21 Tips to Save Thousands on Home Construction

Here’s a quick list of checks that can be done pre-site purchase that will save you thousands.

It’s not that the presence of any of these items is undesirable, it’s just being informed of the costs associated with each in advance so you can factor this into your purchasing decision will make your journey much smoother.

21 tips that will save you money — Check before you buy

Ask for the compaction certificate from your developer or real estate agent
Ensure you have at least 30m of clear space from your house to heavily wooded areas (trees and scrub)
Avoid house sites close to airports (if possible)
Avoid house sites close to major roads or train lines (if possible)
If building on a sloping or mountainous area, check first if the site is zoned in a landslip area
Do a title search and check for old mining tenements under your proposed site
Pick a site that doesn’t have a sewer or stormwater main running through it
Sites within proximity to waterfront attract additional costs
Consider lightweight facades and face brickwork
Heritage listed sites
Check for the presence of asbestos fences or buried asbestos (a hard one)
Conduct a termite inspection using thermal imagery cameras of any existing structures & old trees, inspect neighbouring property structures (without trespassing)
Do a quick flood Level check and check the surrounding sites for platform buildup, soil importation
Check if the site has a high amount of acid-sulphate soil
Check the site is accessible for truck access for deliveries
Low hanging power lines or power lines crossing parts of the site?
Have an arborist check mature trees in proximity to the proposed building platform
Check the site is fully serviced, sewer/water/power/telephone-data
Check for any existing tree preservation orders
Check for any animal movement corridors/easements :-)
Carry out a visual inspection of the site for Fire Ant activity