FAQs

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.

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.

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.

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

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 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.

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.
 

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 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.

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. 

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.

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.

A document between you and your builder which includes details of start and completion dates, new home specifications, contract price and progress payments.

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.