The Far North testimonial on the old site thanked a builder who kept going through rain and cyclones. This hub is about the unglamorous middle of a job: money, dirt, wet areas and the weekly decisions that decide whether a custom house stays custom.
Cost, ground and hold points
Building and contracts
Photo: Tom Presland · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source · Image credits
Essays in Building and contracts
Building and contracts · 7 October 2024
Kitchens and wet areas in a custom Queensland home
Waterproofing, ventilation and a kitchen that can open to the deck without becoming the hottest room in the house.
Building and contracts · 9 September 2024
Project-managing a Queensland custom build
Timelines, wet-season sequencing, variations and hold points — how an owner stays useful on site without becoming the unpaid supervisor.
Building and contracts · 12 August 2024
Cladding and roofing that last in a Queensland climate
Salt, sun, driving rain and a long wet season — how to choose skins and roofs for a custom home that will still look intended in year twelve.
Building and contracts · 1 July 2024
A custom home cost guide for Queensland
What owners should budget beyond the builder’s headline number — land, extras, climate detailing, and the lines that blow a Cairns or Brisbane custom job.
Building and contracts · 17 June 2024
Foundations for Queensland soils
Slab, stump, steel and the CSIRO classes people quote at barbecues — how to match a custom-home footing to clay, sand, fill and a wet season.