Building guides and costs for Melbourne homeowners
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Building guides on costs, timelines, permits and honest opinions, organised around the decisions you're actually facing, answered by a registered builder.
Latest guides
What does a custom home really cost in Melbourne in 2026?
Per-square-metre myths, where the money actually goes, the site costs nobody quotes upfront, and the questions to ask any builder before you sign anything.
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Are you ready to build, or still deciding?
A 10-question readiness checklist for a custom home in Melbourne: budget, finance, land, brief and timing, with an honest read on when to wait.
What your building quote should actually cover
Provisional sums, prime cost items, variations and progress payments explained. What a Victorian building quote has to name before you can trust the total.
Building permit timelines and council: what really takes so long
Why approvals take so long in Victoria: planning permit versus building permit, realistic timeframes, typical fees, and the things that genuinely hold a job up.
Renovate or rebuild? How to make the call on your block
The 20–40% renovation blowout problem, when a rebuild wins, and when it honestly doesn't.
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