Bill shock and how to avoid it

How to ensure there are no nasty surprises in your house and land package, just generous inclusions and benefits over other builders.

Like a massive spider in the bath or the latest political scandal, there are enough shocks in our everyday lives to keep us on our toes. That’s why we like to stay calm here at Kaplan; our mission in life is to keep things nice and simple for our customers.

The last thing you need just before construction is about to commence, or the concrete slab has just been poured and you are already locked in to your new home builder is the shock of receiving a huge bill from the builders, especially if it includes items you didn’t realise were additional costs. Were plug sockets extra? Was air conditioning extra? Why do I need to pay thousands to remove extra dirt? I need to sit down just thinking about all those extra zeroes.

Well, that might be how other builders work, but Kaplan doesn’t do that. Everything you discuss with your builder right at the beginning of the process is what you get, and it’s definitely what you’ll pay for.

Let’s look at some examples of these inclusions. Grab a cup of tea and settle in; this is going to be very relaxing.

The obvious stuff

After spending time with your builder designing the perfect home for you and your family, it’s fair to expect that some practical things will be included in the cost. We think so too, which is why this list almost goes without saying.

• Two double plug sockets in each main room – it just makes sense. Where other builders might charge you for extra power sources, ours come as standard in the living and bedrooms.
• Insulation – the question is why wouldn’t insulation be included? Every Kaplan home has energy efficient R2 insulation in the exterior walls and R4 in the ceilings. That’s more than the standard requirement, meaning you’ll save on energy costs.
• Skirting boards and architraves – a high-quality build needs a premium finish. With Kaplan that includes 67mm x 18mm primed pine skirting boards in half-splay design as standard.

Every Kaplan home has energy efficient R2 insulation in the exterior walls and R4 in the ceilings. That’s more than the standard requirement, meaning you’ll save on energy costs