A general guide, not a promise. Build times vary with the builder, the design, the block, the weather and your selections. For current Melbourne build-time and cost figures, see the Melbourne Build Cost Report.
The Victorian build, stage by stage
1. Before you start: land and design
Land settlement, a soil test and contour survey, then locking in your final design, inclusions and colours. On a greenfield growth-corridor block you may also wait on titling. This planning phase runs from a few weeks to a few months and is where you avoid later delays.
2. Working drawings and engineering
Your builder turns the design into detailed working drawings, energy (6-star/7-star) rating and structural engineering. Allow several weeks, longer for custom or sloping-site designs.
3. Building permit
In Victoria a registered building surveyor (private or council) issues the building permit, it is not automatic. Any planning permit (overlays, small lots, heritage) is sorted first. Budget several weeks, and more if a planning permit is involved.
4. Site start and base stage
Site cut, service trenches and the slab or footings go in. This is your first progress payment after the deposit and the point the build becomes real on the ground.
5. Frame stage
The frame goes up and is inspected and approved by the building surveyor before the next stage. Delays here are usually trade or weather related.
6. Lock-up stage
Roof, external walls or brickwork, windows and external doors are on, so the home can be locked up. Internal trades can now work protected from the weather.
7. Fixing stage
Internal fit-out: plaster, cabinetry, doors, skirting, tiling and fixtures. This is the busiest stage for your selections, so lock them in early to avoid holds.
8. Completion (practical completion)
Final fit-off, painting, tiling touch-ups and the final clean. You do a pre-handover walk-through and list any defects for the builder to fix before handover.
9. Occupancy permit and handover
The building surveyor issues the occupancy permit once the home is safe to occupy. You pay the final progress payment, get the keys and the documentation, and move in.
10. Maintenance period
Most contracts include a defects liability or maintenance period, commonly around 3 months (90 days), to report and have shrinkage, settling or minor defects rectified. Your longer statutory warranties still apply after this.
Build timeline questions
As a general guide, a standard single-storey volume home commonly runs about 10 to 14 months from site start, with double-storey and custom homes often longer. Weather, trade availability, variations and titling on greenfield blocks all move the dates. For current build-time figures see the Melbourne Build Cost Report; this page explains the stages rather than promising an exact number.
Plan the rest: read what to check in your building contract, your warranty and rights after handover, and explore building a new home across Melbourne.
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