Builder selection process and criteria

We work with 21 carefully selected builders who we know and trust.

Builder selection methodology

Our independence from builders gives us the freedom to select the best for your project. We impartially shortlist proven builders who excel in their field and maintain a diverse pool of recommendations. The builders we recommend can be vastly different depending on the size, scope and type of project. For example doing a kitchen renovation in Vic Park will have different builders to doing a $2,500,000 new build in City Beach. We match each project with the most suitable builders from our network. Some builders specialise in first home buyers on tight budgets, some custom homes, while others only become good value for money on contracts over 1 million. This is because every builder focuses on a target market which allows them to excel in that area. Problems often occur when there is a mismatch.

This flexibility ensures we align the right builder with your specific needs. We carefully vet each builder before making recommendations, ensuring they meet our standards and are a perfect fit for your project.

Builder selection criteria

Each builder must meet ALL of our 7-point criteria to be eligible for us to refer them.

Process before engaging a new referral builder

We filter out social media noise, marketing hype, rumors, and online chatter to get information directly from the source. We track builders' home signings and site activities through reliable sources like the Cordell Report and RP Data, while staying closely connected within the industry. This ensures our builders don't take on more than they can manage. Instead of going through salespeople, we communicate directly with owners or general managers. We speak with current and recent clients who have built with them to hear firsthand about their experiences. We ensure independent building inspectors verify the quality of homes. If everything checks out, we proceed with the next steps.

The 7 criteria why its important

Solid financial position

The builder has good cash flow and deep enough pockets to keep afloat. Builders show us their financials isn’t the best way of seeing their position as these can be manipulated, we talk to suppliers to see if the builder pays on time, we watch how quickly the homes are being built to see if they are paying their trades and talk to the builders about how they are funded.

Lastly, we chat to clients who have recently finished to see if the home was finished properly and to their satisfaction. This is the most common area where builders drop the ball if they are on tight funds.

Decent built times

There is nothing worse, when there are huge delays with building a home, this can be due to the builder taking on more work than they can handle, unable to secure agreements with suppliers or a lack or trades.

We choose builders who have only take on what they can handle and have their act together when it comes to building.

Well priced

This is when the home is competitively priced and therefore good value for money.

Often builders charge a premium because they are a household name, they have negotiated poorly with suppliers and trades, charge a premium on the build or they simply don’t want the work and charge a higher margin to make it worth their while.

We don’t tell our builders your budget but we do tell them they are competing with other builders, however we don’t share whom. This way they need to price the home so they are profitable but can win your business.

We use the right builders for the right project. If we have a builder that is constantly coming in more expensive than others we give them a chance to align better, but if it doesn’t improve we will cease to use them. This way you will get the best price from the builders every time

Good quality workmanship

Great design and inclusions are irrelevant with a badly built home. You can have the worlds best stone tops but no one will notice if you have a 4mm crack down the wall. Our building partners need to have a history of great quality and an attitude of “would I accept that on my own home”

Your IBA consultant is with you to hand over so we will help you navigate this if there was an issue.

High level of service and communication

Good service and communication is not truly appreciated until it’s missing. This often causes the most stress and frustration.

Good Service is the builder being flexible, happy to help and proactive with advice.

Good communication is regular updates and explaining of terms and processes.

Fixed prices

This is when the builder fixes the price from preliminary agreement right through to sign up without the price changing (except provisional sum items).

There are three ways to price your home.

Fixed Price, Cost Plus, Sneaky Fixed Price (with the intention to price rise you).

Fixed Price means that the builder will give you a price that they will stick to provided there isn’t an unforeseen delay.

Cost Plus, the worst thing to do in the current market. This is what ever the cost is plus the builder’s margin. Such as Cost Plus 20%. The reason this is bad is the builder can just pass on any increase to you with little to no accountability.

Lastly, is when a builder says it’s a fixed price for a period of time but purposely delays the home past the price hold and then passes on the increase to you. In these cases the price is normally cheaper than the competitors at the start but ultimately more expensive.

We insist all of our builders are Fixed Price.

Good people to work with

Building is a long journey and you need to get on with the people putting it all together for you. The most important thing we look for in a builder is their care factor for their clients.

"At the end of the day we are looking for the best combination of all of the above not just good in one area and poor in another."

How we operate

1) We passionately design your home with a focus on outstanding results.

When it comes to designing your home, we don’t just take orders. We actively get involved, providing feedback and guidance to ensure you achieve the best results for you.

We create a concept design and go back and forth with variations until you’re happy with the design.

We take into account functionality, spaciousness, energy-efficiency, style, optimal land use, flow and designer features.

As our final goal is not just to design you a superb home, we are also budget conscious. We will keep you on track to meet your price goals.

We help you select the right inclusions upfront, to avoid price blows outs late.

We identify hidden expenses, and potential issues so you know what you are getting into.

Access discounts from a variety of suppliers.

2) We guide you in avoiding 99% of the problems people make.

Our policy is that the best problem is the one avoided. With decades of experience, there is rarely a problem we cannot foresee.

We will guide you in avoiding delays, hidden costs, design mistakes, budget blowouts, and more. We will make things clear: costs, builder lingo, council requirements, processes, and most importantly, how to make it all work for you.

We handpick our builders to meet our strict 7-point criteria. They must be financially secure, offer fixed and competitive prices, have good build times, deliver quality construction, communicate well, and most importantly, be builders we’d trust with our own homes.

We work closely with 21 builders who we feel deliver great results. We shortlist the best of them for your project, obtain 1-3 quotes, compare them, and you pick the one you like the best.

3) We are by your side to help and support from start to finish.

Once you have chosen the best builder for you, you sign and pay a deposit.

We stay with you to make sure everything goes smoothly. We check prices, plans, and documents to ensure accuracy.

When the contracts come out, it can be overwhelming. We review them, break them into bite-sized chunks, and make sure your clear on what everything means.

Ideally, there should be minimal issues, but if any problems arise, we are there to help you solve them.

We provide continuous support until your home is complete, ensuring a smooth and successful building process.

We offer building inspections to check your home for any issues that may arise, providing you with peace of mind.

Contact us about your home