RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES
The process of engaging a builder
Building or renovating is a huge financial commitment for many. However, most clients jump in without knowing what to expect.
That's where problems start. Not because people make bad choices, but because they make unfamiliar ones. They often do this under time pressure and without someone else to spot what a builder might miss or forget.
BAR has mapped the building journey into eight stages. Knowing where you are in the journey and what to look for at each stage is the key to ensuring a project runs smoothly or ends in dispute.
Before you contact a designer or builder, get clear on what you actually want and what it will really cost. Most budget blowouts don't happen on site, they happen when costs and time are underestimated from the start.
Your drawings and specifications form the base for all pricing.
Incomplete documents at this stage lead directly to inflated allowances and costly surprises once construction begins.
Comparing builders isn't about finding the lowest number. It's about comparing like-for-like scope. The cheapest tender is rarely the cheapest outcome.
This is the most important document you'll sign on the entire project. Every clause matters and the ones that cause the most stress are usually the ones nobody reads.
Selections, milestone dates and communication protocols are locked in here. Getting this right avoids delays and disputes once work is underway.
Progress payments, variations and your rights as a client all come into play. This is when independent inspections matter most so you can rest assured your build meets your requirements before you pay.
Practical completion isn't the same as perfect completion. Knowing what to check and what documents you're legally entitled to receive protects you long after the builder has left the site.
Your protection doesn't end at handover. Knowing the defects liability period and your warranty rights helps resolve issues properly. This way, nothing gets left unresolved.
Where clients get
caught out
With more than 30 years of construction experience behind BAR, the same issues appear again and again: verbal agreements with no records, changes approved without costs, contracts rushed under pressure, and clients discovering problems only when repairs are costly.
None of it is unusual. It's what happens when a complex process is handled without experienced oversight.
BAR offers independent assessments when it counts. We review your design documents before tender, analyse tenders and contracts before you sign, inspect your build at key stages, and assess defects before disputes arise.
You don't need to navigate this alone. Wherever you are in the process, BAR can help you understand exactly what's ahead, and what to protect yourself against.