Ever wondered what goes into in building a house? The actual nuts and bolts of starting with a vacant plot and ending up with a beautiful new home? Unless you're on a building site every day, you don't often get the chance to see a home being built, literally, from the ground up. Our Metricon team in Queensland decided to film the entire building process of a new home build, condensed down to a one-minute timelapse.
At Metricon, we’ve broken this process up into five stages: the base stage, the frame stage, the lock-up stage, the fixing stage and the completion stage. This all happens after you pick out your floor plan, sign the building contract and have met with your lender - the paperwork is complete and we're ready to begin the construction process. Let's take a look at a step-by-step guide which covers the construction of your home.
A new home built in one minute
The base stage
The first step of the building process is the base stage. Here, Metricon will get the site prepared for your new house. We’ll bring in machinery to make sure your land is nice and flat (excavation or fill) and pour your slab. It all starts with solid foundations. Here are the tasks you can expect at this stage:
- excavation and preparation of the site for the concrete pour
- site drainage installation
- retaining wall installation (if applicable)
- application of termite protection (if applicable)
- electrical meter box installation
- pouring the concrete slab
- quality assurance inspection by your site manager
- independent building surveyor inspections
- cleaning of slab and site clean
The frame stage
Once the slab is poured, it’s time to erect your new home’s frame. An expert team of builders will come in and get to work, and your home will start to take shape! The walls and roof will be in place and ready for the next step. Here’s what to expect during the frame stage:
- erecting your wall frame and roof trusses
- cleaning of site and removal of all debris
- quality assurance inspection by your site manager
- independent frame inspection by building surveyor
The lock-up stage
The lock-up stage can be considered the “exterior stage”, as your new home builder Metricon will focus one getting everything right on the outside. The name “lock-up” comes from the idea that once this stage is complete, your home can be locked-up and secured with closed doors, installed windows and no way to get in without a key. At the end of this stage, you’ll be able to see how your new home looks from the street. Tasks include:
- installation of the fascia and gutter
- installation of all windows
- installation of the roofing (tiles or Colorbond)
- completion of brickwork and external cladding
- fitting of external doors
- Metricon Quality Assurance team pre-plaster inspection
The fixing stage
If the previous stage was where we focused on the externals, the fixing stage is where we’ll get to work inside the home. It’s time to install all those amazing fixtures, fittings and appliances that make the home design uniquely yours. There’s a lot happening in this stage, and you’ll find plenty of trades buzzing around the site: electricians installing lighting, tilers installing tiling, subcontractors installing shower screens, and much more! Here are a few things your new home builder, Metricon, will be working on:
- internal cladding (plaster is hung)
- architraves and skirting
- stairs (for double storey homes)
- baths, basins, troughs and sinks
- internal doors, cabinets, shelves and cupboards
- attached garages and front porticos
The completion stage
It’s time to handover the keys so you can move into your dream home. There are only a few things we need to do before you can move in – our Quality Assurance team will inspect the home and make sure everything is up to scratch, and we’ll give you an overview of your new home and teach you how to use your new appliances. Other tasks include:
- completion of remaining items and preparation of your home for settlement
- Metricon Quality Assurance team inspect building codes and sign off
- presentation of your home
- settlement of your home
- an overview of our new home service inspection
- presenting you with the keys and completing handover of your new home - (congratulations new homeowners!)
- Ongoing service and warranty support
How long does it take to build a home?
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive at Metricon is “how long will it take to build my new home?” The answer varies, as each project, we take on here at Metricon is different. A HomeSolution home for a first home buyer for example, will take a much shorter amount of time than a luxurious and spacious Signature by Metricon home. Here are all the things that can alter the amount of time it takes to build a new home:
- the home you choose
- finance approvals
- the extent of changes you request
- any relevant developer and planning regulations
- when the land subdivision is completed
- obtaining building and planning permits
- whether it's a dual occupancy home
- resolving any site problems
- how busy the building industry is (e.g. the time of year, the availability of tradespeople and the supply of building materials)
- any issues specific to your contract
- demolition of existing home (if required)
If you have any questions about the building process, we are happy to help. You can give our expert team a call on 1300 786 773, or head to this page to enquire online.
Alternatively, you can browse our blog to find more educational information to help you with all things building, construction and finance.
Metricon build homes in Melbourne, regional Victoria, Sydney, regional NSW, Adelaide, Brisbane and some parts of QLD. Get in touch to find out if we build in your area. View our home and land packages to find homes in your area ready to purchase.
