Once you have decided you want to build (rather than buy an existing house to live in), You will need to make some high-level choices.
Budget
Before you can think of building your house, you need to have a budget, not just for the land and house, but any other expenses that will take place. Some might be part of the home loan (including government grants), if any, while others will be expenses you need to anticipate.
Base
Unless your land is on a slope or has some other uneven quality, most suburban houses have a flat base in the form of a concrete slab.
Timber Frame
Timber framed houses are beyond the scope of this website, but are the most common frames used in Australia. Most are constructed entirely on site.
Steel Frame
A steel-framed house comprises steel beams bolted together like a large Meccano set. Our previous home had a timber frame and the new home has a steel frame. There are pros and cons, as we discovered later.
Wall Material
Interior walls are usually made of plaster board. External walls are usually made of a brick facade, sometimes known as shadow brick, as they are not a structural part of the building. The bricks can be exposed, or covered with render. All these choices have their good and bad points.
Roofing Material
Roofs are made of tiles – mostly concrete, but some terra cotta, or corrugated steel. We chose a steel roof for this build.
Fencing Material
Side and rear fences are mostly timber, which will weather away after 15-20 years, or the slightly dearer steel variety, which will possibly outlive the time you spend in the house.
Next article: Buying Land