Free checklist
New book · out 30 November 2026

Build your home without the regrets.

Prevent defects through knowledge instead of finding them afterwards. The Home Owner's Guide to Building Without Regret takes you through every stage of a new build, from the first sales meeting to your first year in the house. It shows you what to check, what to ask and when to push back, written by a builder who knows where builds go wrong.

A$69.95Delivered anywhere in Australia

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  • Paperback, 7 × 10 in
  • About 300 pages
  • Printed in Australia
  • Free digital edition
Prevent, don't react

The cheapest defect is the one that never gets built

Defect videos and handover inspections show you what went wrong once it's already in the walls, the slab or the roof. By then the fix means rework, delays and arguments. This book works earlier: it gives you the knowledge to stop problems at the decision that causes them.

Reacting afterwards

Finding defects once they're built

  • Problems found at handover or after you move in
  • Fixes mean opening up finished work
  • You're relying on the builder to agree and come back
  • Disputes, delays and costs land on you
Preventing through knowledge

Knowing what to check before it's covered up

  • Spot thin allowances and gaps before you sign
  • Know what to look at before each stage payment
  • Ask the right question while it's still cheap to change
  • Use an inspector at the right times, knowing what to ask
Where it goes wrong

Most regrets are locked in before the slab is poured

By the time a problem shows up on site, the decision that caused it was usually made months earlier, at a sales desk or in a contract you skimmed. The book shows you those moments while you can still change them.

Before you sign

Paying for a PSA without knowing what it buys

A preliminary service agreement often costs around $2,000. Know what you get and what it locks you into.

The contract

Allowances that blow out the budget

Provisional sums and prime cost items are where quoted prices quietly grow. Learn to spot thin allowances before you sign.

During the build

Variations that cost more than they should

Know the typical margins on variations and allowance adjustments, so you can question a price with confidence.

After handover

Missing your defects window

Your maintenance inspection and the 12-month defects period have deadlines. Miss them and repairs become your cost.

The real timeline

A new home takes longer than the brochure says

Most of the work happens before anyone arrives on site. The book maps every stage and the hold points where you need to be ready.

Pre-site

Land checks, soil tests, plans, selections, contract and approvals. Site start waits until your lender confirms funds.

On site

Slab, frame, roof, enclosed, fixing and finishes, with what to inspect at each stage before you pay.

After handover

Practical completion, the maintenance inspection, and how to raise defects so they get fixed.

What's inside

Every stage, in the order you'll face it

Before you sign

  1. Priorities and budget
  2. Knowing your land C1
  3. Salespeople and sales tactics
  4. Choosing your builder C4
  5. The preliminary service agreement
  6. Plans, specifications and selections
  7. The building contract

During the build

  1. Approvals and early works
  2. Records, site diaries and variations
  3. Inspections explained
  4. Slab, frame and roof C5–C9
  5. Rough-in and enclosed C10–C11
  6. Waterproofing, tiling and fixing C12–C14
  7. Painting C15

After handover

  1. Practical completion and handover C16–C17
  2. Defects and disputes
  3. Your first year in the home C18
  4. Maintenance and foundation care
  5. Glossary and build timeline

Also inside: parts for buying from a project builder and for owner-builders, and design chapters on orientation, insulation, windows, energy ratings and moisture. Written for homeowners anywhere in Australia, with notes on where your state's rules differ. The tags show which Constructor checklist goes with each chapter.

Is it for you?

Written for people building their first or next home

This book is for you if

  • You're about to meet a builder or sign a PSA
  • You've signed a contract and want to know what's coming
  • You're building with a project builder, a custom builder or as an owner-builder
  • You want to ask better questions without becoming a builder yourself

It isn't

  • A substitute for your own lawyer or building inspector
  • A technical trade manual or a summary of the Standards
  • A renovation guide
Comes with the book

Two things inside the back cover

Scan the QR code printed in the book. It takes you to one page on constructor.net.au where you claim both.

Free digital edition

Read it on your phone at the sales desk or on site, and search it when you need a page fast.

25% off The Complete Set

All 23 Constructor stage checklists, C1 to C23, to check the work on site before each payment. One single-use code per reader.

The Complete SetA$629.00
Reader discount−A$157.25
You payA$471.75
Anthony Painter
Why I wrote it

Written by a builder, for the people paying for the build

Most builders don't set out to cut corners. Time, cost and pressure to keep homes moving shape what happens on site, and busy, well-meaning staff often don't have the training or the context to catch problems early.

After 26 years in residential construction, I've seen the same issues come up on house after house. The one thing that reliably changes the outcome is an owner who knows what normal looks like and asks the right question at the right time. This book gives you that context, stage by stage.

Anthony Painter, Constructor

  • 26 years in residential building
  • Independent of builders
  • Author of the C1–C23 checklists
Questions

Before you buy

When will my book arrive?

Each copy is printed to order in Australia and posted to you by Australia Post standard parcel. We'll email you when it's on its way.

Is postage included? Do you ship overseas?

Yes. A$69.95 includes delivery anywhere in Australia by Australia Post standard parcel. We only ship within Australia.

Does it work in my state?

Yes. It's written for new homes anywhere in Australia, built under the National Construction Code. Where the rules change from state to state, such as who your building regulator is, home warranty insurance, cooling-off periods and stage payments, the book tells you what to check for your state.

I've already signed my contract. Is it too late?

No. Much of the book covers the build itself: inspections, variations, handover and defects, which is where knowing your rights matters most.

Does it replace a lawyer or a building inspector?

No. It tells you when you need one, what to ask them, and what to check yourself between their visits.

How do I pay?

Checkout is through Stripe: card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Prices are in Australian dollars and include GST.

What if my copy arrives damaged?

Contact us with a photo and we'll send a replacement.

Build it right the first time

One paperback, A$69.95 delivered. Less than the cost of a single variation, and it comes with the digital edition free.

A$69.95Paperback, delivered