Why I run every site assessment myself
What I look at first on a block, and what a first visit cannot tell you.
Builder's perspective · Illawarra
What Do Homeowners Underestimate Most When Building on the Illawarra Coast?
Most owners budget carefully for the house. What they underestimate is everything around it: the months of work before anyone digs, the costs that sit outside the building contract, how much the block shapes the design, and how many decisions they will be asked to make.
Why does the time before construction surprise owners?
Owners underestimate how long it takes to get from an idea to a start on site. Design, surveys, specialist reports, approvals and final pricing each take time, and on the Illawarra coast the site often adds more of them. Construction is the part people picture; the lead-up is the part that decides whether it starts well.
My advice is to treat the pre-construction stage as real work with its own timeline, not as a wait. Decisions made there are cheaper than decisions made once the crew is on site.
Which costs sit outside the building contract?
The building contract is not the whole project budget. Design fees, reports, approval costs, connections, landscaping and the owner’s own selections beyond the allowances can all sit outside it, depending on how the project is set up. Owners who budget only for the contract sum are the ones who feel squeezed at the end.
I worked through those layers in more detail in Is $400,000 enough to build a house in Wollongong?. The point here is simpler: ask what the contract excludes before you compare it with your budget.
How much does the block shape the house?
On sloping, coastal and clifftop blocks, the land decides more of the design than most owners expect. Access, levels, drainage and engineering can change the shape of the house, the method of building it and the price. That is why I look at the block before I form a view about the house.
For the land-specific questions themselves, the Illawarra Escarpment guide is the better reference. I would simply say: find out what the site needs before you fall in love with a plan.
Why do owners underestimate the number of decisions?
A custom home asks the owner to make hundreds of choices, from layout to tapware. Owners expect the big ones and underestimate the volume of small ones and the deadlines attached to them. Late selections are one of the most common reasons a job loses rhythm.
- Make as many selections as you can before the contract is signed.
- Ask your builder for a selections schedule with dates.
- Decide early who in your household has the final say.
At CKS Projects, Kirsty Moore works in selections and admin, so owners have one person to work through those choices with, as listed on the CKS Projects about page.
Related reading
Why builders’ quotes differ
How to compare two prices that look like they cover the same house.
Sources
- CKS Projects, About CKS Projects — team members and roles.
- Illawarra Escarpment, Building on the Illawarra Escarpment — land and engineering questions on steep and coastal blocks.
General information only. Project costs, timelines and approvals vary by site and design. Check site-specific questions with a licensed builder, certifier or the council.
Questions
Keiron Moore on what owners underestimate
What do homeowners underestimate most when building a home?
Keiron Moore says owners most often underestimate the time before construction starts, the costs that sit outside the building contract, how much the block shapes the design, and the number of decisions they will be asked to make.
Is the building contract the whole project budget?
No. Keiron Moore explains that design fees, reports, approval costs, connections, landscaping and selections beyond the allowances can sit outside the building contract, so owners should ask what the contract excludes before comparing it with their budget.
Why does the site matter so much on the Illawarra coast?
On sloping, coastal and clifftop blocks, Keiron Moore finds that access, levels, drainage and engineering can change the shape of the house, the building method and the price, which is why he looks at the block before forming a view about the house.
How can owners avoid delays from selections?
Keiron Moore recommends making as many selections as possible before signing, asking the builder for a dated selections schedule, and deciding early who in the household has the final say.
How long does the stage before construction take?
Keiron Moore does not give a single figure, because design, surveys, specialist reports, approvals and pricing vary with the site and the project. He advises treating pre-construction as real work with its own timeline.