Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Renmark Homes and other builders?

Renmark Homes is a family business. It is run by its owners and takes pride in building homes that reflect the quality and attention to detail that is often lacking in mass produced homes. Our service is best suited to people who have built before and require a hands on involvement in their project. We do not offer unrealistic prices to generate enquiry and include as standard what many larger companies don’t.

Our prices include a finished home, with service connections to a 700m2 block, H Class soil classification and 2700h ceilings as standard. Volume builders such as Metricon Homes, Simonds Homes, Burbank Homes, Porter Davis Homes and many other similar builders tend to sell their ranges from display homes, where the customer can pick from set styles and then package up options to get a particular model on their block with the inclusions they wish for.

Put simply these homes are sold in a similar way to how new cars are. The starting from price never reflecting what the house will actually cost you when all the little extras are added.

Renmark Homes tend to build homes that the volume builders cant build or do not wish to build due to the degree of difficulty. We are large enough to cater for all types of housing, whether it’s your design or ours, whilst maintaining a personal and professional service found with smaller companies.
You deal direct with the owners of the company from concept to completion.

What are site costs?

Sites costs are costs associated in getting your block prepared for construction.Generally the more difficult the block the higher the site cost will be. Some examples of site costs would be excavation, demolition or tree removal and retaining walls. If a block is unserviced or requires new services these costs would for part of the site costs.

What are site services?

Power, water, gas etc are services. All new estates have all services brought to the boundary of your block. However if you are considering building on an established site, additional services may be required or existing services may require upgrading. These can add costs to you building budget.  Renamrk Homes prices include conections to existing services.

What is meant by the fall of the land.

The fall of the land is basically the steepness of the block. Your block maybe classified as either flat, moderately steep or steep. Moderate and steep blocks are often classified as difficult sites. Flat blocks tend to be cheaper to build on due to little or no site costs.

How will the fall of my block affect the cost of my home?

Flat blocks are usually built on a slab foundation. This is considered the simplest, quickest and most economical form of building. As the block becomes steeper additional work is required to get it prepared for construction. Preparation often involves excavation and depending on the degree of difficulty retaining walls and in some cases a basement is required. Once the fall of the land exceeds a certain steepness a slab cannot be used and more traditional methods of construct are required which by nature are slower and more expensive. As a rule of thumb the steeper the block the more expensive it will be to build on. Other things to consider with steep blocks are site access for deliveries and issues with the height of your home

There are no prices on our home designs, why is that?

Generally the plans and styles shown in our range are used as a starting point to give our clients some ideas on size and shape. We do not have a price list because we individually design for each client, taking into account their needs and their budget. Starting from prices can be given on our plans upon request to assist with a feasibility study when deciding on a site to purchase or a home to build.

How much will my home cost?

There are 4 things that affect the cost of a home.

1. The size
2. The complexity of the design
3. The nature of the inclusions (basic, standard, luxury)
4. The characteristics of the land (fall, orientation etc)

Only after considering all these factors can some site specific price guides be given.

What is a contemporary design?

A contemporary look in its most simple form means a modern look reflective of todays architecture. Put simply anything that reflects a heritage influence, such as Victorian or Federation, is not contemporary. Many new estates have guidelines or controls that prevent building period style homes. Always familiarise yours self with the controls for an estate prior to purchase to ensure what you like in a home can be built.

Is it possible to build an environmentally friendly home.

Renmark Homes were amongst the first builders to be accredited under the MBA Green Living Program. As a Green Living Builder we are committed to building and designing homes that produce less green house gas, use less water and power, and are healthier to live in. Our commitment to this philosophy has seen a dramatic shift in the type of products now used in homes, reduction in waste and greater use of recycled materials. The goal being a home that looks good, feels good and has minimised the negative impact on the environment. Where possible, Renmark Homes uses environmentally friendly concrete and plantation timber on its homes as standard and is constantly bringing on line suppliers that share the same philosophy. We can offer advice and solutions in making your home greener without blowing the budget.

Do you have a list of Standard Inclusions?

A standard inclusion is the absolute minimum that our company will put into a home, and is generally used as a starting point for preliminary estimates if you are yet to decide on what items are to go into the home. Standard specifications can be viewed at “our homes” on your land part of this web site or alternately if you have your own design and want a quote we recommend writing up a “wish list” to submit with your plans. We will provide an all-inclusive estimate for the construction of your home based on the wish list. Should the estimate exceed expectations we can easily prune the inclusions back to meet your budget.

Is it possible to change the floor plan layout and keep the same outside appearance?

Yes it is. In fact, we discourage rubber stamping of existing designs onto your site. All our plans are customised to meet the needs and budget of our clients and take full advantage of the site. If  however there is a plan or elevation that really appeals to you we are more than happy to modify it to suit.  Alternately, you can use any of our plans as a staring point on achieving your ultimate design. We can offer different options for the external appearance of a particular floor plan, by changing the roof shapes, colours, materials etc

Will you design for or build on difficult’ blocks?

Yes, whether it is steep or has a gentle slope we can design a home to suit. Building on sloping blocks usually costs more to prepare the site and in the method of construction. The end result can be stunning individual homes with versatile floor plans that are not possible on flat blocks.

Do you design for narrow blocks?

With land prices on the increase in Melbourne many estates now offer smart blocks as an economical alternative. Smart blocks are usually very narrow and have a zero allotment on one side. We have a great deal of experience in this type of home and can easily adapt the many designs we have to suit an inner suburban site or a smart block site in a new estate. We have designs that range from 7.5 metres wide to 12meters wide.

Do you include landscaping?

Generally our prices are for a completed home and do not include landscape works. If however difficult landscaping and fencing is required we can include it in our estimate.

What type of contract do you offer.

Renmark Homes is a member of the Master Builders Association (MBA) and the Housing Industry Association (HIA). These organisations offer plain English housing contracts that comply with laws governing building a home in Victoria. We use an MBA fixed price contract for all our clients.

How soon can you start building my home.

Providing a building permit has been issued we will generally be on site within 3 weeks of signing the contract.

How long will it take to build my home

Generally the construction period is approximately 9 months for a standard double storey home of approximate size of 250m2. The complexity, size and inclusions of the home can affect the length of the construction period. The term in the building contract takes into consideration the specific requirements of your home and site. For difficult sites the construction period can take up to 12 months.

What guarantees do you offer.

We are legally obliged to provide each contract with a Warranty Insurance Certificate. This certificate is insurance on the building which provides structural protection for 6 ½ years from the date a certificate of occupancy is issued. Further there is a 90 day maintenance period whereby we come and fix any minor issues with the home once you move in.

Can we visit the building site to see our home.

Yes you can. Access is by appointment and usually during normal working hours.

Can we do the interior finishes like tiling and painting to reduce the price?

We provide a complete design and build service for our clients.

We are happy to consider any requests. We cannot allow unlicensed contractors, relatives or other persons onto the job site due to our responsibilities under the warranty insurance scheme and public liability. Due to these constraints we are unable to build homes to lock-up. Current Statutory requirements hold builders responsible for all structural issues and therefore we can not partially complete a home.