We were lucky enough to interview Lachlan and Steph who have just moved into their brand new home! We asked them a few questions about their journey and get their honest feedback.

Q: What made you decide to buy/build a new home?

A: There is no better feeling then purchasing your own first home. My husband and I were lucky enough to build our first home with everything that we wanted. We decided to build rather then buy an established home as we had total control over the entire project, like colour schemes and landscaping. It was exactly what we wanted.

Q. If you could do it again, what would you do differently?

A: If we had an opportunity to do something different it would be to make our entertaining area a bit bigger to accommodate for more family and friends when they visit. We would also get darker carpets, as light carpets tend to show more marks and stains which leads to more frequent carpet cleaning.

Q. What were the best things about building a new home?

A:  Having total control over the process. Being able to choose the brick colour, wall paint, carpet and even down to the type of doors and handles we wanted. Everything was specifically picked by my husband and I.

Q. What did you find hard about building a new home?

A: As a young couple, we moved in with our family during the build process to save on renting costs. We were lucky we had very supportive family who accommodated us, during this time but for others this may be more difficult.

Q. How did you decide on your builder?

A: We built with Blue Tongue Homes. We had a look around for many months to find a builder that was down to earth, up front and honest about all aspects of the build (no hidden costs or features). We found them to be the most accommodating & reasonably priced. I would highly recommend others to do their research on builders to ensure they are getting the package they desire for a fair price. We would definitely build with Blue Tongue again. They made the process very quick and easy.

Q. What would you recommend to other people building for the first time?

A: I would highly recommend others to build if they can. Its an amazing feeling to build your own home just the way you like it. It's very rewarding. Just ensure you are aware of the deal you are entering into and know exactly what you are getting... and what you are not.

Q. What did you think was included in your build but was not?

A: Our House and Land package was called a “turn key package” which meant that everything was included, like fencing, landscaping, fly screens... and even the mail box was included. As we did our research we were very lucky we didn’t have the hassle of having to complete parts of our home after we moved in. The day of settlement, the keys were handed over and we moved into our completed house. It was great!