Whether you’re seeking inspiration or looking to lock-down the right design for your dream home, visiting display homes is a fun yet informative way to look at your options.
Not only can you see how some floorplans look in person, but it can also give you a great insight into the sort of service you can expect from the builder who designed that display home. Geelong Homes has display homes in Armstrong Creek, Lara and Leopold all with different designs and different looks, from our Essential Range. Our display homes allow you to see the quality of work we do, as well as beautiful homes that suit a range of lifestyles.
However, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment when you’re looking at display homes — so before you get started, it’s best to be armed with some questions. And here at Geelong Homes, we’ve developed eight questions we believe you should always ask when you visit a display home.
1. Is the builder local?
You want a builder that knows the region, the landscapes and uses the best local tradespeople for the job. As you can see in our name, Geelong Homes, we are a long-standing Geelong business. Our local knowledge and local contacts ensure that when building with us you will get personalised service, expert advice and, at the end of the build, a functional home with the unique street appeal that you’ve come to expect from Geelong Homes.
2. How long has the builder been operating?
You need an experienced builder as planning and timing is everything when you build a home. And you don’t get that deep understanding of the industry without experience. Geelong Homes has nearly 30 years of experience building quality homes throughout our region. Meaning, you can be rest assured, we know what we’re talking about!
3. What is the building process?
This question is so important — by understanding how the building process works, you’ll be able to stay in the loop throughout the building of your home and ask the questions that need to be asked at the right time.
At Geelong Homes, we take pride in our transparent and seamless process. We often refer to our 7 steps of the building journey, which clearly states our building process.
4. What changes can be made to floorplans?
Some builders don’t allow for any changes to their standard floor plans, some offer changes but with a big price jump that you often don’t see in the upfront costings. Geelong Homes’ standard floor plans can be mirrored and flipped to take advantage of the aspect of the sun and to suit your block’s crossover, which is where your driveway meets the road. Not all builders offer the option of flipping or mirroring a floor plan, but for us, it’s a very important design element and something that we believe can improve the overall enjoyment of your new home.
5. What is included as standard?
What you see isn’t necessarily what you’ll get. Much of what you see on display isn’t what the builder offers as standard. It’s important to ask what fittings and finishes, paint, joinery and carpet, come standard with the home, and understand how this compares to the other builders’ inclusions.
At Geelong Homes, we’re proud of the quality of our standard inclusions. Every home built by Geelong Homes comes with: a Colorbond Roof; Artusi Appliances; GWA Taps and Bathware; Haymes Paint; Gainsborough Hardware; Quality Carpet and Underlay; Designer Tiles; and a Professional Colour Consultation.
6. What is the quality of the products used and how much maintenance will be required?
If you decide to build a house, one thing you’ll want is your home to stand the test of time. Look for quality products and materials that don’t require a lot of ongoing maintenance.
Geelong Homes is dedicated to finding the very best quality products and materials so you can enjoy your home for years to come. Part of our standard inclusions is quality carpet and underlay — we only use hessian-backed carpets as opposed to cheaper quality carpets that may look good, but wear away very badly and often require replacement every five years. Quality is one thing we don’t compromise on.
7. What does the price include?
If you have a particular budget in mind for your home, it helps to understand what is included in the upfront price — and what other fees or extra costs may pop up down the track.
At Geelong Homes, once you have chosen your block and your home design is selected, one of our new home consultants will provide you with a proposal of costs to build your new home. This proposal will include your additional requirements and site costs.
What’s most important at this step is we are completely transparent with our pricing, so there are no hidden surprises.
8. Is there a colour selection appointment and where does this take place?
It’s probably the most exciting part of visualising your dream home — and also one of the toughest! Choosing the internal and external finishes of your home definitely needs guidance from an expert.
At Geelong Homes, our expert colour consultants are on hand to help make this a straightforward and enjoyable experience.
Our colour consultants will meet with you in our Geelong Style Studio and guide you through the selection of your home’s colours, fixtures, and fittings.
Conclusion
Visiting display homes can provide you a fun, yet informative way to discover what home would suit you best. But before you dive straight in, make sure you have a list of questions to ask each builder.
Our top eight questions you should ask when visiting a display home is:
- Is the builder local?
- How long has the builder been operating?
- What is the building process?
- What changes can be made to floorplans?
- What is included as standard?
- What is the quality of the products used and how much maintenance will be required?
- What does the price include?
- Is there a colour selection appointment and where does this take place?
Geelong Homes has display homes in Mt Duneed, Lara and Leopold. Our display homes allow you to see the quality of work we do, as well as our beautiful homes that suit a range of lifestyles.
Meet one of our friendly and experienced Geelong Homes new home consultants at any one of our display homes, and together you can look at a range of homes that we believe would suit you and your needs.
