No! Owner Builder does NOT mean:

• you are on site managing trades

• you are making construction decisions

• you are coordinating suppliers

• you are expected to have building experience

We manage all of this.

Your role is decision-making, not construction management.

What happens after completion?

All residential projects — regardless of construction model — will have minor post-completion adjustments.

This may include small items such as:

• door or handle adjustments

• lighting or electrical fittings

• minor alignment or hardware fixes

These are normal across all builds.

Who is responsible for defects?

The responsibility sits with the relevant contractor/supplier:

• Trades: workmanship issues are rectified by the responsible contractor

• Suppliers: faulty products are covered under manufacturer warranty.

We are available to assist.

We remain available post-handover as a first point of contact if issues arise.

Where required, we will:

• review the issue

• identify responsibility

• coordinate resolution with the relevant trade or supplier

For larger issues (e.g. leaks, structural concerns), we help ensure a clear and efficient resolution pathway. 

Yes — insurance requirements change during construction.

Once building works commence, your standard home insurance policy typically no longer covers the property in its normal form. This means events such as fire or damage during construction may not be covered under a standard residential policy.

For this reason, an Owner Builder construction insurance policy is usually required for the duration of the build.

These policies generally include:

• construction cover for the building works

• public liability insurance

• cover for accidental damage to neighbouring properties

We will guide you on the appropriate insurance requirements for your specific project and delivery model during the feasibility stage.

A Budget Estimate is a detailed trade by trade costing based on market rates and our knowledge of the industry. This is conducted at the concept stage and any subsequent stages prior to completeing Working Drawings

A Quote has costs which have been provided by each individual trade based on your Working Drawings. Most trades will not quote until they have detailed Working Drawings.

The financial benefit of this model comes from how the project is structured:

• no builder margin layered into the full project cost

• direct procurement of materials and trades

• transparent invoicing from suppliers and contractors

• real-time budget tracking throughout the build.

If costs change during the project, we address it early by:

• reviewing scope

• adjusting selections

• or rebalancing priorities within the budget

This keeps the project on budget, from start to finish.

OH&S is vital on construction sites. As an owner builder you are required to provide a safe and compliant site.

We prepare and maintain the necessary site safety documentation, check insurances and ensure trades follow safe work methods.

We are proud to have guided many people through the owner builder journey and can always connect you to them to hear about the experience and get an honest appraisal of our process.