Building a new home gives you the freedom to live at a property which is created exclusively for you and your family. It is an ambitious project that requires careful planning and often comes with a lot of stress for first timers. Geelong Homes is here so you can enjoy the building process as much as we do.
When it comes to building a new home in Geelong for you—we’re all about professional advice, transparency and a seamless process. And this starts from the very first time you make contact with us.
How much does it cost to build a house in Victoria?
The building costs of a new house in Australia have significantly risen in recent years due to substantial supply and trade shortages, volatile exchange rates, and impacted supply chains. Several key factors will influence the final cost of your dream home, including:
- Dwelling Size
- Location and Resource Availability
- The slope of the land
- Quality of Fixtures and Fittings (These are prime cost items that may cost more or less depending on changes in your preferences.)
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the average cost of building a house in Victoria, including Melbourne, falls within the range of $327,000 to $473,000, not including the labour, materials cost and land price.
The recently introduced national requirements for more liveable and energy-efficient housing are also expected to incur an additional cost of $30,000 for the average home, according to the Master Builders Association.
How long does it take to build a house?
Amid the onset of the pandemic, prices and construction timelines have seen substantial increases and extensions.
The question “how long” involves a lot of variables. That said, the average time to build a house is around six to 12 months.
However, the overall construction timeline can vary depending on the project complexity, the construction process, resource and labour availability, and unforeseen challenges like unfavourable soil conditions, such as rock removal, weather-related hindrances, and potential delays in permits or approvals.
What are the seven stages of building a new home with Geelong Homes?
Our seven steps of the building journey is a clear guideline on what to expect when you choose us to build your dream home—with no surprises!
-
Choosing your home
Before we get started, we’d like to get to know you better and understand what is most important to you. Are you a couple planning to start a family? Or do you have a family with lots of demands? Or maybe you’re a downsizer looking to simplify your day-to-day living?
When meeting one of our friendly and experienced Geelong Homes new home consultants, you’ll get the chance to look at a range of homes that we believe would suit you and your needs. Together we will run through our floor plans to discover the perfect fit for you. And if you don’t have land yet, don’t worry. Our consultant can also help you find the right block to build your new home.
Once you have chosen your block and your home design is selected, your new home consultant will provide you with a proposal of the building costs of your new home. This proposal will include any of your additional requirements and an allowance for your site costs. If you decide to accept this proposal you’re ready to move on to the next step!
Geelong Homes offers a range of homes to suit different block sizes. -
Deposit
Now it’s time to make your commitment. At Geelong Homes we only require a deposit of just $2000 to get you on your way. Your deposit secures the current pricing of your home and any relevant promotional offers.
-
Your plans
Your new home consultant will run through all the details of the standard working drawings of the home you’ve selected and will mark-up these plans with any changes you’d like to make for example changing window heights, reconfiguring the ensuite layout or adding a tiled splashback to your kitchen. Once all these changes have been captured, our drafting team produces your final working drawings.
-
Style Studio
This is the fun part! Often people say they feel overwhelmed by all the choices during this part of the building process. 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 Style Studio and guide you through the selection of your home’s colours, fixtures, and fittings.
This is your chance to personalise the look and feel of your new home—the way YOU want it.
Our interior designer guides clients through the selection of colours, fixtures, and fittings. -
Contract
We’ll send you an electronic copy of your building contract to look over and sign. We recommend you take the time to read all the details in this document thoroughly and contact your new home consultant with any questions.
Our production team will be working behind the scenes before we start construction to obtain the building permit, order materials and check if your finance is approved. Once everything is ready, all these documents are handed to our construction team ready to commence your build.
-
Construction begins
Now it’s getting real! Once your home is ready to commence construction you will meet with your site manager. The site manager is your main point of contact throughout the housing construction process. At this meeting, you’ll go over your plans in detail. This is a great opportunity to discuss all aspects of your build.
Once you’ve had your meeting, it’s time to start the construction of your new home. You’ve met your site manager, you’ve looked over the plans and now you can be confident that we are 100 per cent committed to building your new home to our high standards. During your build, your site manager provides you with weekly updates on how your new home is progressing. They also provide you with regular emails so you can keep track of the progress. And once each stage is completed, your site supervisor will invite you to see the progress of your new home.
Bricking of new Geelong Homes home. -
Move in!
Once your home is complete, your site manager will meet you at your new address, take you through your new home and present you with your keys.
You are now the official owner of a brand-new Geelong Homes home—it’s time to move in!
Macarthur 247, Bungalow facade
Is it cheaper to build or buy?
On average, building a new house costs more than buying an established home.
House and land packages normally consist of fixed-price contracts unless upgrades and modifications are made after the contract has been signed. At Geelong Homes, we are transparent in what is a part of our standard inclusions.
These packages combine the services of a builder and the developer for the land into a single price for a home buyer.
Buying a house and land package offers a convenient and cost-effective solution that can reduce stress from building a custom home from scratch or renovating an older property.
The finished price of house and land packages are typically disclosed upfront. This can provide cost transparency and help you plan your budget effectively.
Plus, when building a new home, you only pay stamp duty on the value of the land component, not the house. If you’re a first-home buyer, new homes built in regional Victoria valued up to $750,000 can get a First Home Owners Grant of $20,000.
Who is the best builder in Geelong?
While there are numerous builders in Geelong, Geelong Homes stands out with its extensive experience in the region.
With a presence in the region since 1995, you can trust that your new home will be crafted to the highest standards.
Geelong Homes has a long-standing presence in the Greater Geelong region, which has allowed us to develop a deep understanding of the local construction landscape, home-building regulations, and community needs.
Our local knowledge allows us to make informed decisions about site selection, materials, local partners and home-building practices best suited for the Geelong environment.
We build throughout the greater Geelong region, the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, Colac and Ballarat.
Visit our display locations to get a first-hand experience of the quality of our construction and finishes.
