The process of building a home is a complex one for any homebuilder. Many factors can affect the length of time it may take, as it will depend on the type of house being built, the location, the design, and the weather. There are also unforeseen circumstances that can disrupt the timeline, including availability of materials, council and certifier delays, and delays from financial institutions.
Kaplan Homes aim to build single-storey homes in 32 weeks and double-storey homes in 36 weeks, timed from the start of construction. If there’s landscaping included then an additional 3 weeks are required to allow for poor weather.
Factors that affect build time for house builders:
Location
Building a house in a city or urban location will take less time than in a rural area. The reason is simple; the further away the location, the longer the travel time for workers and shipping of the building materials. The length of time it takes to build a home may also be affected depending on which Local Government Area they are in, as timeframes for building approvals differ between councils. Different blocks of land may be subject to certain controls such as bushfire and flood. This means Kaplan must work with council to ensure the home is built to safety standards.
Site Conditions
When land is purchased for a new home, it may not be ready for building immediately. Some land may need levelling, stabilizing, or clearing before any work can begin, and the soil will also need to be tested. Any sloping will need to be addressed before construction. Individual Lots will also have different frontage sizes. In the case of a narrow lot or block, Kaplan may need to work with the customer to create a design they love and will work in their space. This could mean altering the design and removing eaves that overhang easements, or possibly small layout changes.
Design of the home
As a very experienced new home builder in Sydney, Kaplan can build a pre-designed home with a faster-than-average turnaround time. Plus, when workers have had experience building the same design on a number of occasions, it will save time. A home with many changes made to the design, will often take more time. This is due to ensuring changes are compliant, cohesive and cost effective. Simply put, the simpler the design of the home, the easier it will be to build.
Weather conditions
For home builders, the weather is one factor that is unfortunately beyond their control. No matter how efficiently they work and how experienced they are, bad weather will inevitably cause delays.
Other Unforeseen Circumstances
As other unforeseen circumstances arise, Kaplan aims to resolve these quickly to ensure the smooth process of your build. This is done by lodging and applying for documents as quickly as possible, and addressing any issues as they arise.
You can get a brief idea of what each week should look like during the preconstruction process here; https://kaplanhomes.com.au/building-process/
There are a myriad of other reasons that can cause delays such as lengthy waits for the finance to be approved or land registration, loss of employment and most recently, various disruptions caused by the current pandemic. However, Kaplan has built-in protections for our customers if the timeframe does not go according to plan.
The Kaplan Difference
Time is money and delays in building a home will often cost you both. Materials and labour costs increase over the time you’re waiting on council and/or loan approval. If you’re renting while waiting for your home to be built then any delays in moving into your new home means you’ll end up paying more rent.
We are aware of how much stress this was causing some of our customers so we drew up two of our Big 4 Guarantees specifically to address the issues arising from delays. During the preconstruction stage our No More To Pay and No Variations Guarantee protects our customers for up to 2 years. This guarantee caps the price of your home so you don’t have to pay the cost increases that all the other builders charge if your finance or council approval is slow and many other reasons out of your control.
Once construction begins, you are protected by our $1,000 Per Week Build Time Guarantee. If construction was ever to be delayed and we cannot hand over your home by the contracted time, then Kaplan will pay you $1,000 a week, every week, until your home is finished to cover your rent and mortgage. We take the stress out of home building, leaving you free to enjoy your new home. No other builder protects our customers like we do.
