fbpx
  • Background Image

    build cost

Why Is My Build So Expensive? Don’t Blame the Builder for Your Pricey Plans

We’ve all been there—you’ve dreamed up your perfect home, found an architect to bring your vision to life, and excitedly handed over the plans to a builder for a quote. Then, reality hits. The number they give you is nowhere near what you expected, and suddenly, frustration sets in.

But here’s the truth: the builder isn’t the bad guy here.

Understanding the Disconnect

A builder’s job is to take a set of plans and turn them into a physical structure. They price materials, labour, and logistics based on what’s on paper and from visiting site. If that price is out of your budget, it’s not because they’re overcharging—it’s because what you’ve designed is simply more expensive to build than you anticipated.

This is a common issue in home construction, and it typically happens for a few key reasons:

  • Architectural Plans vs. Budget Reality – Many homeowners work with an architect or draftsperson first without setting a clear budget. The result? A stunning design that doesn’t match what they can afford.

  • Rising Construction Costs – Prices for materials and labour fluctuate, sometimes significantly, between the time you plan and the time you get a quote.

  • High-End Features Add Up – Custom finishes, complex rooflines, large windows, and high-end materials drive up costs fast. Every detail in your plan impacts the final price.

What You Can Do Instead

If your builder’s quote is giving you sticker shock, take a step back and reassess rather than placing blame. Here’s how to move forward:

  1. Start with a Budget, Not Just a Dream
    Before hiring an architect or draftsperson, talk to a builder about what’s realistic within your budget. They can give you build cost figures and steer you away from designs that will break the bank.

  2. Communicate Early and Often
    Instead of designing in a vacuum, involve the builders in the process. Some even offer pre-construction consulting to help align design choices with affordability.

  3. Be Ready to Adjust
    If the quote comes back too high, don’t panic. Work with your builder to identify cost-saving adjustments—simplifying the design, opting for more affordable materials, or phasing construction over time.

  4. Understand Where Your Money is Going
    Ask your builder to guide you. You might find that small changes, like reducing square metres or choosing standard finishes, can make a big difference.

Builders Are Your Allies, Not Your Enemies

A good builder isn’t trying to rip you off; they’re trying to give you a realistic price for what you’ve asked them to build. Instead of getting frustrated, use their knowledge to help refine your plans and get closer to what you can afford.

The key to a successful project isn’t just a great design—it’s a design that fits your budget from the start. So before you get mad at the builder, make sure you’ve set yourself up for success.

How 32 Degrees Building Does It Differently

At 32 Degrees Building, we take a smarter approach to building projects, helping homeowners avoid this frustrating situation. Instead of waiting until the final design stage to consider pricing, they:

✅ Work with clients from the very beginning to align designs with budget expectations.
✅ Provide transparent pricing and expert advice before committing to architectural plans.
✅ Specialise in cost-effective construction solutions without sacrificing quality.
✅ Offer pre-construction consulting to make sure your dream home stays within reach.

Don’t Let Budget Surprises Ruin Your Build—Get It Right from the Start!

If you’re planning a home addition, extension, or large scale renovation, don’t wait until it’s too late to consider your budget. 32 Degrees Building can help you design smarter and build with confidence.

👉 Contact the team on 02 4647 2324 or via https://www.32degreesbuilding.com.au/contact/ to start your journey the right way!

The days of waiting for a quote are over? Aren’t they?

In today’s world, the time of waiting is over. The lightning speed at which mobile technology has developed and is continuing to drive forward has put us well into the digital age. It has sped up the process of being able to find an answer to a question as we now have access to a wealth of information at the touch of our fingertips. We can purchase items online and from overseas, book holidays and catch up with loved ones who are far away…the list goes on and the possibilities in the ways of communication are endless!

So, with this fast-moving technological society that we now live in, why are we still waiting for quotes? Why is it ok to wait 2, 3, 4+ weeks to obtain a quote from a builder? A quote doesn’t need to be posted anymore, it can be sent via email and accessed on your device. So why the long wait?

We receive many enquiries through varying communication channels each week with each client at a different stage of their thought process. Below, we have outlined two of the main types of enquiries that we commonly see coming through and explain how we are responsive in providing them with the information they seek;

The Impulsers – these are the typical enquiries that we see from people (usually over the weekend). They have suddenly had the lightbulb moment that they want to extend or renovate their home to gain the additional space they need for the family and or lifestyle. They love their street, love their location, why move when you can extend? Right? We get it, these enquiries want a quick response, they’re not interested in a detailed building quote yet, they just want to understand how to go about it and how much it is likely to cost, as let’s face it, expectation vs reality in terms of cost is not always on point so this needs to be cleared up right away.

This is why for every initial enquiry made, we will respond within 24 business hours and let you know if;
a) we believe what you are asking for is achievable at your property and;
b) a discussion of available packages;
c) an explanation of the process and what is involved.

Boom. Answer given, simple as that. AND In just 24 business hours. Easy. Simples. Like it? Love it.

Now you can move forward and talk to your lender and partner about the financial aspect to see if you can progress forward with your ideas ahead of booking your appointment with the builder for your detailed quotation.

We usually find at this stage that we sometimes hear back from you straight away to book in an appointment, or we may not hear from you for another 3, 6, 12 months while you consider your finances. Regardless, we will remain in contact with you and on hand to answer any further questions. It’s what we do.

The Majority – these are the enquiries that come through and have already sought a preapproval to see how much they can borrow, or know how much of their money they can allocate to a build. Again, we treat these enquiries the same as the impulsers they will receive an explanation of our process and we find that from here they are already keen to get moving and make an appointment for a builders tender. Some may even have plans prepared. Through our extensive experience building additions and extensions, we have found that when we are presented with plans provided by an external provider, these often do not take into consideration the real cost of building. To address this challenge we make sure that we look after the entire process from start to finish. We will work with you to create plans that will align with your quote.

We sense your urgency here, we get it, you are excited and we love that! The possibility of making your dream a reality is the next chapter towards creating that future home with your family! We get moving and book your appointment for the builder to come and meet you. The appointment with the builder is imperative. Here, we will commit our time to understand you, your family’s needs, dedicating ourselves wholly to ensuring you understand the possibilities of what you can achieve with your home and discussing those ever-important solutions with you, while managing your budget expectations.

So how long after your appointment will it be until you receive our detailed quote I hear you ask? We will deliver your detailed build cost estimate via email within 3-5 days of an appointment! Yes, just like that! No waiting for 2, 3 or 4+ weeks. Just 3-5 days!

Why so quick? Because you have invested in us for your consultation, we have invested and committed our time to you to ensure that you are provided with the answers you need as quickly as possible so that we can help get you going.

It’s all about moving forward, helping you get to that next step quicker, helping you understand what is required, helping you and your family get what you want.

So, when you think about it, we can deliver you a quote within 3-5 days. We can do all of this in just a week. Within 4 weeks we could already have your plans lodged to Council! So why are you still waiting?

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts and feedback on any of our content as it helps us improve and deliver a better service to you, our future clients. Get social with us across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Direct message us, make an enquiry, we’re available and we’re responsive.