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Christou Homes has been building custom homes for over 20 years. Dealing directly with clients on a personal level to fulfil all of their dream home needs.
Christou Homes has also been a long term member of the HIA, which provides our clients with the reassurance that they are covered and are in good hands when they choose to build with Christou Homes.
As a HIA member we agree to be bound by the HIA National Code of Ethics developed to promote the highest standards of work and conduct. Under the National Code of Ethics, we ensure to provide products and services with competence, fairness, value, honesty and integrity.
The length of each build is essentially determined by multiple factors, such as –
the size of your home build, the land and the inclusions you have selected. Other aspects that can affect the build time include the time of year and the weather conditions throughout your build. All this is assessed, and an estimated time frame is provided after we give you a quotation to build and obtain approvals.
Yes, we can definitely communicate with council during the approval process making the development application process simple and easy for you.
This varies depending on your LGA but generally 6+ weeks if your design fits within council regulations. It can take longer if your deign requires exemptions.
BASIX stands for ‘Building Sustainability Index’. It is an Energy efficiency rating scheme. BASIX requirements apply to all residential dwelling types and are part of the development application process in NSW. BASIX is one of the strongest sustainable planning measures to be undertaken in Australia.
In NSW, there are BASIX requirements for water and energy usage and thermal comfort performance that apply to:
To approve such developments, the consent authority (usually your local council) requires evidence that the development plans meets the BASIX requirements. Examples of something that could be included in your BASIX that would ensure it meets the building and sustainability Index is a water tank. Water tanks are installed to catch the rainwater from the roof of our home and then transferred back into your home for use in your garden etc.
NSW is getting tougher on energy standards in residential buildings. From October 2023, all new home builds and renovations costing more than $50,000 must have a 7 star energy rating under the state’s Building Sustainability Index (BASIX), up from 5.5 stars.
A higher energy rating aims to slash greenhouse gas emissions from new residential dwellings by a further 7-11%. This is in a bid to meet Australia’s goal to achieve zero-carbon-ready buildings by 2050.
It requires the inclusion of fixed appliances such as heating, cooling, hot water and lighting and being ready for the use of solar panels to harness sunshine for electricity, and for charging electric vehicles. It will also require climate-resistant features like better insulation, condensation mitigation, higher quality glazing and smarter floor plans.
There will be a 12-month transition for the new energy efficiency standards to come into effect. They will come into force in May 2023 and all new homes will have to comply by October 2023. Renovations will also have to reach a 7-star rating.
The cost of building a new home with Christou Homes depends on multiple factors, such a design, size and the landscape we are building your new home on. From the beginning we provide a details estimate inclusive of all of the costs associated with building your dream home. We do not have any hidden costs.
One thing to note is that most builders do not include the cost of landscaping, driveways and window furnishings in your initial building contract. If you require any of these costs to be included in the building process advise us from the beginning and ensure that you have money set aside to cover these costs so you can completely finish your build.
Stamp duty is a type of tax. It is applied to a transaction when you buy or acquire property. including transfers of property.
If you are thinking about purchasing land to build a new home or purchasing a property to knockdown and rebuild, don’t forget to factor stamp duty into your budget.
The buyer of the property pays the stamp duty.
Stamp duty is decided by separate state and territory governments, rather than the federal government, so rates vary.
Working out the amount you have to pay can become confusing due to the different approaches by each state.
It’s also important to note that some states offer concessions to first-time buyers. And that rates also vary for those buying land.
Click on the following link to work out how much you might need to pay in NSW. Calculate the stamp duty on the sale of land or businesses in NSW | Service NSW
Stamp Duty is payable within three months of settlement. When the purchase is made ‘off the plan,’ buyers must pay duty within three months of the completion of the agreement.
Building a home with Christou Homes means you get all of the information upfront in the beginning. We are transparent and avoid any hidden costs. All our homes have quality standard inclusions from our leading suppliers such as Reece, Stegbar, PGH Bricks, Austral bricks, colorbond steel and more. You can also upgrade any of the standard inclusions to take your home to the next level. We also include standard site costs upfront and any BASIX requirements.
When you build with Christou Homes you can have exclusive access to footage from your own onsite Visions Intelligence camera via an app on your phone. This camera provides live up to date footage of the progress of your new home build. This keeps you in the know at all times, even when you are too busy to get to site.
You also are able to chat with the builder directly at any time during the build. Which is something you cannot do with many other new home builders. We pride ourselves on our communication with all clients during every aspect of the build.
Start the conversation about your building project with us today. We can meet at a time and place that suits you.
