Our Philosophy
If you’re going to do it, do it right
01
Project Inquiry
After you get in touch, we’ll work with you to develop a concept plan to suit your needs and budget. Both Andrew Stephenson, one of the Directors of RALCON Homes and Claire Thompson, our drafter and interior designer, will work with you to develop a concept plan to suit your budget and your needs.
02
Estimate
Next, Andrew will begin preparing your Bill of Quantities. We’ll let you know when he’s begun working his magic, so you remain informed throughout. We’re also here to answer any questions you may have, every step of the way.
03
Inclusions
During that time, we’ll give you a list of our standard inclusions. We’ll work with you to customise your inclusions to suit your desires & budget. A walk through our Onsite Selection Centre can help you visualise our inclusions and make these very important choices.
04
Site Visit
RALCON Homes will conduct a preliminary site visit to take photos and levels, and identify any logistical issues that may influence the delivery of your project. This information helps us formulate a complete picture of your requirements, and a more accurate proposal, so we can give you a price you can rely on.
05
Trade Pricing
Once we have all this information, we’ll send it to our local suppliers and subcontractors for accurate quotes based on accurate quantities. Waiting for quotes until this stage helps prevent the kinds of mistakes and omissions that can become budget-blowout variations during construction.
06
Scheduling
The next step is scheduling. Scheduling is integral to understanding the implications of delivering your project. Our suppliers and subcontractors will inform us of their lead times and deliverables, allowing us to confidently and accurately schedule your project and offer you a reliable timeline.
07
First Proposal
When everything is ready, we’ll compile ALL this information to deliver your first proposal. Although it’s extremely accurate, the first proposal is still just a benchmark. If it meets with your approval, we can move straight to Step 10 (contracts). However, if it falls outside your budget, we’re happy to rework it for you.
08
Re-works
If the initial proposal didn’t meet your budget, don’t worry. Building plans are rarely designed to budget, so this is very normal. Together, we’ll consider how we can vary your project to meet your needs, for example, by staging the build or substituting one material for another. There are many variations we can work with, and we’re happy to walk you through them all.
09
Resubmission
Once we’ve worked through all the variables with you, we’ll resubmit a reworked version of your project proposal for your evaluation. Remember, RALCON Homes will always work with you to ensure we’re able to get your project into budget, without compromising on quality.
10
Contracts
When you’re happy with your proposal and ready to go ahead, we’ll prepare a fixed-price contract for you. We use a Master Builders contract written in plain English (no “legalese”) so it’s easy to read and understand. We’ll also go through the contract with you and answer any questions you have.
11
Permits
Once you’ve signed a Contract, our office manager, Leonie Smith will start getting everything ready to apply for a building permit. This includes soil tests, engineering drawings and local Shire consents. Once Leonie’s applied for the permit, the building surveyor will let us know what else we need, so they can issue the permit. We’ll take care of all the boring stuff and leave you free to concentrate on the exciting bits.
12
Construction Begins
Once we receive your building permit the most exciting stage begins! Our Project Manager will be in touch to let you know when Construction will begin and once we get started he’ll keep you updated every step of the way. You’ll also see your project take shape through scheduled site visits.
13
Handover
Before handover, we’ll carry out a detailed inspection of the completed works and rectify any defects. Then we’ll undertake a second walkthrough with you to inspect any additional works prior to handover. You’ll receive the keys and you can move into your brand new home!
14
Maintenance Period
Our support doesn’t end when construction is completed. We offer a 3 month maintenance inspection to ensure any maintenance issues are immediately resolved. We’ll also address any urgent concerns you encounter during the first year, so you can be confident your home is built to thrive through all four seasons!
