When you set out to build the custom home you’ve always dreamed of, it’s only natural to want to start with a good idea of how much it will cost you.
But while this need may be universal, the methods used to estimate building costs definitely aren’t! We took a look at some of the different ways builders put together a home building quotation – and why we reckon the system we use at GW Homes is the best way to go.
There’s more to building costs than just square metres
If you’ve spoken to other builders, you may have encountered the phenomenon of the building cost per square metre. It’s a traditional, if simplistic, way of conveying building costs that might seem to be a straightforward method of comparing what different builders are offering you.
But as GW Homes’ Senior Designer Jody Armstrong says, it’s definitely not the most accurate means of weighing up what you’re being offered. “Building cost per square metre can only give you a very basic idea of what you’ll get for your building dollar,” Jody says. “That’s because it’s not just the floor area of the home that affects your building cost.”
Not surprisingly, a different home design with a different floor plan – even though it’s the same total square metres – will usually result in a very different cost to build. “And that’s before we factor in things like the type of soil you have, any quirks of your block of land, whether it’s a sloping block, and how the plan needs to change accordingly,” Jody points out.
Get a more accurate building estimate with GW Homes
GW Homes presents home building estimates differently. Because we’re not a project home builder, we don’t simply give you a ‘one-price-fits-all’ building quote based simply on cost per square metre. Instead, we’ll be happy to provide you with a fully customised building estimate, specifically for the custom home you’d like to build.
For example, our full budget estimate takes into account input from the frame supplier, truss manufacturer, and all sub-contractors, so that both you and GW Homes know exactly how much a particular home design will cost to build.
Instead of just a price per square metre, we’ll give you a more accurate home building estimate, starting from a base price with your chosen level of inclusions. From there, we add the cost of the selections – whether that’s air conditioning, a security system, vacuum maid or many others – that you want to include as part of building your dream home.
We’ll usually recommend having a detailed soil test for your particular block in South East Queensland, and even take into account how heavily treed it is. All of these details will affect the type of slab you’ll need – and therefore your building costs. It’s all part of the attention to detail you can expect when you build with GW Homes.
GW Homes’ experienced building estimator
So how exactly do GW Homes give you such an accurate estimate of your building costs? A lot of it comes down to our terrific in-house building estimator, Stuart Jones.
Stuart has been a crucial part of the GW Homes team for more than 20 years. In that time, he’s brought an amazing level of detail and expert know-how to our building estimates, working closely with our building designers to give our clients a truly accurate idea of their building costs.
We have enormous faith in Stuart, and we rely on his expertise every day of the week. So we invite you to come in and get a real estimate of your home building costs – and enjoy the peace-of-mind of knowing what to expect when you’re building a custom home.
Get a better idea of your home building costs today
The GW Homes design team will be happy to give you an accurate building estimate for your dream home. As Jody Armstrong says, “Why not see how much your custom home will cost, and what your budget will allow? Come in and have your home quoted with us!”
Find out more about your home building costs in South East Queensland. Call the GW Homes team on 07 3393 1399 today.
