Editorial Notebook, refreshed quarterly

What BuildPilot has weighed in on this quarter.

A reverse-chronological digest of editorial opinions published across BuildPilot. Each entry is the editorial reading of George Giannakakis, BuildPilot’s founder, who personally holds the qualifications that make these opinions accountable: a Master of Architecture (University of South Australia), an active South Australian real estate licence (RLA300580), and a seat on the HIA-CSR South Australian Housing & Kitchen Awards judging panel. These are opinions, not advice. For one-to-one advice on your specific build, see One on One Support.

Last reviewed by BuildPilot ·

12 editorial entries1 quarter9 topic areas

How to read the notebook

The BuildPilot Source Index lists the authorities we cite (the facts). This notebook lists what BuildPilot has said about those facts (the opinions). Read them side-by-side and the editorial line between fact and opinion is explicit. Where you see “in our reading” or “our experience”, that is George’s editorial view based on his work with Adelaide families. Where we cite a primary source, we link it.

Q1 2026(12)

Lifecycle: Start Dreaming

Stay in the dreaming stage longer than you think

Read in context, Start Dreaming pillar
Lifecycle: Begin Planning

The per-square-metre rate is the most misleading number in Adelaide building

Read in context, Begin Planning pillar
Lifecycle: Make Choices

Match the builder to the brief, not the brief to the builder

Read in context, Make Choices pillar
Lifecycle: Get Building

Frame-stage and pre-handover inspections are the cheapest insurance on any Adelaide build

Read in context, Get Building pillar
Lifecycle: Love Living

Most Adelaide owners under-use the 90-day defect liability window

Read in context, Love Living pillar
First Home Buyers

The Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee is the most underused option we see

Read in context, Source Index, Housing Australia
Energy & Compliance

The 7-star NatHERS minimum is still surprising Adelaide buyers

Read in context, Source Index, ABCB
First Home Buyers

HomeStart Shared Equity is materially better than the federal 5% Deposit Scheme for under-$115K households

Read in context, Source Index, HomeStart
Building Contracts

The single most useful piece of SA legislation for Adelaide buyers to skim before signing

Read in context, Source Index, BWC Act
Building Contracts

Two HIA standard contract clauses cause most of the contract surprises we see

Read in context, Source Index, HIA
Energy & Compliance

Most Adelaide builders are not yet pricing the 2025 Livable Housing rules into the base spec

Read in context, Source Index, NCC 2025
Bushfire & Land

BAL-29 is where Adelaide Hills cost and design constraints really start to bite

Read in context, Source Index, Bushfire