Walking through a display home is one of the best parts of building. You can see the floor plan in real life, picture where the couch goes, and get a feel for the finish. It's also the builder's best sales tool, built and dressed to make you want it.
The problem is that much of what you see isn't in the base price. Homeowners regularly sign for a design they loved in the display village, then find at selections that the stone benchtops, high ceilings and alfresco were all upgrades. Here's how to sort out what's included and what isn't, before you sign.
C4 - Asking the Right Questions Checklist
$39.00 AUD
Last updated 28 Oct 2026 · Revision 3 · Free updates for life
Checklist Type: Minor
Form Factor: Fillable, print-ready PDF (A4, 26 pages)
When to use: Choosing a builder (before you pay a deposit or sign)
70 questions and checks for every builder on your shortlist, from the licence search at your desk to a visit to one of their current sites. Compare like for like and choose your builder with confidence before you pay a deposit.
Why a display home isn't your home
A display home is built to sell a design and a level of finish. Three patterns are worth knowing.
- It's often built at the top inclusion tier, or above it. The base design shares the floor plan, not the finish.
- Disclaimers do a lot of work. Brochures and signage often say images "may depict fixtures, finishes and features not supplied". That means the picture isn't a promise. Only the written specification is.
- Upgrades aren't always labelled. Some builders tag upgrade items in the display. Many don't.
You're paying for the standard specification, not the display.
What's often an upgrade in a display home
These are the items I see most often in a display that aren't in the standard price:
- Ceilings. Taller ceiling heights, upgraded cornices and bulkheads.
- Kitchen. Stone benchtops, upgraded cabinetry, soft-close drawers, overhead cupboards and better appliances.
- Floors. Timber, feature tiles and floor coverings through the house.
- Wet areas. Higher or full-height tiling, frameless shower screens and upgraded tapware.
- Doors and hardware. Taller or upgraded doors, better handles.
- Lighting and power. Downlights, pendants and extra power and data points.
- Outside. Upgraded façades, alfresco areas, outdoor kitchens, landscaping, driveways and fencing.
- Comfort. Air-conditioning, window coverings and flyscreens.
The furniture, art, rugs and fresh flowers obviously don't come with it either. But they change how a room feels, so keep that in mind when you judge the size of a space.
How to sort standard from upgrade
Take control of the walk-through.
- Ask for the standard inclusions list for the design and tier you're considering, in writing, before you go.
- Walk through with the list in hand and mark up every item you see as standard, upgrade or not included.
- Ask the price of each upgrade you like. Get it in writing.
- Photograph what you like, room by room, so you can match it to the specification later.
- Visit a home built to the standard specification if you can. It's often a sobering comparison.
Inclusions lists name brands more often than models or standards. Watch for phrases like "builder's range", "or equivalent", "provision for" and "where required". Each one leaves room for the builder to decide later. My guide to standard allowances explains what to ask.
Price the house you actually want
The advertised price usually assumes the smallest version of the design, the base façade, base inclusions and an easy block. The number worth comparing is:
- the contract price at your chosen tier and façade,
- plus every upgrade you'll realistically choose,
- plus site costs,
- plus items you'll still need that aren't included, like driveway, floor and window coverings, fencing and landscaping,
- plus a contingency.
Upgrades are cheapest before you sign. After the contract, every change becomes a variation with its own paperwork and margin. If an upgrade matters to you, get it into the contract now. See the best builder upgrades for where I'd spend first.
Check the display for defects
The display is the builder's showpiece, built with extra care and maintained to look its best. If there are problems here, think about what an ordinary home might look like.
Walk through slowly and look for:
- Cracking in walls, cornices, ceilings and around door and window frames.
- Water damage. Ceiling stains, swollen skirtings, peeling paint, mould marks, or rust near windows and wet areas.
- Movement. Doors that stick or don't latch, gaps between skirtings and floors, cracked tiles.
- Fresh patches or repainted spots, which can hide a recurring problem.
- Ceilings on the south and south-east side and under complex roof shapes, where leaks and condensation tend to show first.
You don't need to be an expert. You're looking for signs that a builder doesn't manage water, movement or finishing well. If you find something, ask about it calmly and note the answer.
Get the display standard in writing
Everything you were told in the display home means nothing unless it's in the contract or a document attached to it. If there's a dispute, a tribunal will read the contract, not your memory of the sales chat.
- Send a short email after each visit confirming what you were told was included. Ask the consultant to confirm in writing.
- If you chose the builder because of the display home, ask for a special condition such as: "The home is to be built to the same standard of workmanship and quality of materials as the builder's display home at [address], except where the plans and specification say otherwise."
- Check the model name. Make sure the contract refers to the design you actually walked through.
- Don't accept "as per display" as the specification. It's too vague to enforce on its own. Get the actual items listed.
More on testing what a consultant tells you in how to check what a builder's sales consultant tells you.
Look past the display
A builder's homes under construction tell you more than its display home. Ask for addresses of current sites and permission to visit with a site representative. Never walk onto a building site uninvited.
Our C4 Asking the Right Questions checklist covers what to ask a builder before you commit, including inclusions, upgrades and how they handle changes.
The short version
A display home shows you the builder's best, usually at or above its top inclusion tier. Walk through with the standard inclusions list, mark every upgrade, and price the house you actually want. Check the display for defects, and get every promise and the display standard written into your contract.
Then have your contract reviewed before you sign, so what you saw is what you get.
FAQs
Is everything in a display home included in the price?
Rarely. Displays are often built at or above the top inclusion tier, with many upgrades that aren't labelled. Ask for the standard inclusions list and mark it up as you walk through.
Can I get my house built to the display home standard?
You can ask for a special condition tying your home to the display's standard of workmanship and materials, except where the plans and specification say otherwise. Have your lawyer word it.
Should I check a display home for defects?
Yes. It's the builder's showpiece, so cracking, water stains or patching there are worth asking about.
Are upgrades cheaper before or after I sign?
Before. After you sign, changes become variations with fees and margin, and some may be refused after site start.
