How we build

A clear process, from first enquiry to handover.

A custom home is a long project with a lot of decisions in it. This is how we run it: six steps, with Abby and Kim involved at each one, so you know who is doing what and what you will have in your hands at every stage.

  1. Step 1: Enquiry & brief

    What we do
    We listen to your brief and review what you already have. We give you an honest first view of whether the project is a fit — and we would rather say so in the first conversation than discover it at contract.
    What you get
    A straight answer on fit, and a clear sense of what to settle before design goes further.
    Timeframe
    We reply to enquiries within one business day.

  2. Step 2: Design involvement

    What we do
    We join while the drawings are still being developed and give advice: budget direction at concept stage, and a buildability review of structure, access, sequencing, façade and services. We do not take over the design — we test it while a change is still a conversation rather than a cost.
    What you get
    Cost and buildability feedback while it can still shape the house, and drawings complete enough to be priced properly.
    Timeframe
    Design, documentation and approvals can run as long as construction itself. A realistic program is counted from the first design meeting.

  3. Step 3: Pricing

    What we do
    Abby prepares the quote from the actual drawings, not a square-metre rate, and walks you through it — including provisional sums and prime cost allowances, with the product behind each allowance named. Anything not yet defined is written down as an assumption.
    What you get
    A breakdown by trade and stage, showing the drawing revision it is based on, with assumptions written beside the numbers.

  4. Step 4: Contract

    What we do
    Abby takes you through the contract line by line, in English or Mandarin. We use an MBA standard-form domestic building contract, with payment terms that follow Victorian law: the deposit is capped at 5% where the contract price is $20,000 or more, and for a contract covering all stages, progress payments are capped at base 10%, frame 15%, lock-up 35% and fixing 25%, with the balance at completion. We explain how variations work, why they are agreed in writing before the work starts, and what Home Warranty insurance covers.
    What you get
    A contract you understand, a payment schedule that sits within the prescribed limits, and insurance in place. For contracts signed from 1 July 2026 that is Home Warranty on eligible work over $20,000, up to $400,000.

  5. Step 5: Construction

    What we do
    Kim leads the site and the trades day to day. Abby runs the contract, documentation, cost reporting and communication, and visits site regularly. Nobody is handed to a project manager after the contract is signed. Substitutions come back to you in writing with a reason and an alternative, and delay and its cause are recorded at the time rather than argued at the end.
    What you get
    Regular updates via WeChat or email, and a clear written record of variations and program.
    Timeframe
    For an architect-designed home in Melbourne’s east, construction typically runs well over a year. We give you a stage-by-stage program rather than a single number.

  6. Step 6: Handover & defects period

    What we do
    We inspect the house against the drawings and specification before handover, and we list and rectify defects. Abby stays responsible for defects after handover — if something is not right, there is one person to call.
    What you get
    A finished home that matches the drawings, a clear defects list showing what was fixed and when, and a direct line to Abby afterwards.

Start a Conversation

Planning a home in Melbourne’s east? Speak with Abby and Kim at any stage — including before the design is final.

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