Lots of questions arise when you build a new home. Here we answer some of the most common ones. If you have a question that isn’t answered below, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!
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Volume builders are a fabulous choice for the overwhelmed, the on-a-budget, the investors, the first homebuyers, the upsizers and downsizers- what we’re saying is, volume builders are a great choice for every buyer.
Volume builders buy their materials in bulk, meaning they can manage to create more affordably priced homes- ideal for today's buyers. Their process is also fine-tuned and you’ll be working with a team who know exactly how to create your dream home, because we’ve done it so many times before.
If you’re building a new home you might hear the word ‘façade’ and wondering what this French sounding word means. Pronounced ‘fa’saad’, put simply, it means the appearance of the front of the home.
A kitchen with a butler’s pantry is like a small kitchen within your kitchen. It is a separate area that will usually contain some elements of kitchen functionality too. It may have appliances housed, an additional sink and provide a space to hide all the dishes and mess while the kitchen is used for the entertaining hub.
A walk-in pantry is a storage area in your kitchen with shelving generally for your food or smaller appliances, whereas the butler’s pantry (Also known as butlers kitchen) is more like a small room where you can install the larger appliances and have a workable area and a sink to keep the kitchen free of clutter.
A free-standing bath is a bath that has all four sides exposed. This enables the bath to be placed in anywhere in the bathroom as opposed to an alcove bath that is surrounded by one, two or three walls. They usually sit directly on the floor or are mounted on feet and are not fixed to the floor.
A house and land package is where a block of land and the construction of a home is one process but two separate contracts between the land developer and your builder. Essentially you are purchasing a block of land from a land developer and at the same time selecting a builder for home design and build service.
Builders like us work with their land developer partners to secure and tailor affordable house and land packages in prime locations.
When viewing a house and land package it will be of a certain home design that fits on the specific block. However, if you see a house and land package but are not sold on the design, just ask us as we have many other suitable home design options to fit our customers lifestyle, budget, and needs. This also works the other way, if you love the home design but are wanting to live at another location, we can explore other areas/blocks that suit where you want to live and build an exclusive package for you. If you’re thinking about buying house and land packages, look no further than Burbank.
House and land packages Melbourne and Victoria
House and land packages Queensland
House and land packages Sydney and New South Wales
House and land packages Canberra and ACT
House and land packages Adelaide and South Australia
‘Knock Down Rebuild’ or KDR is a term used in the Building Industry when referring to an existing home being demolished to allow for a new home to be built on the same block of land.
Burbank do not carry out demolition work. This is a specialist field, whereby a Demolition Permit needs to be obtained for and issued before any part of the existing structure can be removed. It is the Owner's responsibility and at the Owner's expense to engage a contractor to commence this process. The demolition generally would not take place till after Burbank has been issued with a preliminary ‘pre-demolition’ Building Permit, which is subject to the demolition taking place.
Knock Down and Rebuild Melbourne and Victoria
Knock Down and Rebuild in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Queensland
Knock Down and Rebuild in Caberra and ACT
Knock Down and Rebuild Sydney and NSW
Knock Down and Rebuild Adelaide South Australia
Traditionally we are known for building new homes however we do sell Burbank display homes that are already built which is often a great solution if you are looking for a ready built home. To see what we have on offer head here.
House and land packages are not already built. If choosing to purchase a house and land package the process will involve you building a new home with the chosen builder offering the package.
If you are looking for houses already built, check out our Display homes for sale page.
In certain parts of Australia, securing a block of land to call your own is not that easy. There are hefty delays on land titling in some regions, which means you may purchase the land, but it may not be ready to be built on for another 18 months. In terms of buying land, it’s a good idea to do your research and shortlist the suburbs you can see yourself living in, while also taking into account your budget and the affordability of the desired regions. Then, visiting land sales offices in estates and signing up to receive updates, all while keeping a keen eye on property websites is a great way to remain in the loop with the prices and locations of developing land.
Strolling through displays and getting a feel for the type of home you like (and styling) is a fabulous way of ensuring the design you select is perfect for your lifestyle. We have many homes on the ground to give you a feel for the quality and design of our homes.
Traditionally we are known for building new homes however we do sell Burbank display homes that are already built which is often a great solution if you are looking for a ready built home. To see what we have on offer head here.
House and land packages are not already built. If choosing to purchase a house and land package the process will involve you building a new home with the chosen builder offering the package.
If you are looking for houses already built, check out our Display homes for sale page.
This is completely dependent on your in-comings and outgoings. Deposits are typically 10-20% of the cost of your selected home, so you’ll need roughly that, plus the ability to ‘service the loan’ (the ability to pay off your mortgage at a steady rate through a full-time job etc.).
To find out more about your financial position or to develop a savings plan, give the team at National Pacific Finance a bell on 1300 367 721, or speak to your preferred bank or broker as soon as you can.
Townhouses are a style of multi-floor home that share one or two walls with adjacent homes, but they have their own entrances. We have a partner company Burbank Urban that offers this type of home solution as well as apartments.
A duplex is a dual occupancy home; a combination of two homes in one where each home shares a common wall.
Find out more in our blog – link below.
PSI stands for Property Service Information. This is specific to your property and highlights restrictions pertaining to your property. This is obtained through Local Council and relevant water authority. This information will assist in confirming any special requirements for your area such as
- a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
- if a Planning Permit may be required; if it's a termite or flood prone area
- the location of the sewer point and
- the legal point of discharge (stormwater).
When building in a built-up neighbourhood, there are different requirements and applications as opposed to building in a New Estate. These additional costs will be calculated and presented in detail to you in your tender documents. These costs include items such as multiple smaller deliveries, specific crane hire and protection requirements due to existing neighbouring conditions, restricted access due narrow and busy street, traffic management requirements and overhead powerlines.
This is when a lender formally advises how much you can borrow. Once you have this you can start looking for your home and land. We highly recommend going through a mortgage broker to support you, every step of the way through this process to;
- ensure you are getting the best deal on your home loan
- save time and hassle, they’ll chase up the lenders/banks for a status on your pre-approval and the required documents
At Burbank we have in-house mortgage brokers from our finance partner National Pacific Finance that can support you. If you are in Victoria, NSW, or Queensland you will be able to apply for their services. Find out more here.
How much you can borrow based on your current financial status. Head here to use our online borrowing power calculator for an estimate today.
The ‘Price Freeze’ only applies to deposits for homes with land that is not titled. As we understand that land title dates may change, Burbank offers our ‘Price Freeze’; for 12 months from the date of your initial deposit. Should your land title within the first twelve months from your initial deposit, no further charges are applicable. If your land title is issued outside of the twelve months from your initial deposit, a price review will take place as per your New Home Registration and the Terms and Condition on your NHE / NHP/Final Tender.
The ‘Price Freeze’ only applies to deposits for homes with land that is not titled. As we understand that land title dates may change, Burbank offers our ‘Price Freeze’; for 6 months from the date of your initial deposit. Should your land title within the first six months from your initial deposit, no further charges are applicable. If your land title is issued outside of the six months from your initial deposit, a price review will take place as per your New Home Registration and the Terms and Condition on your NHE / NHP/Final Tender.
Stamp Duty is a tax that is levied on single property purchases and/or documents required for the land transfer. Therefore, when choosing to build new, you only pay stamp duty when purchasing your block of land. This will need to be factored into your budget. If you are building on a block, you already own you don’t need to pay stamp duty as no land transfer is taking place.
Costs which arise from placing a home onto your land, including service connection costs. These include levelling of the building area, the importation or exportation of fill as required, connection to sewer and storm water, removal of trees, piering under the slab, connection to power etc
All Progress Payment are due and payable within 7 days of the invoice date. You will need to forward a copy to your lender for prompt payment. Your lender may have provided you with a form to supply along with the progress claim, if you are unsure, contact your lender. Burbank's bank account details are nominated at the bottom of the invoice for your convenience. Do not forget to include either Your Name or Our Reference or Invoice Number on your EFT.
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) helps cover the cost of infrastructure in new communities including outdoor recreation areas, community centres and libraries and any other infrastructure required for the new to the development. Development Contribution Plans are part of Council Planning Scheme, and these plans outline the infrastructure to be funded by the CIL in various areas.
The developer can enter into an agreement with Council and pay the Community Infrastructure Levy upfront, including the cost in the land contract, however there are many new estates where the developer has chosen not to pay upfront, therefore the landowner is required to pay the CIL prior to the issuing of a building permit. You can contact your local council to check if a Community Infrastructure Levy is payable on your property. Burbank will require a copy of the payment receipt to submit for your Building Permit application.
When borrowing more than 80% of a property’s value, it is generally a condition of the loan that the borrower pays Lenders' Mortgage Insurance (LMI). It is insurance that protects the lender, not you. It’s usually a one-off payment made required at the time of loan settlement. It’s insurance against the risk of not recovering the loan balance if you (the borrower) are unable to meet your loan payments and the property is sold for less than the outstanding loan balance.
Some quick facts about LMI:
• LMI is a type of insurance you can expect to pay if you borrow more than 80% of your home’s value.
• LMI protects the lender – not the borrower.
• You don’t need to arrange LMI yourself – your lender will sort it for you.
• It’s possible to save on LMI by saving a bigger deposit or if you are eligible for certain government grants or schemes.
A State Government tax imposed on the sale of real estate (includes both established homes and land purchases, excludes building contracts) and determined by the sale value. Your solicitor or lender can calculate the stamp duty payable when buying a property or visit www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au.
A building permit must be granted before the construction of your new home commences. This ensures the construction plans and engineering comply with all relevant building regulations and have been approved by a registered building surveyor.
A statement specifying a particular use or development may proceed on a specific piece of land.
Planning Permits is approval issued via your local council giving permission for your development to proceed. Not all properties require a Planning Permit. Planning requirements will be listed on your property information as issued by your Local Council and may also be listed on your Land Title. If a Planning Permit is required, it must be obtained before a Building Permit can be issued. A Planning Permit does not remove the need to obtain a Building Permit. Some aspects of a Planning Permit may overrule building regulations; however, it could also place addition conditions that must be met.
The requirement of a Planning Permits will increase scheduled works as each local council has different approval time frames. The requirement of a Planning permit will add a minimum of 30 to 90 days to assess the application and will affect the scheduled works and incur additional costs.
The Occupancy Permit is one of the final documents issued at the conclusion of construction. The Occupancy Permit signifies that the Building Surveyor has received Compliance Certificate from all registered suppliers and trades who have carried out work on your home and the Final Inspection carried out by the Building Surveyor confirms the completed building works are fit for domestic occupation and comply with current Building Regulations.
Most Financial institutions will require a copy of the Occupancy Permit prior to disbursing the Final Stage payment. Your New Home Coordinator will email you a copy of your Occupancy Permit as soon as it is issued and upload a copy to the MyPlace portal for your records. A soft copy is also provided to you within your settlement pack.
When constructing a new home, the local councils will require you to take out an Asset Protection Permit. This involves the local council Engineering Department carrying out an inspection of the current condition of the footpath, curb, and channel along with your crossover. Any subsequent damage to the council assets will need to be repaired after completion of the works. The permit and bond are the responsibility of the Owner and at the Owner's expense. Copies of the Asset Protection permit must be supplied to Burbank prior to commencement of construction.
Also called a Certificate of Occupancy, this document is issued by a Building Surveyor after the final inspection of your new home. It certifies your home is ready to move into.
Developer Approval of your building plans is applied for by your builder on your behalf. The developer will confirm that your new home complies with all estate requirements.
If you have an easement running within your property, there are additional building regulations that come into effect. The easement can service your sewer and/or stormwater connection. This can be owned by the water authority, the council or both.
If we do not comply with the regulations a 'build over easement' approval may be required. Depending on who owns the easement, will depend on who we will need approval from. This varies from home to home and site to site, the general timeframe for a build over easement approval can take additional 4-6 weeks and is at an additional cost to the owner.
This is an official record of who owns the land and is transferred to the owner upon full payment for the block.
Your proposed new home is placed onto your block of land. Your new home consultant will site your home to scale, taking care to comply with the regulatory requirements, including building envelopes and land developer guidelines.
The amount of slope on your block, determined by a series of contour lines shown on a feature survey.
The kerb opening to your lot installed by the Council to allow vehicle access to the property. It is important to check the location of your crossover when siting your new home. It is also important if increasing or relocating the crossover that obstructions such as trees, fences and services are taken into account. Council approval is required for the relocation of a crossover.
This is the section of concrete connecting your driveway to the street. This creates a vehicle crossing access to your home.
This is carried out on your block to determine the soil conditions. By drilling a series of holes and analysing the contents, soil conditions can be determined to enable an engineer to design the footings of your new home.
This is an Engineer's report identifying your soil classification and therefore determines your slab design. The Soil report will also confirm your wind rating and BAL level.
This is determined by the engineer from assessment of the soil test results. The classes include:
S - Slightly reactive
M - Moderately reactive
H - Highly reactive
E - Extremely reactive
P - Problem sites
Classes S, M, H and E generally refer to sites with clay soils and how reactive the soil is to changes in moisture content which can impact on the footings/slab.
A ‘Cooling-Off period’ occurs within 3 business days from the date of contract signing allowing the potential buyer to withdraw from the deal. A cooling-off period of 5 business days applies to building contracts over $5000.
A ‘Cooling-Off period’ commences at midnight on the first business day following the signing of a contract and issuing of Form 1 to the purchaser. The cooling-off period lasts for two clear business days and allows buyers to withdraw from the deal. A cooling-off period of 5 business days applies to building contracts over $5000.
The method used to provide a level building area on a sloping site. Also known as earthmoving, it is a technique to help level a block of land prior to construction by using material excavated from higher ground to create platform to build your home on.
A designated area on your land within which all building work must be contained. A building envelope is set out by Council guidelines and will be shown on the Plan of Subdivision attached to the Vendor Statement.
Restrictions placed on your land which set the requirements for the size of your new home, including the style or type of materials used. These will be outlined in Section 32 Vendor Statement. Protecting your investment, Covenants regulate the standard of homes in an estate. Most new estates also have specific Land Developer Guidelines, which the buyer must comply with. Your builder can assist you with this when selecting your new home.
The angle of a sloping roof, usually expressed in degrees, e.g., 22-degree pitch.
These are support mechanisms usually made from poured concrete and supporting steel under the slab of a home. Engineers determine if these are required in the design of your footings.
At Burbank, we stand by our quality and have a 30-year structural guarantee on every home we build. We also have independent inspectors that come in during stages of the build as part of our quality assurance processes. For more information on our home guarantees head to the below links.
Burbank’s Home Guarantees VIC, NSW, ACT, QLD, SA.
An easement is an interest attached to a parcel of land that gives a statutory authority a right to use a part of that land for a specified purpose.
A section of land registered on the Certificate of Title document provides Council and/or the utility providers the right of access to your property. Often pipes such as sewer or storm water are in the easement and are essential to have arranged for your new home. You may not be able to build a house over an easement without consent.
The minimum permissible distance from the front, side, and rear boundaries of the block to your new home.
The kerb opening to your lot installed by the Council to allow vehicle access to the property. It is important to check the location of your layback when siting your new home.
A sewer tie is what connects your home sewer to the main pipe that is owned by the water authority which transport sewage away from the properties. It is critical that the sewer tie is clear of your foundations, retaining walls or any other structure of your home. Relocating a tie is a very costly process and at the expense of the Owner.
A Practical Completion Inspection (PCI) is an onsite appointment with your Building Supervisor once your home is completed in accordance with Contractual documentation.
You will be invited onsite to inspect all works that have taken place. You will have a full working demonstration of the home with the Building Supervisor and nominate any minor items that may require attention prior to settlement of your home. Please see our '8 Simple Steps to Settlement' for our detailed guide to the settlement process including more information regarding your PCI.
A quotation listing all your requirements for your new home. This is provided to you by your Sales Consultant.
An updated quotation of New Home Estimate with costings provided by our Sales Estimating Team for modifications requested.
Updated New Home Proposal (NHP) including all your Colour, Electrical and heating and Cooling upgrades and any other costings as directed by other authorities. This forms your contract value and lists all specifications and inclusions.
Before we can proceed to construction, we require confirmation that you have the compacity to pay the Contract value and all variations.
If you are obtaining a loan, confirmation is required from your bank/broker/finance contact that you have obtained unconditional finance approval and that all mortgage documents have been signed and returned to the bank. Your finance contact must also advise:
- If First Homeowner’s Grant [FHOG] is applicable,
- The loan amount that is allocated for construction,
- Personal account showing sufficient funds available if any ‘shortfall’ between the loan and the Contract Value & all variations.
- Confirmation funds ready for draw down on your approved loan.
- If you are self-funding the construction of your new home, we require you to complete a self-funded declaration form and provide a bank statement in the owner's name (as per contract) showing that you have the full contract value available in your account(s) prior to referral to construction.
When building a new home, we are required to comply with building regulations which is stipulated by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). This states requirements for things such as
• Siting -
setbacks requirements from front and side boundaries building height above natural round level requirements overlooking/overshadowing requirements.
• Bushfire requirements
• Energy Rating requirements
• and many more compliance requirements as stipulated in the National Construction Code NCC
As the Builder, Burbank must adhere to these regulations to obtain a Building Permit. With regards to siting requirements, we can request dispensation if we do not comply via the 'Report and Consent' process. This is where we can request a review of the specific non-compliance and seek approval from the relevant authorities such as the water authority and/or the local council. This will incur additional application fees, which differ from council to council and will incur additional timeframes of 4-6weeks for the application to be assessed and is at an additional cost to the Owner.
The Building regulations that apply to your lot can change at any time due to the construction status of the neighbouring lots. Vacant adjoining lots impose different regulations to your home design compared to a completed home on an adjoining lot.
Victoria is prone to bushfires. To protect new homes from devasting bush fires the Government has created a mapping system identifying the risk levels of bushfire attack. This is referred to as Bushfire Attach Levels (BAL). Wherever your property is located within this mapping system will determine what additional protection requirements are to be added to the construction of your home to ensure your safety. These upgrades are designed to best protect the home in the event of a bushfire.
The BAL takes into consideration several factors, including the Fire Danger Index, the slope of the land, types of surrounding vegetation and its proximity to any building.
BAL requirements can include things such as sarking, rotary roof ventilators, aluminium flyscreens, etc. The requirements for construction depend on the BAL applicable to your lot which can be N/A, LOW, 12.5, 19, 29, 40 or FZ (Flame Zone). The applicable BAL rating will be shown on your Soil Test Report. A Building Permit cannot be obtained unless we comply with the relevant BAL construction requirements.
If a Building Permit is issued showing that a BAL rating is applicable to the lot and this status subsequently changes during the construction process, the requirements must still be included in the dwelling and the Building Permit cannot be updated to remove these.
All properties must have an underground service location point for electricity connection. This is referred to as an electrical pit. This is where the mains are located for Burbank to connect your home to power. Established areas may only have overhead power supply. Burbank will require you to contact your local Power authority to arrange for this pit to be installed. This is also known as a 'Pole to Pit' application and needs to be addressed prior to commencement of construction and is the responsibility of the Owner at the Owner's cost.
This process can take up to 12 weeks.
The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) is a statutory organisation responsible for reviewing administrative law decisions of some Government of Queensland departments and agencies, and also adjudicating some civil law disputes.
The Queensland Development Code - A Government Code which sets out the development standards for housing, land subdivisions and town planning in Queensland.
Reverse Building means standard scheduling of works may be varies on site, like in the case of plastering taking place prior to the completion of the external cladding i.e., brickwork. This is a common practice in the Building Industry and, provided the wall wrap and roof cover are completed, poses no concern to the structure of the dwelling or materials used. The purpose of reverse building is to continue with scheduled works on site as to minimize delays.
Sometimes, to help our customers move into their brand-new home as soon as possible, we may choose to 'reverse build' their home.
For instance - if there is a temporary shortage of bricklayers - we might choose to start building a home from 'the inside out'. We fully wrap the home to protect it against all the elements while we wait for the brickies. In the meantime, the plasterers and fix-out carpenters work on making the inside of the home beautiful.
So do not be surprised if this happens to your home! It is a trick of the trade a lot of us builders’ practice when we know you are keen to move in as soon as possible.
Want more info? Feel free to get in touch directly with your Site Supervisor.
The code simplifies planning approvals for some common forms of residential development. The code sets out performance criteria related to physical aspects of the development, such as location, height, boundary setbacks and site coverage. These criteria allow councils and private certifiers to quickly process applications that comply with the code.
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) is a low-cost forum facilitating dispute hearings regarding consumer matters, including domestic building works, where both parties are unable to reach agreement.
This is an instruction issued by a licensed Building Surveyor, referred to as a Form 6, 7 & 8 of the Building Regulations. This is only required if your new home is to be constructed within a certain distance of an adjoining property (including but not limited to neighbouring dwelling's: structure, retaining wall, landscaping, and driveways etc.)
These existing features need to be protected during the construction of your home and we need to seek the approval of the neighbour before any works can commence.
This can be a very time-consuming process and will add significant time to the scheduled works as well as additional costs.
A document prepared by an estate agent or solicitor outlining particulars of the sale of a property. It clarifies details such as price, settlement, finance, and any special conditions.
This survey is an accurate identification of a property boundary. Your builder will sometimes order this from a licensed surveyor before the construction of your home begins.
Completed by a licensed Land Surveyor to determine your exact title boundaries of the lot and replace any missing boundary pegs.
In new estates prior to land settlement, it is the Developer's responsibility to ensure that all boundary pegs are in place. Please ensure that your boundary pegs are in place prior to your settlement of you land otherwise this will be an additional cost to the owner.
An lteration to a standard design or building specification.
Also known as an 88b, this is attached to the Contract of Sale and provides the buyer with information about the sale of the property. As it is important to check this document thoroughly, it is a good idea to have your solicitor peruse it before an offer to a Vendor is signed.
A document between you and your builder which includes details of start and completion dates, new home specifications, contract price and progress payments.
A document between you and your builder which includes details of start and completion dates, new home specifications, contract price and progress payments.
Your Building Contract will be issued shortly after you have finalised your colour/electrical/heating/cooling upgrades. A copy of your contract will be issued to you and signing of the contract is required within 7 days of issue. Your Balance of 5% deposit is also required at the Contract Signing appointment.
Also known as a Section 32, this is attached to the Contract of Sale and provides the buyer with information about the sale of the property. As it is important to check this document thoroughly, it is a good idea to have your solicitor peruse it before an offer to a Vendor is signed.
The best way to find out whether you need a Planning Permit is to contact your Local Council. Generally, this will be required when subdividing land or demolishing a house. Depending on the Council, you may require one to build a new home.
This is a Site-specific analysis supplied to Burbank to determine the distinctive attributes of the property such as levels/contours, trees, AHD/flood levels, adjoining lot information, identifying service locations etc. This is usually completed in conjunction with the Soil Report, which we obtain as part of our preliminary works process.
A licensed surveyor will visit the site and prepare a Feature Survey by locating features particular to the site, including fences, trees, pits, adjacent buildings, ground level and contours. The survey will also determine the site fall/slope of the land. This is displayed as a series of contour lines at different levels. Your builder orders this information.
A licensed surveyor will visit the site and prepare a Contour Survey by locating features particular to the site, including fences, trees, pits, adjacent buildings, ground level and contours. The survey will also determine the site fall/slope of the land. This is displayed as a series of contour lines at different levels. Your builder orders this information.
A document between you and your builder which includes details of start and completion dates, new home specifications, contract price and progress payments.
Means your concrete slab has been poured and your building foundation is complete.
Means timber framing structure to all walls and roof are completed and approved by a Building Surveyor (this excludes the garage).
Means when your external wall cladding, roof covering, external doors and windows are installed, (even if those doors or windows are only temporary), this excludes the garage door and roof cover.
Means all the plaster to walls and ceilings and cornices are installed, as well as architraves, skirtings, hinged doors, baths, cabinets and cupboards and basins, troughs, sinks wherever laminated bench tops are selected are all fitted and fixed into position. 
Fixing excludes installation of prefabricated robe doors and shelving units, stone bench tops (and basins, trough and sinks where stone is selected) leaves linings and window infills, free standing baths.
Final stage means all internal and external painting, tiling, plumbing and electrical fit offs, termite treatment part B, garage door installation, all flooring covering, gas meter installation, hot water service and all appliances are all installed and if applicable: concrete paving, clothesline, curtains, blinds, and letterbox.
The Building Surveyor also completes a final inspection of the property and, upon receipt of all trade compliance certificates, will issue the Occupancy Permit. Once your home is completed your Final Invoice is issued, a Practical Completion Inspection will be scheduled with settlement to follow.
You're welcome to undertake an independent inspection by a private consultant at any stage during your build. However, before you make the decision to engage a consultant, remember that you have already appointed the services of a qualified and licensed independent Building Surveyor, so enlisting a consultant is not a necessary requirement and would be an additional cost to the Owner.
Your qualified and licensed Building Surveyor will carry out inspections in accordance with the current standard and Building Regulations, ensuring that compliance certificates have been received from all relevant licensed and regulated suppliers and trades before issuing an Occupancy Permit at the completion of the final inspection.
Please contact your New Home Coordinator for more information regarding Burbank's policies and procedures concerning the engagement of an independent consultant.
We completely understand the excitement and eagerness to inspect the progress of construction for your home. As your property will be a construction site it is important to only access the site with a Burbank representative present, we want to ensure your and our trades safety first and foremost. To arrange a site visit you will make the request directly to your New Home Co-ordinator or Building Supervisor, providing a minimum of 48 hours’ notice. Confirmation of an onsite appointment is subject to your supervisor's availability and OH&S conditions on site and works scheduled. Site meetings are held during business hours Monday to Friday. We allow one on-site visit per stage unless otherwise agreed.
When your home is completed and your appointment has been arranged to make the final payment and receive your keys, the following is required:
- All compliance certificates - obtained by the Builder from all relevant suppliers and trades.
- Occupancy Permit - issued by the Building Surveyor and a copy will be forwarded to you.
- Final Payment - needs to be obtained from your lender. Can be made via cash, bank cheque, or EFT (must be in our accounts prior to settlement appointment).
- For the bank to release your Final Payment they will need your Final Invoice and Occupancy Permit, your bank may also be required to complete a valuation of your property prior to releasing the final payment. You will also need to arrange your Home & Contents Insurance BEFORE you come into your settlement appointment. The settlement appointment is also sometimes referred to as Hand Over.
Your tender (which you with your sales consultant) will detail what is standard and what you have upgraded prior to your Edge studio appointment. You can also find a copy of our Design Essential booklet online at Burbank.com.au which details our quality standard inclusions. For more information check Edge Studio Design appointment category.
All service charges and bills are the responsibility of the Owner to pay during the construction period. These usages charges are generally minimal. Burbank will arrange and pay for the connection, and installation of, Water, Sewer, Storm Water, Electricity and Gas (if applicable) to your property.
Demolition is a commonly abbreviated to ‘demo’ in the building Industry. Demolition refers to the knocking down of the existing residence on the property you wish to build your new home. This usually involves the use of heavy machinery like a bulldozer and all rubble is removed from the site. Refer to Burbank's brochure: Owner's Responsibilities Demolition and Established Area Jobs.
1. Establishing vacancy for existing property
Ensure you are issuing the tenant with the correct vacancy notices.
2. Abolishing all existing services by licensed trades and with the correct approvals from the respective Authorities.
This includes electricity, gas, sewer, and stormwater. Existing water tapping may remain depending on condition and compliance.
3. Issuing of all required permits, including Demolition Permit, protection notices, OH & S compliances, and local council requirements
Demolition works, whereby the existing dwelling and all existing sheds, garages, paving, and landscaping are removed from the property including all footings. It is critical that all rubble and debris is removed from the site, and nothing is left buried, as this will result in extra site costs and delays when the Builder commences construction.
The demolition process can take up to 12 weeks. Upon completion of all demolition works in Burbank can now determine your Site Costs, as accurate levels / contours and soil classification can be obtained for your property. These are required to determine the appropriate slab design for your new home.
This is a feature survey requested by Burbank on your behalf. This survey provides Burbank with accurate data of the contours/ slope of your land. It will also identify all key elements specific to your block, which are critical in determining the siting of your new home, such as the location of existing power poles, cross over, trees, service locations and neighbouring structures. The reference to ‘Post Demolition’ refers to the fact the survey is conducted after the demolition works have taken place.
These are the computation, designs and details received from a Structural /Civil Engineer specifically calculated based on the results of the Feature Survey, Soil Report, and the design of the home you have selected, also taking into consideration where your home is positioned on your block of land. This is one of the many documents required to obtain a Building Permit.
The reference to ‘Post Demo’ refers to the fact the survey is conducted after the demolition works have taken place.
Selection appointment is an all-day commitment, your appointment will start at 9am and depending on your preparedness will run until 4pm. Note: Double storey homes are run over 2 days.
We encourage you to prepare as much as you can by visiting our display homes and attending weekend Edge Studio tours. Also, our Pinterest and Instagram pages are a great source of design inspiration.
The Edge Selection Studio operates as an appointment-based business, but we of course understand that sometimes things happen, and plans change. If you cannot attend your scheduled appointment, please contact the Edge Studio with at least three business days’ notice prior to your appointment to avoid a late cancellation fee.
Unfortunately, we are unable to change your promotion tier during the Edge Studio appointment. We encourage you to discuss your requirements with your New Home Consultant prior to your edge studio appointment so that a suitable promotional tier can be selected for your needs.
The focus of your time at Edge Studio is to finalise the colour and electrical detailing of your home. We cannot accommodate structural changes during the Edge Studio appointment. This includes things like Door sizes and the overall configuration of your kitchen.
Yes, during your appointment the Edge design team will inform you of any additional costs and provide alternatives where needed to ensure all selections meet your budget requirements. This will also be reflected in your take-home documentation.
As many as you like! Weekend tours are by appointment only and you can book a weekend Edge Studio tour via our website. We also offer browsing sessions (by appointment) from 1-5pm every Saturday and Sunday.
Yes, on the day of your Edge Studio appointment you will finalise your selections and read through all documentation including pricing with your Edge designers, prior to you signing them.
Yes, this is the time to check and finalise all your colour and electrical selections so we can move your file to the next exciting stage of the building process.
No, once your documentation has been signed at the Edge, your file is transferred back to your New Home Coordinator to prepare for contract signing.
Let us know how we can help. Our new home consultants will be in touch with anything you need.
Burbank is proudly an Australian home building company developing homes since 1983, led by a passionate team.
As a family owned and operated business, it holds unwavering family values instilled in the heart of every home.
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