Building surveyors issue building permits for custom homes. A few decades ago, there were only council surveyors, but the system was slow and inefficient. After introduction of private building surveyors, the industry became more flexible and cost competitive. The work of building surveyors in Victoria is strictly supervised and regulated by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). Most good custom house builders will have a preferred building surveyor which they normally use; however, the building surveyor does need to be appointed by the client. Normally we get our clients to sign the application form for our surveyor.

Custom designed construction projects are without a doubt one of the most expensive ventures one can take during a lifetime, and it’s not always easy to obtain adequate funds for a custom built building. The easiest way is to use our savings. However, this option may work only for smaller custom built projects, such as decking/pergola jobs or minor internal refurbishments.

One of the biggest mistakes to make during the building process is to get the design done before you consult with the custom home builder. Far too often clients approach me with fully finalized town-planning documents, working drawings, engineering drawings and energy assessments, sometimes spending in excess of $30,000 before they start looking for a custom house builder, then they realize that their design is too ambitious for their budget. The main cause of this situation is that regardless of the architect’s/draftsman’s best intentions and indisputable knowledge, they’ll get paid for their drawings whether or not the project goes ahead. Custom home builders, on the other hand, lose time every minute they speak with you about your custom home project not being able to meet your budget expectation.

These days the most obvious answer is the internet. However, I still get a considerable proportion of my jobs from people whose friends have recommended me, or people who live near my construction site and check on the work in progress, and a few of them just call me when driving behind one of our company vehicles. Some (mainly large) custom home builders advertise on radio, TV or local cinema. Smaller custom home builders also advertise in local newspapers. All above options should be considered