I LOVE building, and weve done it twice so far.........

How long did it take
1st house, a year, 2nd just under 6 months.

How much did you go over budget?
First house, not at all, second house, heaps. But we planned it that way. We got a list of how much allowance we had for EVERYTHING, and when it was time to choose, we paid straight up for the upgrades.. we upgraded tiles, paint, door handles etc. If you go with a builder and plan, the cost usually covers the cheapest stuff available.

What were the hidden/unexpected costs that you encountered?
None. We made sure everything was included, everything. If its a good builder, he can tell you wahat other peopel get included, it gives you a good idea on what you might included too.....

What would you do differently next time?
Check with council about the land and area.. they surrounded our 5 bed/study/3 loungeroom $485,000 home with housing commission.... the whole area is horrible now, and the house worth there has plummeted. Glad we got out, but leaving our dream home was awlful.

Anything else you want to tell me?
Enjoy it!!! People get too stressed. I LOVED going to pick tiles and colours!! Right up my allay. Check the site all the time. We caught them about to put carpet where the tiles were meant to go. It would of been covered by the builder, but would of taken time. So just check everything, all the time.