Dream Home Reality Check: Early-Stage Cost Assessment Service

Ahoy there dream home enthusiasts and talented architects! Are you ready to turn those Pinterest boards and preliminary floor plans into a reality? Well, hold onto your hard hats because we've got some exciting news for you..

WHAT IS IT?

Introducing our latest offering: the Early-Stage Cost Assessment service. The cost of this early stage service is $499.00. We can help you to can get the lowdown on whether your dream home is within reach or if it's time to go back to the drawing board (literally).

So, how does this magic happen? Well, it's simple. Before you get too attached to that grand staircase or panoramic windows, send us your plans, and we'll work our construction wizardry using top-notch software and over 25 years of industry experience. We'll crunch the numbers, sprinkle in some fairy dust (okay, maybe not the fairy dust), and voila! You'll get a cost projection based on current NSW construction data.

WHY DO I NEED THIS?

Now, you might be wondering, "Why do I need this?" Let us paint you a picture. You've spent months, maybe even years, meticulously planning every detail of your dream abode. You waltz into a builder's office, plans in hand, visions of marble countertops dancing in your head, only to be hit with a reality check bigger than the Grand Canyon. The cost to build your dream home? Well, let's just say it's more like a nightmare.

But fear not, dear dreamers! With our Early-Stage Cost Assessment service, you can avoid the heartbreak and sticker shock. Know before you go to council with those plans whether your budget can handle your dream home aspirations. Trust us; it's a game-changer.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Here's how it works: First, use our handy-dandy booking form to schedule a consultation. After the consult, if you're ready to take the plunge, payment is required to proceed with the estimate. Within 7 days of payment, you'll receive a proposal via email, complete with low, mid, and high-range cost estimates, plus a handy-dandy summary. And because we love a good chat, we'll follow up with a final phone call to review the estimate with none other than Chris himself. We like to invite the architect and any other member of your team to this meeting, it’s collaborative and open,

But wait, there's more! To keep things as simple as possible, please note that we're currently serving clients with plans located in or around the Byron Shire. Plans are essential to start the process.

So, what are you waiting for? Don't let your dream home remain a distant fantasy. Let Chris King Constructions help you turn those dreams into concrete (pun intended) plans. Book your consultation today and take the first step towards building the home you've always wanted. Trust us; your future self will thank you.

Book in a consultation & cost assessment through our new booking system here.

A guide to help you budget your custom build or renovation.

Embarking on a new build or renovation project is an exciting journey, but amidst the excitement, the importance of budgeting cannot be overstated. We want you to enjoy the process of building your dream home.

For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 

Before you start planning,  here are a few handy tips to help you on your way to budgeting like a pro. 

• Ensure you have a detailed understanding of the scope of your build. 

Regardless of the type of contract you are building under, the builder should give you as detailed an estimate as possible. To do this, they need detailed plans, specs and scope of work. With limited planning, builders can only give you a limited estimate, and this can lead to additional costs down the track. 

Therefore it is important to provide your builder with the most complete set of architectural and engineering plans and specifications that you can produce at the time.

For example, a set of DA plans rarely provides enough information for an accurate costing. 

At CKC, we will take approximately six weeks to quote your build, we want to provide you with the most accurate estimate we can, including the costs of all suppliers and contractors. For us, it’s important to have an accurate cost base to start from, so that when changes are made, we can track those costs. 

• Understanding scope creep. 

The number one cause of budget blowouts is changes and additions to the scope of work. Scope creep refers to the expansion of a project's goals, deliverables, features, or requirements beyond the initial quote. 

Changes to the scope of work are primarily driven by the client and the architect.

You want that new bathroom, after all, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, we want you to make changes along the way, so go for it…but remember that every change you make, no matter how small, will have an impact on your bottom line. 

Through monthly meetings we’ll keep you up to date on where your budget is at, and any changes that have been made. You’ll have a clear idea of how much you’ve spent so far, and how much of your budget remains. 

We will keep you in the light about where your budget is, and we try to eliminate the big surprise at the end of the project. 

• Underestimating Costs.

For us as builders, labour is the hardest part of the job to quote, especially with custom builds and renovations. We haven’t built it before, so we don’t know exactly how long it will take. 

You’ve probably heard people say “It took longer than we thought it would”  And to be completely upfront, that's the reality of building!

With a lot of moving parts and factors often beyond our control, it’s difficult to quantify with 100% accuracy.

When we produce our quote it will often be greater than your initial budget goals, it is important to understand that clients will often apply pressure to reduce costs at this stage, but as they become emotionally invested in the project, inevitably these costs will creep back in.

To conclude, in the realm of custom new builds and renovations, budgeting demands attention to detail, realistic expectations, and adaptability. 

Building a house is extremely complicated, tracking costs and changes requires high levels of organisation, regular and open communication and an ongoing systemised budget plan.