The new build construction process is the part of buying property in Australia that is hardest to picture. Unlike buying an established home — where you can see the thing you are paying for — building means paying by progress for something that does not exist yet. Money leaves your account in instalments, and the house only takes shape over months.
If you are building in Queensland, some of the steps below have rules specific to the state — who issues the building approval, the five mandatory inspection stages, and the final set of documents. The overview is in our article on building a house in Queensland.
None of that means risk. It means the checkpoints matter far more than they do when buying an established home: at each stage there are a few things that are hard, or expensive, to fix later if you skip them.
Most guides on this subject stop at listing the names of the stages. This one goes a step further: at each stage, what you have to decide, and what to check before you sign or before you release the next payment.
The new build construction process runs through seven stages: contract, design and selections, approvals, slab, frame, lock-up and fit-out, handover. Before all seven there is one step you should not skip: checking the builder’s licence. The most important checkpoint is the frame stage, because after it most of the structure is covered up.
How building differs from buying an established home
The biggest difference is in how the cash flow works.
Buying established: you pay a deposit, then the balance at settlement, and you get the keys. Once.
Building: you usually sign two separate contracts — one to buy the land, one to build. The land money is drawn first. The build money is then released as progress payments, each tied to a completed construction stage. That two-contract mechanism is covered in more detail in our article on house and land packages in Brisbane.
The practical consequence that catches people out: for the whole build period you are paying interest on the money drawn down so far, and you may also be renting somewhere to live. This is the tightest stretch for cash flow, and it lasts as long as construction does.
For buyers who are not citizens or permanent residents: foreign investors generally need to notify the Australian Taxation Office before acquiring residential land, regardless of value. For vacant residential land, approval is generally conditional upon the construction being completed within 4 years and the land not being sold until the construction is complete (foreigninvestment.gov.au, last updated 1 July 2026). The fee schedule is covered in our article on FIRB application fees for residential property.
Check the builder’s QBCC licence before you sign
This is the step most guides leave out, and in Queensland it is the first one worth doing.
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) is the state body that licenses and regulates building contractors. Before you sign anything:
- Search the builder’s licence number on QBCC’s system. Check that the licence is current, that it covers the right class of work, and look at the licence history. QBCC runs a public search by name or licence number — Find a licensed contractor.
- Match the name on the licence against the legal entity named in the contract. The two have to line up. A case where the company signing the contract is not the company holding the licence is a reason to ask questions.
- Go and look at a site the builder currently has under construction, not only the display home. The display home shows their best finish; a live site shows how they work day to day.
The full method, and all five of QBCC’s public registers, is in our article on checking a builder’s QBCC licence.
Stage 1 — The build contract and the costs deliberately left open
This is the stage that decides the most, and the one most often signed in a hurry.
If you are buying a house and land package, the two contracts are usually presented at the same time and look like one seamless bundle. They are still two separate contracts, with two different sellers and two different sets of conditions.
Three terms decide whether your price holds:
| Term | What it means | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Site cost | The cost of preparing the block: levelling, rock excavation, treating poor soil, retaining walls, service connections | The most common source of cost blowouts. Often only an estimate at signing, because the soil test results are not in yet |
| Provisional sum | An item you know will be done, but whose price is not yet fixed | If the real cost is higher than the estimate, you pay the difference |
| Prime cost item | A material with an allowance set aside, which you will choose specifically later | Choose something dearer than the allowance and you top up the difference |
What to check before you sign:
- Whether the contract is fixed price, and what “fixed” excludes. Plenty of contracts fix the price of the house itself but leave the site and footing costs open.
- The construction period, and the circumstances in which the builder can claim an extension of time.
- Whether the land contract is registered. Unregistered land means the subdivision is not finalised; the settlement date is an estimate and can move.
- The progress payment schedule — how many draws, the percentage at each, and the conditions for a stage to count as complete.
The most important thing at this step: have a solicitor read both contracts before you sign. This is not a formality — the clauses that push cost risk onto the buyer usually sit in the annexures, not on the price page.
Nextstar is a real estate agency. We do not interpret contract clauses — that is work for someone holding a practising certificate in law, and it is a line we keep.
Stage 2 — Design and selections
Once the contract is signed you move into choosing: bricks, kitchen, flooring, bathroom fittings, paint, electrical.
This is where budgets slip the most, because each individual upgrade looks small.
- The base contract is tied to a set of standard inclusions. Anything outside that set is an upgrade and costs extra.
- Display homes are almost always presented at a higher specification than the standard. Ask it straight: “In this display home, what is not part of the standard inclusions?”
- Some changes have to be locked in before the slab is poured or the frame goes up — power point positions, plumbing points, windows. After that they can still be changed, but through a variation, and the cost is a different matter.
- Every change should come through as a written variation with a price on it, signed before the work is done. A verbal agreement on site is worth nothing in a dispute.
A way to hold the budget: split upgrades into two groups — the ones that have to happen during construction (structure, electrical and plumbing positions, acoustic and thermal insulation) and the ones that can wait (blinds, landscaping, built-in joinery, appliances). Spend on the first group.
Stage 3 — Approvals
Before any machinery arrives on site, the documents have to clear planning approval and building approval.
What to check:
- Who is responsible for lodging — the builder or you. Usually the builder, but it should say so in the contract.
- The estate’s own restrictions (a covenant or design guideline). Many newer Brisbane estates set rules for facade materials, colours, fence heights, and even a deadline to start building after land settlement.
- Whether the block sits in an area with specific overlays — flood, bushfire, vegetation requirements. For an address inside Brisbane City Council, property-level flood information is published through Flood Information Online, the Flood Awareness Map and FloodWise Property Reports.
A note for the Brisbane area: “Brisbane” in an advertisement is not the same thing as Brisbane City Council. Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich and Redland councils each have their own rules and fees. Work out which council actually administers your block before you estimate approval times.
This is usually the slowest stage with nobody clearly at fault. If the contract has a “start within X days” milestone, check whether that counts from the signing date or from the date approval is granted.
Stage 4 — Slab and footings
Construction begins. The site is levelled, underground services go in, and the footings and slab are poured.
This is also when the real site cost shows itself. If the soil test comes back different from the assumption at signing, the variation lands at this stage.
- Check the site cost variation against the wording in the original contract. If the contract called it an estimate, the difference is yours — but you are entitled to a line-by-line explanation, not one total figure.
- Check the slab dimensions and position against the drawings. A discrepancy caught now is fixable; the same discrepancy found after the frame is up is expensive.
- Confirm the progress payment for this stage is only released once the stage is complete.
If you have not settled on a block yet, the features that send site costs up are set out in our article on choosing a block of land in Brisbane.
Stage 5 — Frame: the most important checkpoint in the new build construction process
The frame goes up, then the roof, external walls and windows. This is the first time you see the real shape of the house.
It is the single most important checkpoint of the whole build, because after this stage most of the structure disappears behind plasterboard.
Worth doing: engage an independent building inspector — not the builder’s — at the frame stage. It is the last moment you can see the structure, the electrical runs and the plumbing before they are closed in.
What to check at the frame stage:
- Positions of power points, switches, plumbing points and data points against the approved drawings
- Window positions and sizes, and ceiling heights
- Ventilation and waterproofing in wet areas
- Insulation and acoustic treatment of the type specified in the contract
- No structural changes that you were not told about
A fault found at the frame stage is usually fixed in a few days. The same fault found after the fit-out can mean opening up walls.
Stage 6 — Lock-up and fit-out
The house is closed in (lock-up), then the fit-out begins: internal walls, kitchen joinery, flooring, appliances, paint.
This stage usually runs slower than people expect, because it depends on a lot of subcontractors and on material supply. In South East Queensland there is also the wet season — sustained heavy rain slows external work and concrete pours.
- Keep in regular contact with the site supervisor, and keep every exchange in email rather than text messages or phone calls.
- Photograph progress every time you visit the site, with the date on it.
- Check that what is being installed matches what you chose in selections. Substituting an “equivalent” happens, and you are entitled to be told first.
Stage 7 — Handover and the defect list
Before you take the keys, you walk through a practical completion inspection with the builder and put together a defect list — the items to be rectified.
- Do the walkthrough with an independent building inspector. Do not do it alone.
- Put the defect list in writing, with photos, email it to the builder and keep a copy.
- Check every door and window opens and closes properly; taps and drainage; switches; cracks; paint finish; floor level; grout and sealant in wet areas.
- Run a final check of the entire selections list.
Do not sign off on completion while the defect list is outstanding, unless your solicitor advises otherwise.
The seven stages at a glance
| Stage | The main job | What to check hardest |
|---|---|---|
| 0. Before signing | Choose the builder | QBCC licence search; legal entity names match |
| 1. Contract | Sign the land contract and the build contract | Site cost, provisional sum, prime cost item |
| 2. Design | Selections, final drawings | Standard inclusions; variations in writing |
| 3. Approvals | Planning and building approval | Estate covenant; which council actually applies |
| 4. Slab | Site works, footings and slab | Site cost variation explained line by line |
| 5. Frame | Frame, roof, windows | Independent inspector — the most important checkpoint |
| 6. Fit-out | Lock-up, interiors, appliances | Materials match the selections; keep the record in email |
| 7. Handover | Practical completion, defect list | Bring an inspector; defect list with photos |
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to build a house in Australia?
Construction time depends on the size of the house, the ground conditions, the weather and how quickly the local council processes approvals, so there is no single figure that applies to everyone. On top of construction you have to allow for design, selections and approvals before work starts — a period that is routinely underestimated. In South East Queensland the wet season is a meaningful source of delay. The build contract states the construction period along with the circumstances in which the builder can claim an extension; that is a section worth reading closely before you sign.
Can a foreign buyer build a house in Australia?
People who are not citizens or permanent residents can buy residential property in Australia, but generally need to notify the Australian Taxation Office before acquiring residential land, regardless of value. For vacant residential land, approval is generally conditional upon the construction being completed within 4 years and the land not being sold until construction is complete. Separately, the Government announced that from 1 April 2025 foreign persons — including temporary residents and foreign-owned companies — are temporarily banned from purchasing established dwellings unless an exception applies. The conditions that apply to a particular property should be checked at foreigninvestment.gov.au at the time you buy.
How do I check whether a builder is trustworthy?
Start with the licence search on QBCC’s system: current licence, right class of work, and the licence history. Then match the legal entity on the licence against the name on the contract — the two have to agree. Beyond that, go and see a site the builder currently has under construction rather than only a finished display home, and ask who the site supervisor for your build will be.
Do I need my own building inspector?
The certifier checks whether the work complies with the building code — a narrow scope, and not a substitute for an inspection carried out in your interest. An independent building inspector works for you, and checks the quality of the work against your contract and your drawings. The two stages most worth paying for are the frame stage and handover.
How do progress payments work?
The build money is released in instalments tied to completed construction stages rather than paid in one sum. The lender generally wants confirmation that a stage is complete before releasing the next draw, and during this period you pay interest on the amount drawn down rather than on the whole loan. The number of draws and the percentage at each are set out in each builder’s contract. How the drawdown works in practice varies between lenders — that part belongs with a licensed mortgage broker or directly with your bank.
Should I lock in the block first, or choose the house design first?
Do the two in parallel rather than in sequence, because the design has to fit the block on frontage width, slope and required setbacks. The practical method is to shortlist a few blocks, then ask the builder for the designs that fit each one, with a siting plan showing the house on the block. Locking in a design first and then hunting for a block usually ends in changing the design or paying for adjustments to it.
Next steps
The new build construction process is not complicated because of the engineering. It is complicated because the decision points are spread across many months, and each one has a few items that are hard to fix afterwards. Knowing the order of the seven stages, knowing what to look at in each, and checking the builder’s licence at the start — that is most of the work.
If you are earlier in the process, start with choosing a block of land and house and land packages. For the Queensland-specific approvals and inspections, see building a house in Queensland. For the state charges on the land contract, see transfer duty in Queensland, and if you are a citizen or permanent resident buying a new home for the first time, the first home owner grant.
If you would like to see what is being built in Brisbane right now, view our Brisbane projects or book a consultation.
Sources
- Residential land — Foreign Investment Review Framework, Australian Government (last updated 1 July 2026)
- Changes to foreign purchases of established dwellings — Australian Government (17 February 2025)
- Find a licensed contractor — Queensland Building and Construction Commission
- Flooding in Brisbane: Flood Information Online, Flood Awareness Map and FloodWise Property Reports — Brisbane City Council
- Foreign Investment Review Board — Residential land
- Brisbane City Council — Flood Awareness Map
Note on scope and timing: the figures and conditions above were checked against the official sources on 3 September 2026. Foreign investment rules, council tools and licensing requirements change — check the official source at the time you buy or build.
This article is general information at the time of writing and is not legal, engineering or financial advice. Anything to do with contracts, obligations and legal exposure belongs with a licensed solicitor or conveyancer; anything to do with structure and build quality belongs with an engineer, the builder and a building inspector.
This article is general information only and does not take into account your personal circumstances, financial situation or objectives. It is not legal, financial or taxation advice. You should obtain independent professional advice before making any property decision.
