Our process for building in Hobart
Building or renovating a home is a major investment, both financially and emotionally. At Overland Builders, our process is designed to give you clarity at every stage, from first enquiry and early contractor involvement through to detailed costing, construction and handover. The aim is simple: fewer surprises, better decisions and a finished home that feels right for a long time.
Our Process
At Overland Builders, we work with clients at different stages of their journey. In simple terms, there are two ways to engage with us.
If you have already engaged an architect or designer, our experience has shown that early builder involvement saves you money. We can be involved as soon as a design concept has been developed, providing practical construction input, cost guidance and buildability advice before key decisions are locked in.
If you don’t yet have a design team, we can help you navigate that first step. We have an established network of architects and designers and assist you in selecting the right partner based on your values, design preferences and realistic design budget.
Our process is built on collaboration, transparency and early alignment — creating clarity, reducing risk and setting your project up for a smoother path into construction. We love architecture and making it come to life.
Step 1. Initial Consultation
This meeting is not about selling or rushing decisions. It’s a considered conversation that allows us to understand your goals, expectations and priorities, while giving you clarity on how we work and what the next steps look like.
It’s an opportunity for both parties to ask questions, test assumptions and make sure the project — and the way we work — feels right.
By the end of the consultation, you’ll have a clear understanding of whether our approach aligns with your project and confidence in how to move forward. Think of it as our first date — no pressure, just a chance to see if we’re a good match.
Step 2. Early Contractor Involvement (ECI)
This stage allows us to be involved from early concept through to being ready for a Budget Estimate, providing practical construction input and cost guidance while the project is still being developed.
Our role during ECI is to review the project as information becomes available, ensuring alignment with realistic construction costs and our best-practice construction detailing.
ECI doesn’t stop once a Budget Estimate is prepared. As the project progresses toward a Contract Estimate, we remain involved between these stages, reviewing information as it is resolved and supporting cost clarity as details are confirmed.
Step 3. Budget Estimate
The Budget Estimate is about understanding cost before committing further.
This stage is ideally undertaken once the design has reached the Development Application (planning) stage, when the overall form, scale and intent of the project are defined, but details are still flexible.
At this point, we prepare a Budget Estimate to test whether the project, as currently defined, aligns with your expectations and budget. This is a critical checkpoint before progressing design, documentation and decision-making.
Where information is incomplete or still being developed, we make considered assumptions based on typical construction standards and our experience, ensuring the estimate remains realistic and useful.
This stage provides a clear cost framework to support informed decisions as the project progresses toward a Contract Estimate.
Step 4. Contract Estimate
This stage is undertaken once the design, documentation and key selections are sufficiently developed. At this point, the scope of works is clearly defined, allowing us to prepare a detailed and comprehensive estimate that forms the basis of a fixed-price building contract.
The Contract Estimate builds on the earlier Budget Estimate, replacing assumptions with confirmed information as details are resolved. This allows allowances to be finalised and pricing to be clearly understood before entering into contract.
This step ensures both parties are aligned on scope and pricing, creating confidence and certainty before contract signing and construction begins.
A smarter way to move forward
Our pre-construction process is designed to reduce risk early — before significant time and money are committed. Too often, projects reach a fully developed design stage only to discover that construction costs exceed expectations, forcing redesigns or, in some cases, the project to stop altogether. By that point, substantial time and professional fees may already have been invested.
Working with our team
By engaging with us early through a structured pre-construction process, costs are tested, assumptions are challenged and decisions are made with construction realities in mind. Money invested during pre-construction with Overland Builders is focused on clarity and alignment, and is intended to save you significantly during construction.
It’s a considered approach that protects your investment and sets your project up for a smoother, more confident path to site.
Ready to talk about your project?
Share a few details about your new home or renovation and we will be in touch to guide you through the next steps.