Can we make changes to our floor plans with NorthWest Builders?

NorthWest Builders have many plans to choose from if you don't already have a plan. We are willing and able to make changes to any house plan to make it fit your personal needs. We have an excellent drafting service ready to work with you. If you already have a plan in mind, whether it's a sketch you made, a draft from the internet or a magazine, or a complete blueprint, we can help you decide how that can be improved to suit you.

Do we get to select building material, appliances, and alike?

Absolutely! You will be able to customize your home to fit your budget and your tastes. We will work with you throughout this process to guide you and answer your questions. We can accompany you to visit suppliers to make choices if you like.

Can NorthWest Builders warrant your home?

Every home we build is entirely warranted for a full year during construction, with a six-year warranty provided for the structural elements of the home after it has been built. 

How can I help to speed up the process?

Make your selections early. Certain items such as tiles, doors, and window frames have long lead times and are one of the first items required on site. Should you want to choose your bathroom fixtures and fittings remember they may need to be ordered from over east. The plumbers will need a list of intended fixtures and fittings even if they are not in stock. Keep in mind the plumbing pre-lay is one of the first items to go in the ground. 

Make a decision regarding floor grates in the bathroom. A common mistake is not to provide a location on the drawings in which case the plumber will put them where it is most convenient, ie. in the middle of the room. This is located even before the ground floor slab is poured.

Floor finishes if not stated on the drawings need to be selected before work commences on site as this affects the height of the slab.

Even if the council will send your plans to your neighbours for comment, and you’re not legally required to inform them yourself, you should still have a friendly chat over the fence. Your neighbors may have very valid concerns, and if you’re aware of them before you submit your plans or start work, they’re far less likely to delay construction.

NorthWest Builders have sample boards for selection and our standard fixtures are all good quality so there may not be any need to make too many changes. 

It's a good idea to have a look at internal and external colors that you may like so that the selection process can be done with ease. Magazines are great to help with this.  

Once we have made our decisions and the house has been started, How often do we need to go to the construction site to check on progress?

You probably will not have to go to it at all if you don't want to. Once you have made your decisions, it's our job to see that the construction is done correctly. At the outset, we will give you a tentative schedule to give you an idea when specific steps of construction will happen. From that time on, we can email pictures to show you exactly what is happening at the building site. You will be able to access this information at any time and any place through your emails.

We are already very busy with work, family and other activities. Is building our home going to take up a lot of our time?

At NorthWest Builders, we fully understand how busy your lives can be. We will work to minimize your expenditure of time and energy. We have streamlined the process of building so efficiently that even the busiest people can build their dream homes without drastically changing their everyday schedules.

Our ready-to-go plans were designed by the Builder along with our hands-on Draftsman to suit the Broome lifestyle we are sure there is one you may like. To help with all selections our interior designer will be more than happy to liaise with you and take care of most of the selections once we know what look you are after. 

The rest is taken care of by our builder who will email you the progress of the build and even email photos of each stage so that you can relax knowing we are on track.  

What are the costs involved to build?

Once you are happy with your floor plan NorthWest Builders requires a $3500 deposit for the PPA ( Preparations of Plans Agreement) this payment is deducted from the first progress payment should you decide to go ahead with the build. 

Once the contract is signed the First Progress payment is the Deposit which is 6.5% of the contract price. A progress payment at the completion of Slab which is 10% of the contract price followed by Frames and roof trusses completion then Plasterboard completion both payments being 35% of the contract price with a final payment at practical completion.

The $3500 for the PPA is taken into consideration as part of your deposit needed for the banks. 

What is a PPA?

The PPA is the Preparations of Plan  Agreement. This is where you sign an agreement with NorthWest Builders to commence preliminary works which include site survey, engineers reports, and building permit plans. The PPA will involve a deposit paid to the builder for the costs involved with the preparation of the plans.

An estimated Cost is given to build the home with the PPA along with our Standard Specifications and changes may occur depending on the extensiveness of engineering and council requirements along with the selections made by yourself for Floor coverings, tiles, bathroom fixtures, doors etc...   

If the engineered plans have no structural changes and the Shire doesn't require any extra structure then the PPA Price should stand as long as your selections stay within the provisional allowance.

Please refer to our Standard specification for all inclusions.  

What is the expected build time frame?

The completion of your new home is dependent upon Council requirements, weather, availability of materials, variations to the contract, etc. We can, however, give an approximate date of completion once we reach the fix-out stage. The time frame expected from slab down is usually between 4-7 months depending on size and elements. 

What type of Guarantee will I receive with my new home?

We provide an extra guarantee of 4 month free maintenance period at handover, many other builders only offer 3 months. All homes are guaranteed against structural defects for the period of 6 years from the date we apply for your Warranty Insurance

When we think about building how should we go about finding the right lot?

If you don't already own a lot, we will help you find the right lot at the right price. To help you make a sound decision, we will walk a lot of your choice with you. We will discuss the specific location of the lot within the subdivision, any potential grading or drainage issues, the optimum position of your home on the lot, and a host of other considerations. Because of our building experience, we will be able to help you choose the best lot for your particular situation.

Once you have chosen the right block NorthWest Builders can help you to secure this block at the right price.