Base Price vs. Display Home Price Vs. Your Build Price

I think it's quite obvious that most base price that you see on your builders site will not be your final price, and definitely not their display home price. 

Some builders like Boutique Homes do not list their price on the site, but the elements of cost that you need to consider is quite similar. At least from my experience. Some of the costs that you need to consider below with example pricing. This is assuming:

1. New build in new estate
2. One storey house
3. In South Western Melbourne surrounds e.g. Williams Landing, Truganina, Werribee, etc

BASIC BUILD

Base price (example only): $217,900

• The main variations you need to think about the base price between builder is their inclusions, e.g. 
• Ceiling heights - 2440mm vs 2550mm or 2700mm
• Caesarstone - kitchen only or kitchen ensuite and bathroom, thickness of benchtop
• Flooring - the last time I asked, MainVue base price does not include flooring. Carlisle include their flooring under promo (which usually almost always on now)
• Type of flooring to main - some only include tiles, some only include laminate
• Toilet roll and towel hanger - one of the builders I asked doesn't have this as standard. Bizarre. 
• Flyscreen - you would need to add this for some builders
• Locks to all external door and windows and what kind of locks - Sometimes you need to upgrade for a dead lock.
• Ducted heating - many builders include this as standards
• Evaporative cooling
• Appliances brand and inclusions (e.g. Technika, Westinghouse, SMEG, ILVE, some include microwave and dishwashers)
• Eaves on front facade - some estate demand 450mm facade on the front, and standard facade from some builders don't meet this - i.e. upgrade
• 6 star energy rating inclusions - what orientations are included and would you need to pay more to meet the ratings
• Garage type - standard inclusions and profiles (e.g. some colour and profiles are upgrade)
• Bricks - standard bricks selection varies. Providers are usually Austral Bricks or Boral
• Door heights - 2340mm door are higher, normal is 2040mm
• Structural warranty period - 7 years structural is standard, 25 years structural offered by some builders, 50 years by Henley. 
• Maintenance period - 3 months is standard, some offer 6 months and some offer 12 months
• Solar water system spec - they're usually included, but spec is different (e.g. 2 solar panel vs 1 solar panel
• etc

Site Cost: $20,000 

• if you have more than 300mm fill on your land with some slope (mine is 900mm), allow at least 20K. 
• Significant amount of fill in my land, so the fixed site cost include concrete piers and upgrade to slab. 
• Make sure you factor this early into your budget. I was so surprised by the quoted price that I called an independent structural engineer to help me understand the pricing. 

Bush fire provision: $5490 

• Most new land release will be under bushfire zone, so this provision should be in your quote. They should refund the provision if the bushfire zoning lifted after titling.

Council & Regulatory Requirements: Allow about $3000

NBN optic fibre: allow about $1800


Total Basic build: $248,190

Upgrades and Electricity and Driveway

Basic upgrades: At least give yourself a $5,000. There will be things you don't like in the standard, and you will want to change them.

Electricity: At least $5000 for single storey and $10,000 for double storey.

Driveway: $6000 for aggregate driveway

Total build after some upgrades: $264,190

DISPLAY HOME

There is a great post here on anewhouse.com.au http://anewhouse.com.au/2013/08/love-the-display-home/

How about St Tropez Boutique Homes you said? 

The last list I have for St Tropez 28 Display (this will change overtime), it has $90,000 worth of upgrade in the house. Some items are obvious, some items are not. 

The obvious looking changes:

• Eden facade : $13,400 - I love this facade, but not for the price (sad face)
• Upgraded floor tiling:  $5,400 
• Fully tiled ensuite: $3,650 
• Cornerless stacking door to alfresco: $7,300 - Great choice if you want to have a fully open plan feeling to Alfresco. 
• Ceiling heights to 2700mm in lieu of 2550mm: $3,400 - was going to opt for this but the 2550 ceiling is actually good enough :)
• Bedroom window into sliding door: $500 each
• Pivot door 2340 high x 1200 wide: $2,950 

The not so obvious:

• Double glazing: allow $600-$700 per window 
• Double glazed stacking door: $2000
• Soft close drawers to kitche: $1300
• Standard door to glass door: $700
• Electricity: $11,000 - the more LED downlights, the more expensive it would be
• All little upgrades on fittings etc.

For increase on floor size, compare it with other floor plans that has similar size, e.g. an increase to 28 to 31 sq will make your base price closer to the 31 house plan.