Design & build your home the iba way
Your trusted home building advocate in Perth
Building your home can be daunting & one of the biggest decisions you’ll make so why do it alone?
How we've been helping Australian's design better, more cost effective homes, without the stress.
There are other ways to build...
Direct to builder.
Pros
Cons
- Staff understand their system and processes.
- They can collaborate easily with internal teams.
- Builders are biased toward their own interests.
- Focusing only on their own services, limits options.
- Their company policies may conflict with your needs.
- Advice varies between builders & creates confusion.
- Comparing prices and inclusions is difficult & time consuming.
Project manage yourself.
Pros
Cons
- You can select the best professionals for each role.
- Provides flexibility in design & materials.
- Significant time & effort to manage multiple parties.
- Risk of miscommunication between professionals.
- Disputes between experts may occur.
- Specialists only focus on their field, not the whole project overall, causing gaps in information.
Owner build.
Pros
Cons
- Full control over the process and decisions.
- Potential to save on builder’s margins.
- Requires deep knowledge of construction & regulations.
- High risk of mistakes, delays, & extra costs.
- Time-consuming & stressful, unforeseen problems.
- Price blowouts due to trade & supply shortages.
- Trade friends can be unreliable under pressure.
- Extremely difficult finding builder support once construction begins.
But does this really work for everyone?
People who live busy lives just want things to be simple and stress free. We’re here to make that happen. From designing an architecturally cost-effective home that truly suits your lifestyle, finding a builder that fits your project, and supporting throughout the entire building process we keep you well-informed & prepared for home building the journey.
Design & build your home the iba way
1.COFFEE CATCH UP
Obligation free meeting to discuss ideas, building options, pricing & budget, and timeframes with your Client Advocate.
2.DESIGN & PLANnING
We’ll create architectural designs, liaise with necessary specialists on your behalf, and shortlist, select, and advocate the right builder for you job.
3.FIND THE RIGHT BUILDER
We compare builders against your design, budget, specs, and site requirements, then shortlist the ones genuinely suited for your project.
4.NEGOTIATION & CONTRACTS
We step in to make sure everything adds up. From pricing to inclusions to timelines, we review every clause, highlight risks, and negotiate improvements before you commit.
5.BUILD WITH CONFIDENCE
We’ll identify any obstacles, potential issues, and support you every step of the way to build your dream home.
Working with us comes at no extra cost to you, than going directly to a builder.
Where we can help
DESIGN & BUILD
Best suits: Busy people who want a great home, experience and value for money but don't have time for problems.
RENOVATIONS/EXTENSIONS
Best suits: People who want accurate advice and direction, good design, on budget with minimal disruption.
BUILDING ADVICE
Best suits: People who need guidance, unbiased advice, project management to get them on the right track.
Custom Home Design
Best suits: Have a builder in mind but want a home expertly designed independent of builders? Our designs are up for the task.
Building Inspections
Best suits: Have peace of mind that your home is up to Australian Standards. By listing expert, seasoned inspectors to check your home quality.
Finding a builder
Best suits: Have a design already but you need to find the right builder for your project? We can use our network and tender it for you.
More building advice
Our principles
DESIGN
More than just lines on paper
At Independent Building Advice, design is about crafting homes that truly work for our clients—not just now, but for years to come. We are not order takers, we take the time to understand your lifestyle, future plans, and how you envision living in your home. Through insightful questions, we uncover the details that matter most, from how long you plan to live there, to the specific features that will make it uniquely yours.
Every design is tailored to the block it sits on, considering its shape, solar orientation, views, council requirements and topography. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions; instead, we focus on creating a home that blends practicality with personal style. We also keep you informed on the latest trends, technologies, and design ideas, ensuring your home is both modern and distinctively yours.
Importantly, we design to a budget. Our expertise ensures you get maximum value for your investment, delivering a home that balances beauty, functionality, and financial sense. With Independent Building Advice, your design is more than just a plan—it’s the foundation of a remarkable home built for your life.
GUIDANCE
Every step of the way
Building or renovating your forever home should be an exciting journey, not a stressful one. At IBA, we’re with you every step of the way – from the spark of your first idea to the moment you step through the door of your completed home. With decades of experience and deep industry knowledge, we act as your trusted advocate, guiding you through the complexities of the building process.
We help you avoid the common pitfalls that so many homeowners face – unexpected costs, frustrating delays, price blowouts, dodgy builders, and design mistakes. When challenges arise, as they sometimes do, you can count on us to tackle them head-on, finding solutions quickly and effectively to keep your project on track.
Whether it’s answering your questions, solving problems, or offering expert insights, our mission is to make your building journey as seamless and enjoyable as possible. We handle the stress so you can focus on the excitement of creating your dream home. With IBA in your corner, you’ll feel confident and supported every step of the way – and proud of what you’ve achieved when the journey is complete.
BUILDER SELECTION
The Right Fit for Your Project
The builder you choose can make or break your building experience. At Independent Building Advice, we understand this better than anyone. That’s why we remain completely independent of builders, offering unbiased, expert advice to help you find the perfect match for your project.
Think of us as the department store of builders with access to a network of 21 trusted builders, we provide a variety of options in one place, making it easy to compare. With our 20+ years of construction industry experience, we know that not all builders are created equal. Some excel in small projects, others deliver exceptional value at single storey, some double storey, some $1,000,000+ builds. Our expertise is matching your personality and project with the right builders.
To make our list, every builder must meet our stringent 7 IBA Criteria, ensuring reliability, quality, and value. While no build is entirely free of challenges, having the right builder on board makes the process smoother and more manageable.
With Independent Building Advice, you’ll have the confidence that comes from knowing you’ve partnered with one of our carefully vetted builders who understands your project and can deliver remarkable results.
We help you avoid the common problems that occur in the building industry.
Price blowouts
We uncover hidden costs early, review allowances, and work only with builders who price clearly and can back it up.
Design mistakes
Homes designed to suit real life, local rules, and construction realities, not just floorplans that look good on paper.
Poor workmanship
We recommend builders with proven quality, strong track records, and recent clients you can actually speak to.
Paying too much
We compare builders side by side so you pay a fair price for the right level of quality, not brand hype.
Lack of unbiased advice
You get clear, unbiased guidance at every stage, with someone in your corner from design to handover.
Builder risk
We assess workload, stability, and delivery history to reduce delays, shortcuts, and unfinished builds.
Start your home building journey!
TESTIMONIALS
Our client's stories
When we got the kitchen plans back, the builder had changed it and we hated it. They tried to push us to just accept it.
We were not sure what to do. Our friends suggested one thing but we were not sure. We reached out to Behan and the IBA crew. They redesigned the kitchen to work better within the builder’s requirements and then told us what to do and say.
Today we’re living in a kitchen we love thanks to IBA.
Recent projects
FAQ's
When we work with builders, we bypass the sales people and work directly with the Owner, General Manager or Sales Manager. Rather than the sales person getting a commission we get paid a referral instead.
This means it costs the same (sometimes cheaper) whether you go direct to the builder or through IBA.
If you go directly to a build their advice will be biased based on how they do things. For example if you go to a builder who only builds in brick they will tell you brick is best.
We don’t need to conform to a builders policies and preferences. We will give you the best advice for your interests and then choose the best builder to deliver on this method.
We have negotiated with suppliers to get builder discounts for you. This way you can save thousands going direct. Check out our menu option for more information.
We will shortlist builders, tender out the design and compare them all for you to make sure you comparing apples with apples.
From this information we will recommend what we think is best option but you ultimately decide.
As we have a number of clients building at any one time with a builder. The builder will take our concerns and requests a lot more seriously than if you are an individual building just one home.
On tops of this, the builders know, that we know, exactly what we are doing and we’ll not tolerate any shenanigans.
Cut through all the marketing, pretty display homes and social media noise to find the real best builders in Perth. We have decades of experience knowing the industry.
We choose builders by looking at their history, talking to their clients, chatting to their suppliers and more (checkout “how we choose builders” for more information).
When we refer to multiple builders for quotes, we request the same referral from each builder. This way we are unbiased to one or another. We will always recommend the best option for you.
We know the builders who care, have not over sold, build a good home in a good timeframe and are competitively priced.
We have done the research so you benefit.
We work for you, not the builder. We know how the builders think, the tricks, the process and how they maximise the results for themselves.
We know how to make that system work for you, getting the best results for you and your home.
You want your home built well but efficiently. Time is money and the longer the construction takes the more it will cost you. Our builders have their trades and suppliers ready. We are normally about 4-6 months faster than the industry average.
Not all designers are made equal. A good design needs to meet the local codes, be energy efficient, have good air flow, be practical, look great, make you feel house proud and suit your lifestyle.
One of the biggest fears and disappointments with building, is when the additional costs spring up. Especially when they have not been budgeted for.
We can see most potential problems from the beginning and can take steps to avoid them or budget for them.
One of the biggest problems people have building is they over design the home, pack it full of features and when they get the price it blows the budget. Then they are faced with extending the budget or pulling things out of the home that they love. This often results in disappointment with the final version.
We know what things cost so will guide you from day one, when you get the price at the end its on budget but you also love the home.
99% of problem you hear about are from people not knowing what they are doing or getting bad advice.
We know how builders think, the hidden costs, the time it takes and how to get the best results. We guide you from start to finish.
We tell you the truth and give you facts upfront so you know exactly what you’re getting into.
We normally account for most things before they happen.
What makes the building experience more enjoyable is having confidence in what you are doing. We will give you that by guiding you all the way through.
The process should be a fun adventure. Where you love the results as well as the journey. We are there to make it fun, exciting and as stress free as possible.