Got Titled Land? 5 Reasons to Act Now

Discover why choosing your builder early gives you more options and greater freedom to build the home you want.

So, you’ve chosen your perfect block and have a good idea of the home you’d like to build on it. But will it actually be possible? That all depends. Will your chosen design overshadow your neighbours, undermine their garage, or impact their access to northern light? Regulatory factors like these come into play when you’re building on a block where the neighbours have already started (or finished) construction ahead of you.

But if you get in first, they don’t have to. The key to building the house you want on your chosen block of land is to select your builder and house design as early as possible – ideally, well before your land titles.

“To have the freedom to build what you want, you need to be the first person among your neighbours to build, which means getting your builder and house design locked in early,” says Peter Fowler, Production Drafting Manager at Carlisle Homes. “If you leave these decisions too late in the process – say, well after your land has titled – you’re at risk of not being able to build what you want. You may end up having to choose a narrower house design or settle for a single storey when you had your heart set on a double storey.”

Whether you’re early in the building process or your land is about to title, here are five smart reasons to lock in your builder and house design without delay.

1. Freedom to build what you want

Overshadowing happens when a home blocks natural light from its neighbouring properties and their private outdoor space. To prevent it from happening, Victorian ResCode policy has strict regulations about where, and how far, you can position your home on your block in relation to neighbouring properties – these are your setback requirements.

Local council can also restrict the number of double storey homes built in a row, often stipulating a single then a double storey home to minimise overshadowing.

So, what does that mean for you? In short: leave decisions around your builder and home design too late, and you may be forced to compromise on what and where you can build on your lot. “Get to site first, before your neighbours have started building, and you won’t have any setback issues to contend with. This means you’re less likely to have to compromise on issues like the size or width of your house, single versus double storey, and where your house is positioned on your block,” says Fowler.

2. Your choice of façade

Your developer may have restrictions around the number of similar style facades that can be in a location together. This is to ensure there is a mix of facades so the estate looks visually interesting and dynamic.

By getting to site before your neighbours, you will have the freedom to choose the facade you want, rather than being restricted to choosing something that complies with your neighbours’ exteriors.

3. Choose where your garage goes

If your neighbour has already built their home, you may find you’re restricted with where your garage goes, which can ultimately affect your choice of house design.

 “If you’re first to build, you can generally put your garage where you like, including on the boundary line. But if your neighbour has already built their home and there’s a fall or slope across your block, we may have to position your garage a metre or so off the boundary line. If you’ve got a 12.5-metre block or narrower, this might mean you’re restricted to building a single storey home, even if you wanted a double storey,” says Fowler. 

4. Base price and promotions locked in

Deciding on your builder and house design now can save you serious money, and result in a home that’s packed with the luxury upgrades you really want.

If you lock in your home today, rather than after your land titles, you can lock in today's great price and promotional inclusions, and avoid future price rises.

5. Set your site start date

The earlier you choose your home design, the sooner we can lock in your site start date – which means you’ll be in your home sooner.

At Carlisle, your site start date is booked in as soon as you pay your home deposit, with your site start locked in within three months of your land titling. If you wait until your land is titled, our site starts could be booked out and you may have to wait months to start building your new home.