection (PCI) and the handover.
House construction stages of the building a house process
1. Base stage
The first of the house construction stages is the base stage (sometimes called the slab stage). This is where the block of land is prepared in order for us to start construction. The base stage typically includes site excavation, underground connections being laid, and other preparation for the construction parts of the building a house process. With the concrete slab poured, the base stage is complete.
At this stage of the process, the OMNI Built Homes team will also install a temporary fence around the property for safety and security.
2. Frame stage
In the framing stage of the construction process, the frame of your new home is erected, per the finalised home drawings. This includes the wall frames, the roof frames, and the structural frame of your home. The location of power points and light switches will also be determined at this stage.
This is where you’ll start to see your new home take visible shape.
During the frame stage of the house construction process, Qualified Building Certifiers will ensure the structural integrity of the frame, from the floor and walls to the roof – an essential step that must be done before proceeding to the next stage.
3. Lock-up/enclosed stage
At the lock-up stage of the house construction process, you can really see your new home start to ‘come together’.
Windows, brickwork, and wall cladding are installed next in the building process, securing your home. Then, with external cladding complete, the focus shifts to internal installations like insulation and plasterboards.
4. Fixing and fit-off stages
Some of the final stages of the house building stages are the fixing stage and fit off stage.
At the fixing stage, internally, plaster is completed, and architraves, cabinets, and tiles are fixed into position.
The house is painted, and necessary fixtures are installed, bringing your colour choices and designs to life. Once the fit off stage is complete, you’ll have a good indication of what the final build will look like.
5. Practical Completion Inspection (PCI) (final inspection)
Before the final handover, a thorough walk-through is conducted to ensure quality. The practical completion inspection is kind of like a checklist to make sure that everything has been completed correctly, throughout the whole process so far, and everything has been done well.
At this part of the building process, we’ll walk through with you and show you all of the features and functions of your dream home in person. It’s an exciting time, seeing all the plans brought to life and finalised.
Think of this stage like a final inspection before the official handover.
6. Handover
The most exciting of all the stages of building a house is the handover.
This is where you collect your keys and step into the new exciting chapter in your completed new home.
5. Support after completion
At OMNI Built Homes, we’re here for you, even after your new construction is complete. Moving forward, if you have any concerns after your handover, just get in touch with our friendly team. We’ll help you however we can.
Your new house construction process starts today
Now that you’re aware of how the building a house process works, you’ll see that with the right builder, it can be an easy and exciting process.
At OMNI Built Homes, we specialise in creating dream homes in Brisbane. We create project homes that meet your requirements, with customisation options available to suit a range of budgets.
When you work with OMNI Built Homes, you deal directly with our Director, the builder and our dedicated team. A site supervisor and construction team will keep things organised and keep you in the loop. We’re here for you, at every stage of the building a house process.
Your new home build starts with getting in touch with us. Contact our friendly team at OMNI Built Homes today, or browse our range of home designs today.
OMNI Home Designs
We have a huge range of floor plans to choose from, across our OMNI Advantage (small homes) range, OMNI Living (extra inclusions) range, and OMNI Living Plus (luxury homes) range. All of our home designs are customisable, or we can completely customise a home design for you from scratch if you’d prefer a one-off design.
Every dollar accounted for with OMNI
The practical aspects of building a house involve a clear understanding of building costs, so you’re aware of the entire cost from the initial deposit to the final payment.
With our transparent quote proposals, every cent from the first to the final payment is accounted for.
Whether it’s understanding the costs associated with the lock-up stage, including allowances for your important upgrades, or gauging the expenses for construction materials, transparency is a core value of ours, so we make sure you know.
This ensures you’re set for the practical completion stage and payment without any unexpected costs.
Build your OMNI Built Home — get in touch today
In Brisbane, building a house is an experience. And with a builder like OMNI Built Homes by your side, every stage of the building a house process is an exciting milestone you’ll love celebrating – from the initial planning and collaboration to the preparation of the building site, to the interior walls, exterior doors and fixing stage, and right through to practical completion.
Ready to build your dream home? Get in touch with us today and let’s make it happen.