From the initial planning stages and all the way through to handover, Christou Homes is dedicated to making the building process as simple and stress-free as possible.
Building a custom home involves a lot of decisions, significant financial investment and many moving parts.
Our process has been developed to give you greater clarity at each stage of the journey. From the first conversation through to design, pricing, construction and post-handover care, each stage is designed to answer important questions and reduce uncertainty before you move forward.
Your journey with Christou Homes begins with an initial phone call.
This gives us the opportunity to learn a little about your property, the type of home you are considering, your timeframe, your construction investment and what you are hoping to achieve.
It also gives us an opportunity to explain how Christou Homes works and determine whether we may be the right builder to help you move forward.
You can have an open conversation about your project before making any commitment.
It helps establish whether your ideas, expectations and construction investment are reasonably aligned and whether it makes sense to take the next step together.
The next step is your Vision Discovery meeting with Mark.
This meeting can take place at your property or at the Christou Homes office and gives us the opportunity to properly understand your project before you make any commitment to design.
If we meet onsite, Mark can walk the property with you, get a better understanding of the land and discuss any obvious opportunities or considerations that may influence the home.
We will talk about what you are wanting to build, the size and style of home you have in mind, how you want to use the property, your priorities and the level of construction investment you are working towards.
Mark will also explain the Christou Homes design and build process so you have a clear understanding of what would happen next if you decide to move forward.
Part of this conversation is also about being realistic.
If the home you are imagining does not align with the budget you are working with, Mark will discuss that with you early and help you understand what may need to change to bring the two closer together.
You get an experienced builder’s perspective on your project before spending money on design.
You leave the meeting with a clearer understanding of:
Sometimes that means confirming that everything appears to be heading in the right direction.
Other times, it means having an important conversation early about budget, size or expectations before you invest further into a design that may not be realistic.
Either way, the purpose is the same: greater clarity before you move forward.
Once you are ready to move forward after the Vision Discovery Stage, we begin the Design Creation Stage.
This is where we start bringing the vision for your new home to life.
You will meet separately with our interior designer and architect, allowing each of them to spend dedicated time understanding what you want from your home.
Your meeting with our interior designer is focused on understanding your style and how you want your home to feel. You will discuss your lifestyle, inspiration images, the design styles you are drawn to and the overall look and feel you would like to achieve. This helps establish a clear design direction before the architectural concept is developed.
You will also meet separately with our architect to discuss the home itself in greater detail — how you want to live, the spaces you need, how those spaces should work together, how the home should respond to your property and the architectural style you want to create.
From there, your architect begins developing the concept for your new home, bringing together your property, lifestyle, design preferences and the information gathered throughout these meetings.
Mark remains involved throughout the entire Design Creation Stage, working alongside you and the design team as the concept develops. His role is to provide a builder’s perspective, help keep the design grounded in construction reality and make sure budget and buildability continue to be considered as decisions are made.
You are not choosing a standard plan and trying to make your lifestyle fit around it.
Your home is being created specifically for you.
You have dedicated time with an interior designer to establish the look and feel of the home, and separate time with an architect to understand how you want the home to function and come together architecturally.
At the same time, Mark is there with you throughout the process, helping guide the project from a building and budget perspective rather than only becoming involved once the plans are complete.
The result is a concept created around your life, your property and the home you actually want to build, with Mark involved from the very beginning to help guide it in the right direction.
Once you are happy with your concept and want to continue towards construction, we move into the Priority Build Application stage.
This is where your concept is developed into the detailed information needed to properly prepare your home for approval, pricing and construction.
Your architectural documentation is developed further and the required consultants are brought into the project. Depending on your property and approval pathway, this may include surveys, engineering, energy assessments, planning or certification requirements and other specialist reports.
You will also continue working with our interior designer to develop the selections, finishes and specifications that help define exactly what will be included in your home.
Most importantly, Mark remains personally involved throughout this entire stage.
He works alongside you, the architect, interior designer and consultants as the detail comes together, reviewing the project from a construction and budget perspective and helping guide decisions along the way.
As more information becomes available, Mark is also able to continually assess how the design, selections and project requirements are affecting the overall construction cost.
By the end of this stage, the aim is to have the level of documentation and detail needed to prepare a comprehensive construction price and move confidently towards your building contract.
This is where your dream home starts becoming a fully considered, buildable project.
Rather than signing a building contract based on basic drawings, broad allowances or assumptions, we take the time to work through the important detail first.
And throughout the process, Mark is still there with you — not stepping back once the design is underway, but continuing to help guide the project as the important decisions are made.
This means that by the time you reach contract signing, there should be far fewer unknowns, far fewer assumptions and a much clearer understanding of what you are building and what it is going to cost.
The purpose of the Priority Build Application is simple: to do the hard work before the building contract, so you can move into construction with greater certainty and confidence.
Once the required approvals, documentation, specifications and construction pricing have been completed, we prepare your building contract.
By this point, a significant amount of work has already been done to clearly define your home before you are asked to make the commitment to build.
Your contract brings together the agreed scope of works, architectural drawings, specifications, selections, inclusions, construction price and contractual conditions into one clear agreement.
Mark will personally take you through the contract, explaining the key details and giving you the opportunity to ask questions before anything is signed.
The purpose of this meeting is to make sure you understand exactly what has been agreed, what is included and what happens next as we move towards construction.
Contract signing should not be the stage where you discover unexpected costs, unclear allowances or major gaps in the documentation.
Because of the work completed through the Design Creation and Priority Build Application stages, you are entering your building contract with a much clearer understanding of:
You are not signing based on a rough concept and hoping the details work themselves out later.
You are signing a contract built on the decisions, documentation and pricing that have been developed with you throughout the process.
And just as he has been through the earlier stages, Mark is there with you at this important point in the journey, making sure you understand the agreement before you commit to construction.
The contract should feel like confirmation of what has already been worked through together — not the beginning of a new set of unknowns.
This is where everything we have planned together begins to become your home.
Your build is managed by the Christou Homes construction team, with your Project Manager and Site Supervisor coordinating the day-to-day construction, trades, programme and quality of the work on site.
But Mark does not disappear once construction begins.
Mark continues to oversee your build throughout construction, remaining involved with the team and available to help guide the project as your home takes shape.
Throughout the build, you are kept informed through our online client portal, where you can access project updates, progress photos, schedules, communication and important documentation relating to your home.
You will also have access to your live site camera 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing you to check in on the progress of your home from anywhere in the world.
Regular communication, documented project updates and structured quality checks continue throughout construction so that progress, decisions and important information are not left to chance.
You should never have to wonder what is happening with your home.
This means you are not relying on occasional phone calls or waiting weeks to find out what is happening on site.
You can see the progress for yourself, stay informed as your home develops and know there is a team responsible for managing the detail, with Mark continuing to oversee the home he has helped you create from the very beginning.
From the first conversation to the day your home is completed, you are not handed from one person to the next. Mark remains part of the journey, while our construction team provides the structure, communication and visibility needed to give you confidence throughout the build.
As your home approaches completion, our team works through the final inspections and items required to prepare your home for handover.
We then take you through your completed home, provide the relevant documentation and information you need and finally hand over your keys.
Handover is more than simply receiving your keys.
We want you to understand your new home, have access to the information you need and feel comfortable that the construction journey has been properly completed.
Then it is time to start enjoying the home you have created.
Our involvement does not finish when you receive your keys.
Christou Homes conducts structured post-handover checks at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months.
This allows our team to continue monitoring your home after you have moved in and had time to live in it.
You know there is still a clear pathway back to Christou Homes after construction is complete.
Rather than handing over the keys and disappearing, we continue to stand behind the home we have built.
Because the relationship should not end the day construction does.
In this first step, you will meet with Mark onsite to walk through your property, discuss your goals, and consider the unique
characteristics of the land. You will receive a professional evaluation that takes into account the slope, views, restrictions, and potential. Along with this, Mark will provide personalised insights into cost expectations and next steps.
This clarity means you can make confident and informed decisions about your future home from the very beginning, knowing exactly what is possible and how to achieve it. From here, you will transition smoothly into the Design Creation Stage, equipped with a well-considered plan that reflects your vision
This is where your ideas begin to take shape and your dream home starts to come alive. Together with our architect and Mark, you will refine every detail, from the layout and floorplan to façade design until it perfectly suits your lifestyle and vision. You will work through a tailored design checklist, have direct access to our team, and see your ideas translated into concepts you can visualise and get excited about. This stage gives you complete design confidence and ensures your plans are ready to progress. Once your vision is locked in, you’ll step forward to secure your place with Priority Build Access.
This is the stage where progress accelerates. From this point onward, we handle everything for you, including all council and Complying Development Certificate (CDC) submissions, permits, paperwork, and lodgements. You can relax knowing every detail is being taken care of. Our goal is to move your approvals forward as efficiently as possible and secure your priority position in our schedule without unnecessary delays.
The final step before construction begins. At this stage your fixed price is confirmed, your construction slot is locked in, and the countdown to the commencement of your project officially begins. With your start date guaranteed and exclusive access to our client portal, you will always know what is coming next and who is looking after you. This is where certainty replaces any last minute concerns and the excitement truly begins. Once this stage is complete, we break ground and begin bringing your dream home to life
BUILT WITH QUALITY
Mark’s ability to problem solve and attention to all the details – big and small – meant our home was built with a quality of finish you don’t normally see in other homes.
G&C Bolton, Richmond
second to none
Mark’s workmanship is second to none and I would recommend him and his extended team to anyone!
B Woodbury, Richmond
the highest quality
Our build was completed to the highest quality, and it has been admired by our family and friends. We cannot recommend Christou Homes highly enough.
A&W Depoali, East Kurrajong
You do not need completed plans or every answer before speaking with us.
The first step is simply an initial phone call to discuss your property, your ideas and what you are hoping to achieve.
From there, we can help you understand whether Christou Homes is the right fit and what the next step should be.
