Note: This is not a sponsored post. We have written this post to highlight how you can improve your contract documentation and project quality using a detailed specification.
So you’ve saved your deposit, found some land, and now you’re ready to sign on the dotted line with a builder to make your dream home a reality. But have you really thought about what you’re getting for your money?
Project builders focus on volume and speed, not necessarily quality or compliance. Hoping your builder and their trades will do the right thing isn’t a plan.
The secret to getting what you pay for in a new home is demanding that a proper specification, like NATSPEC, be included in your building contract. NATSPEC provides minimum standards for materials and workmanship and cites regulatory requirements so you know what you should expect from your builder.
C20 - What You Should Know When You Design Your New Home
$59.00 AUD
Last updated 5 Oct 2026 · Revision 1 · Free updates for life
Checklist Type: Minor
Form Factor: Fillable, print-ready PDF (A4, 47 pages)
When to use: Design stage: before the plans and specification are finalised and before you sign
A 372-question guide to work through while designing your home. Settle orientation, light, soil, drainage, layout, finishes and costs early, so you avoid changes and delays later.
What Is NATSPEC and Why It Matters for Your New Home Build
NATSPEC is Australia's leading building specification system. It provides detailed, pre-written specs for the construction industry that aim to give you peace of mind about the quality and compliance of your new home.
When you sign a contract with a project builder, the specs outline precisely what you're paying for, so there are no surprises. It details the minimum standards for building elements and areas like:
- Materials
- Quality
- Durability
- Functionality/Purpose
Without a proper spec, you're trusting the builder and trades to do things well. NATSPEC sets minimum standards in black and white, so quality isn't left open to interpretation.
Some key things NATSPEC specifications include (see an example specification in the link below):
- Structural components like concrete, framing and roofing
- Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems
- Doors, windows, cabinetry and other fittings
- Flooring, tiles, paint and other finishes
Project builders use their own specs, but they're often thin. For peace of mind, include a detailed specification in your contract.
Click here to view a sample NATSPEC Domestic specification
How Builders Cut Corners Without a Detailed Specification
When you sign with a project builder, you expect quality and value for money. Without a detailed specification, corners get cut in ways you may not discover until after handover. Here's how:
- Trade rates and simple quotes are used rather than detailed specifications. Builders get quotes from tradespeople based on rough outlines, not specific standards. Quality can vary, and shortcuts may be taken to maximise profits (time and cost maximised, quality minimised).
- Minimum compliance is aimed for, not best practice. Builders will do only what's required to meet basic regulations rather than following industry best practices or asking/determining client expectations. Construction details, waterproofing and framing details, insulation, waterproofing, and acoustic performance may be subpar.
- Generic products are specified, not optimal ones. Rather than choosing high-quality, long-lasting construction materials and building products suited to your home's needs, builders will use whatever basic materials get the job done at the lowest upfront cost. Consider brick cavity ties for example: every home must use brick cavity ties with a corrosion resistance rating adequate for the environment in which it is being used. Builders often use galvanised ties on all sites because these are readily available and cost-effective. Stainless Steel ties are required when the home is in proximity to the ocean or marine environments.
- Oversight and inspections are limited. Without a proper spec there's no standard to measure quality against, so builders can avoid accountability for poor workmanship or materials. They operate in the grey areas, where missing detail leads to assumptions, or a liberal interpretation of what quality should be.
Why You Can't Rely on Supplier & Trade Quotes for Quality Assurance
You're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on your new home, so you want to ensure you get what you pay for, right? You can't rely solely on a builder's supplier and trade quotes/base rates to guarantee quality. These typically only reference the minimum specs to get the job done, not the details that ensure it's done well.
Technical specifications must be clearly outlined in your building contract to achieve quality. Specifications like NATSPEC provide comprehensive details for all components, from concrete and framing to electrical and plumbing. They specify minimum standards for materials, installation methods, testing procedures, and more. Using a trusted spec means there are no guesses or assumptions, just clear expectations for quality at every stage.
Without strict specifications, you cannot know if cheaper alternatives will be used or corners cut to save money. The results may look fine at first, but problems can surface down the road. Specifications give you reassurance and leverage. If work doesn't meet the required standard, you have grounds to insist on fixes or compensation.
Consider bricklaying. Everyone asks bricklayers, "What's your rate per 1000?" Don't assume that rate includes the right mortar mix for your site. Many bricklayers leave lime out of mortar these days, which gives you weaker, less durable mortar. General purpose mortar should be a 1:1:6 cement:lime:sand mix. If you don't specify it, trades will do what they do, at your cost. You may even hear "we leave the lime out so you don't get white marks on your brickwork." That's not right: lime isn't the main cause of those white marks (efflorescence). Read more about efflorescence HERE.
Some suppliers and trades will tell you their methods are superior, or that a specification limits creativity or costs more. Don't buy it. A good spec still allows customisation; it just makes everyone's expectations of quality clear for your project.
How to Make Sure Your Builder Follows Quality Standards
You must ensure your builder adheres to proper quality standards in constructing your new home. Don’t just assume they have your best interests in mind—get involved and verify critical details.
Consider the Master Builders Queensland (formerly QMBA) Residential Building Specification above, which is used with their Residential Building Contract. In my experience, this contract forces builders into more detail than most when they fill it out. The opening paragraph of the Specification states:
This Schedule shall form part of the Specification and must be read in conjunction with the Residential Building Specification and the drawings. All items noted in the Specification Schedule shall be included whether covered or not by the relevant clauses in the Specification.
Refer to the Building Act, Building Code of Australia (BCA), Queensland Development Code (QDC) and relevant Australian Standards for the minimum standard of building construction required by law.
This is what builders, suppliers and some trades do: blanket "comply with whatever the law requires" statements, like the bolded one above. Legally that works to a point (although proving your case could cost a small fortune), but it's much better practice to spell out the minimum standards for each trade or work package. That's exactly what NATSPEC does: it details and references the standards and regulations for each part of the work.
By including a NATSPEC specification in your contract, you spell out, unambiguously, the minimum standard that your builder, suppliers and trades must achieve and not leaving things open to interpretation (read open to litigation).
Check References and Reviews
Do your homework on the builder. Ask to see examples of their work and speak with previous clients. Check independent reviews as well. Look for a proven track record of quality, satisfied customers, and a willingness to stand by their work.
Conduct Regular Site Inspections
Visit the site often, ideally once a week or at significant milestones. See the progress and quality firsthand. Notice details like straight walls, proper waterproofing and flashings, seals around windows/doors, and insulation that is installed correctly. Point out any issues right away and make sure they are properly addressed.
Review Third-Party Inspections
For key elements like the slab (certifier or engineer), frame (certifier) and plumbing (council), external inspectors check the work meets the code. Get copies of every inspection certificate, including the certifier's Form 21 final inspection certificate, and check any required fixes were completed.
I highly recommend engaging your own independent building inspector to check the work before each stage claim and at critical construction stages. Read our article, "Should you engage a building inspector when building your new home?" HERE. If you want to check the work yourself, our stage checklists, from C5 Pre Pour Slab through to C17 Handover, walk you through each inspection.
Do Thorough Stage and Claim Walk-Throughs
Tour your home with the construction supervisor or builder at the end of each construction stage before paying the presented progress claim. Note any issues that must be completed or brought to an acceptable standard before authorising claim payments. Do not believe promises made by anyone and see for yourself or ask for documented proof of completion before you pay. Discuss details of all systems and warranties before signing off on stages. Get copies of compliance certificates as soon as they are available. This is your last chance to catch anything amiss and ensure all is as it should be in your new home before you release payment to your builder.
Insist on a NATSPEC Specification in Your Building Contract
In my experience, most suppliers and trades don't actively manage quality on site; they leave it to supervisors who aren't always there. When a specification like NATSPEC is written into your contract and passed down into the trades' subcontracts, everyone has a written minimum standard to meet. It doesn't guarantee better work, but it gives you leverage over the builder and their subcontractors.
- Demand your builder incorporates the NATSPEC Simple Domestic Specification into your contract. This helps avoid surprises, shortcuts, and subpar work.
- Review the spec with your builder to understand what it covers and ensure you’re both on the same page for expectations. Ask questions if anything is unclear.
- Use the spec as a checklist during construction to check off each stage and ensure work is done to standard. Take photos of anything questionable.
- For variations or additions to the standard spec, get written clarification to avoid confusion or corner-cutting.
Visit NATSPEC below to buy the Simple Domestic Building Specification.
