How to Find the Right Builder for You - Expert Advice from Dan Spencer

7th July 2025

Finance & Budgeting Pre-Construction Legal & Contracts First Home Buyer Investor Upsizing & Downsizing

Learn how to choose the right builder with Dan Spencer’s tips on sales consultants, builder quotes, client references and value beyond price.

How to Find the Right Builder for You - Expert Advice from Dan Spencer

Choosing a builder for your new home can feel overwhelming. After a few display home visits, you might have a pile of brochures, several quotes and plenty of questions about who to trust.

How do you look beyond the beautiful kitchens and promotional offers? And how do you work out which builder understands what you actually need?

In this Home Building Hub episode, Colin Bischof and Darren Brennan speak with sales trainer Dan Spencer about how to find the right builder for you. Drawing on his industry experience and his own home-building journey, Dan explains why thoughtful questions, clear communication and evidence from past clients deserve your attention.

Start with how you want to live

Before comparing builders, think about what your new home needs to do for you.

Dan encourages buyers to look beyond appearances and consider everyday functionality. A home might look impressive in a display village, but will its layout work for your family?

Consider:

• What do you enjoy about your current home?
• Which spaces feel cramped or underused?
• Do you work from home?
• How often do you entertain?
• Are accessibility or mobility needs important?
• How might your household change over time?

These answers give a consultant something useful to work with. Instead of simply asking for a four-bedroom home, you can explain why you need particular spaces and how you will use them.

Think about future buyers too

Dan also suggests speaking with knowledgeable local real estate agents about the types of homes that appeal to buyers in your area.

Useful discussion points include bedroom numbers, practical layouts, facade styles and the relationship between the home and block size.

You may plan to stay for years, but circumstances can change. Understanding local preferences can help you weigh up personal design choices alongside potential resale appeal. An agent’s opinion is one input, rather than a promise about future value.

Look for a sales consultant who asks thoughtful questions

One of Dan’s strongest messages is that a good consultant should spend time understanding you before recommending a home.

Their questions should go deeper than your preferred bedroom count.

For example:

• What is prompting you to move?
• What frustrates you about your existing layout?
• How does your family spend weekday evenings and weekends?
• Which features would make the biggest difference to daily life?

Pay attention to whether their recommendations connect with your answers. Can they explain why a particular design suits your household? Do they offer ideas you had not considered?

A useful conversation should leave you with a clearer understanding of your options.

Be open to advice that challenges your first idea

Dan shares an example from his own project: the builder he chose challenged his proposed staircase location and explained a better alternative.

That thoughtful pushback helped the builder stand out.

The lesson is to look for someone who can explain their reasoning, including when they disagree with you.

If you want to move walls or change a standard floor plan, ask:

• What problem will this change solve?
• How will it affect the way nearby spaces work?
• What additional design or construction work is involved?
• Is there an existing design that already meets the need?

Colin and Darren discuss how structural changes can add complexity. This does not mean every change should be avoided. It means understanding the consequences before proceeding.

Separate your needs from your wants

Dan recommends narrowing your brief to around four to six essential requirements, with a separate list of flexible preferences.

Your essentials might include:

• A layout that supports mobility needs.
• Enough bedrooms for your household.
• A functional kitchen.
• A dedicated workspace.
• Suitable storage.

Your optional preferences might include upgraded finishes, decorative features or a larger entertaining area.

The distinction is personal. A feature that is optional for one household may be essential for another.

A clear brief helps the consultant understand where to focus and which compromises you would consider.

Dan also discusses understanding your finances early and leaving room for unexpected costs. His broader message is to establish a realistic budget before becoming attached to a design and upgrade list.

Match the builder to the kind of home you want

Different builders have different strengths. Dan points out that even brands within the same building group may serve different buyers and project types.

Some focus on straightforward, affordable homes. Others offer more flexibility, extensive selection appointments or more complex designs.

Ask each builder:

• What types of homes do you build most often?
• How much flexibility do you offer with floor plans?
• Have you completed projects similar to mine?
• What support is available when choosing colours and finishes?

The aim is to find a builder whose usual work aligns with your project.

Notice organisation, follow-through and clear explanations

Dan suggests paying attention to the experience you have from your first visit.

Does the consultant follow through on promised information? Do they remember your priorities? Are their explanations easy to understand?

Look for:

• Clear answers to your questions.
• Accurate notes about your requirements.
• Promised information arriving when expected.
• Consistency between conversations and written details.
• A willingness to explain unfamiliar building terms.

These are useful signals about the service you are receiving. They are only part of assessing the builder’s wider capabilities, so keep asking for evidence beyond the sales experience.

Compare builder quotes by value as well as price

Dan encourages buyers to think carefully about what value means to them.

For one household, the priority might be a practical kitchen. For another, it could be accessible spaces, communication or design flexibility.

When comparing quotes, consider:

• How well the proposed home meets your essential requirements.
• What is included and what remains outside the quoted scope.
• Which displayed features are upgrades.
• How clearly the builder explains the proposal.
• What you can learn about construction supervision and service.

Colin suggests asking what buyers typically spend when building a particular design, rather than relying only on its display presentation.

A higher price does not automatically prove better quality, and a discount alone does not establish poor quality. The useful question is what each proposal delivers for the money and how well that matches your needs.

Ask past clients about the whole building journey

Dan strongly recommends speaking with previous clients who are willing to share their experiences.

Ask the builder to arrange introductions with permission, ideally to people whose homes were completed recently.

Questions worth asking include:

• Did the home and service meet your expectations?
• Were the initial explanations accurate?
• How well were you kept informed?
• If there were delays or problems, how were they handled?
• How responsive was the builder after handover?
• Would you choose the same builder again?

Builder-selected references provide one perspective. Consider them alongside other information rather than treating a single positive experience as conclusive.

Find out what happens when something goes wrong

Dan’s own building experience included issues. What he valued was a site supervisor who raised concerns early and helped work through possible solutions.

Before choosing a builder, ask who will manage communication during construction and how concerns are raised and followed up.

You are assessing more than a finished home. You are also choosing the people and processes that will guide you through the project.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose the right builder for my first home?

Start with your household’s needs and a clear project brief. Compare builders with relevant experience, assess how clearly they communicate and ask past clients about their building journey.

What should I tell a new home sales consultant?

Explain what works and what does not work in your current home, your essential requirements, flexible preferences and intended budget. Give them enough context to recommend a suitable design.

Should I choose the cheapest builder quote?

Price matters, but compare the scope, inclusions, design suitability and service behind each quote. The lowest headline figure may represent a different proposal from the others.

Is a consultant who agrees with every request a good sign?

Look for thoughtful explanations. A useful consultant should be able to discuss trade-offs and respectfully challenge a change when they believe another option would better suit your needs.

Are builder reviews enough to make a decision?

Dan recommends going further by speaking with willing past clients. Ask detailed questions about communication, problem-solving and service after handover, alongside reviewing other available information.

Glossary of Terms

• Facade:

  The external appearance of a home, particularly its front elevation.

• Inclusions:

  The items and features specified as part of a building proposal or contract.

• Upgrade:

  An alternative or additional feature beyond the standard offering.

• Structural change:

  A change affecting the building’s structure or layout, such as changing walls or room dimensions.

• Site supervisor:

  The person who oversees and coordinates construction work on site.

• Handover:

  The stage when the completed home is formally handed over to the owner.

• Overcapitalisation:

  Spending more on a property than its market value supports.

Key Takeaways

• Define how your home needs to function before comparing builders.
• Look for a consultant who asks detailed questions and explains recommendations.
• Separate essential requirements from flexible preferences.
• Choose a builder with experience in the kind of home you want.
• Compare the scope and value of quotes alongside their prices.
• Ask past clients about communication, problem-solving and after-handover service.
• Find out who will support you during construction and how concerns are handled.

Watch the Full Episode

Hear Dan Spencer’s insights in the full conversation with Colin Bischof and Darren Brennan.

Watch or listen to “Leading Sales trainer reveals: How to find the right builder for you”

About the Home Building Hub Podcast

The Home Building Hub podcast, hosted by industry experts Colin Bischof and Darren Brennan, is Australia’s premier resource for new home buyers. With weekly episodes featuring special guests, the podcast provides objective, high-quality insights into the home building process - completely free and without sales pitches. From understanding financing options to navigating the complexities of building a new home, each episode is packed with actionable advice and tips. Explore more episodes at http://www.homebuildinghub.com.au and join our growing community of informed home buyers.

Disclaimer

This article was generated by AI based on a transcript of our podcast episode and may contain inaccuracies or omissions. Whilst we’re all about providing value to you, this article should not be considered as legal or financial advice. It contains general information only and is based on the content discussed during the podcast episode. This information is relevant to the episode’s release date and may not be applicable at the time of reading. Always seek independent professional advice tailored to your personal situation before making any legal or financial decisions.