Beach breezes and kookaburras as your alarm clock, your Wollongong block of land will be a stunning place to live. With your designs nearly locked in, you've probably turned your mind to the more practical aspects of building a house, like how long before you can move in?
For most custom homes, whether in Wollongong or elsewhere in Australia, the build process timeline is over a year, or around 12-18 months. But what actually affects how quickly you can move into your dream house?
In this guide, we'll give you a clear idea of what factors affect the time it takes to build a custom home, with a breakdown of each phase, how it compares to the time it takes to build a project home and expert tips to keep everything on track. We'll also look at factors that affect the schedule of new home builds in Wollongong specifically, such as coastal engineering, local council approval and sloping sites.
On average, a custom home build in Australia takes 12-18 months. A project home (often sold in house and land packages) can be finished in as little as 6-8 months, however, their designs are generally more straightforward and they are normally built by companies that complete many similar projects at the same time, which can help save time on sourcing materials and tradespeople.
Master Builders Australia says that overall, the average time between approval and completion for detached houses is 11.5 months. But, they say, the process now takes 35.8% longer than it did just a decade ago. This explains why it can be so difficult for Australians to grasp how long the home building process takes.
Is the average timeline the same in the Illawarra region?
In Wollongong, the exact timeline can vary due to factors such as council approval times, weather conditions and the availability of local tradespeople. Wollongong City Council is known to have a slower DA approval process than some neighbouring councils, as it deals with a high volume of applications, many of which are subject to detailed environmental assessments. This can add up to eight weeks to the building timeline.
A custom home and project home comparison of the timeline to build
Here's a clear, detailed picture of how many weeks each phase of the home-building process takes, with mentions of factors unique to the Wollongong/Illawarra area.
Wollongong-specific delay risks: The planning phase can take a few months extra in Wollongong due to coastal environment constraints, bushfire zones, flood planning or heritage area challenges.
Wollongong-specific delay risks: Sloping and rocky sites are common in the Illawarra escarpment.
Suburbs such as Figtree, Bulli, Austinmer and Keiraville may require additional work to meet local building regulations, including geotechnical assessments, custom engineering, or extra site preparation like rock excavation and retaining walls. These steps may add up to 6 weeks to the pre-construction process. Wollongong's winter rains can also impact how quickly you can move through this phase.
Wollongong-specific delay risks: The framing and lock-up stage is a significant milestone in the construction process, as your house will finally begin to look like the dream home you've been waiting for. However, extreme weather events and Wollongong's unique environmental conditions can add delays of up to eight weeks across the framing and roofing stages. This includes heavy bursts of rainfall due to coastal and escarpment weather interaction, extreme heat that can cause labour stoppages, storms and strong southerlies that disrupt roof and frame erection.
Wollongong-specific delay risks: Although post-COVID supply chain disruptions have eased, custom selections can still cause construction timeline delays. This is because, unlike the Sydney metro area, Wollongong is not a major distribution hub. Custom steel, imported tiles and windows and glazing are just some of the construction materials that can be affected by supply chain issues without careful planning and clear communication with your builder.
Wollongong-specific delay risks: Delays can still occur at the final stage of this lengthy process, specifically in obtaining an occupation certificate. Private certifiers and councils can face backlogs that can push your move-in date out by several weeks, particularly at the end of the month and close to public holidays. Certifiers will also pay close attention to the compliance of corrosion ratings for external features, given that it's a coastal zone. High humidity can also delay the installation of flooring, and the wait is as exciting as watching paint dry (which you may also have to wait for during times of high humidity).
Several factors can affect the length of time it takes to build a home. Here are our tips to help you plan the stages of your building journey to avoid stress and costly delays, with extra advice for those looking to build a unique custom home in Wollongong.
One reason project homes are quicker to build is that they use pre-designed plans. Custom homes typically involve more complex designs, with custom features such as curves, multiple levels, or the use of unique materials, which can take longer to construct. Any design changes you make once the construction process has begun can also extend your timeline, especially if they affect compliance with local regulations. Setting realistic expectations about what can be achieved can help you weigh your design desires against your budget limitations.
Another reason project homes can go up so quickly compared to custom builds is that they are often found in housing estates where much of the land preparation is already complete. If you're planning to build on a sloping block that requires extensive stormwater drainage or retaining, one with a lot of vegetation, or a block that poses access challenges, expect it to take longer.
Wollongong's weather can have a real impact come construction time, affecting everything from site access to building a solid foundation. To avoid unnecessary delays, plan key stages around Wollongong's wettest period from late summer to early autumn.
Wollongong relies heavily on interstate freight and regional suppliers, so this can cause delays if you're not prepared. Lead times for specialty items can be much greater than for a house build in capital cities like Sydney, so always consider this impact when selecting custom materials over standard products.
Building a house using a Complying Development Certificate and a Development Application will have an enormous impact on the timeline and it's something you should consider before you even buy your block of land. This is because CDCs streamline the approval process for developments that meet pre-set standards rather than having to wait for local council approvals. It's not to say you shouldn't build if you require a DA, but you should be realistic about how much longer it can take.
It's a major factor when it comes to how quickly you can have your home built, so it's critical to consider the Illawarra's unique characteristics when it comes to securing a reliable builder. Multiple developments and population growth are causing high demand in Wollongong and surrounding suburbs, which means there's a longer waitlist for experienced builders. Meeting with your builder as early in the process as possible can help as they can help you work through the various stages, like securing necessary permits early.
Decision-making is one of the biggest hidden causes of building delays. From your roof colour to the design of your kitchen, if you don't make decisions quickly, trades can't be booked, materials can't be ordered and work becomes out of sequence, which can also make things take longer. Delayed decisions can cause even greater problems in an area like Wollongong where there are longer lead times on deliveries, with weekly or fortnightly windows the norm.
Without signed loan documents and unconditional approval, your builder can not start work. Finalise your budget early and have your documents ready for your lender or risk lengthy delays of up to several weeks. Finance delays are even more common if you're buying in an area of Wollongong with rapidly increasing land prices, like Wongawilli or Shell Cove, as your lender may need to reassess values, take longer to issue approvals or ask for a larger deposit.
Building a custom home in the Wollongong/Illawarra region typically falls within a 12–18 month timeframe, which is often faster and more predictable than the 14–20+ months commonly seen in the Sydney Metro area.
Wollongong as a region experiences less site congestion, allowing for quicker trade access and material deliveries. Furthermore, a dedicated pool of localised tradespeople in the Illawarra region can lead to faster scheduling compared to the competition for labour and parts often experienced in the larger Sydney market.
Ever wonder why some people have easy, breezy builds and others have only horror stories to tell? Here are the key reasons some construction projects seem to go on forever, as well as some quick tips on how to avoid building delays and custom home problems.
You can achieve the timely completion of your dream home by following these tricks of the trade.
The shortest realistic timeline is generally 10–12 months total (including pre-construction) when building in perfect conditions.
It's possible to speed things up during the pre-construction phase. Ensuring the design is immediately compliant with local codes to qualify for a CDC and submit thoroughly prepared documentation to avoid delays.
The fixing and internal work phase is typically the longest. It can take up to 3 months (10–14 weeks) for a custom home.
It's standard practice to budget an additional 2 to 3 months of contingency time to a custom build to allow for delays caused by adverse weather, supplier issues, and other issues out of your control.
Major design and structural decisions need to be made before the contract is signed. Other, non-structural selections, such as tiles, fittings or paint colours, can be made further down the line. The standard deadline is typically 8 to 10 weeks before the specific items are required on site.
Your builder will manage day-to-day operations on the building site, but you should be available for communications and progress updates.
While it takes around a year to build a custom home, by the end of the process, you'll have a house that fits your lifestyle and your family's unique needs. And by following our tips above, you can minimise delays and be living in your dream home sooner. Remember - be organised, be decisive and be realistic.
With the right partner, a custom home journey is worth taking. So, if you're ready to start your build, contact Wollongong's finest custom home builder - A Class Building and Construction. Contact us for a building consultation today on 0414 183 503 or visit our website to fill in a questionnaire and we'll be in touch soon.
