We know for many people the journey to building their own home can be a pretty daunting process, but with the right advice and support it doesn’t have to be! We had a chat with Will Batts, trained architect and Managing Director of Sentinel Homes Counties Franklin about the building journey and why being a great building partner is key to creating a home you love.
The first step in the building process for Will and the team is to make sure they’re getting great information that they can use to ensure they’re making solid decisions at every stage of the build. “I would go as far to say that the difference between a successful process and an unsuccessful one is the quality of the information that you're dealing with up front,” explains Will. “It's a combination of having the relationships with suppliers and consultants to get good data, and also having the experience to know how to ask the right questions, understanding the site, understanding the client's needs, and understanding how to give them maximum value.”
One of the ways in which the team gathers solid information is by having in-depth discussions with their clients to gain valuable insights around design, budget, and usage that can help set a solid foundation for the build moving forward. They also complete a comprehensive site visit to get a thorough idea of what they’re working with and how they can customise the build to get the most out of the location. “It’s looking at risk areas like slopes or unstable ground, but also where are the views for the owner, where do we need private spaces, where's the best sunlight, all kinds of stuff,” says Will.
Once key investigations and reports are completed, the team makes sure all the necessary info is clearly laid out and everyone is happy to move on to the next stage of the process. “We get to the point where the plans are correct, they like the design, the pricing is where they want it, the specification is customised to their taste and they understand the implications of their consultant reports. Tick those boxes and then we're ready to go to contract,” explains Will. “We're not trying to rush anyone to contract though. We want people to feel comfortable and we want to know they understand exactly what they're getting, what's included or excluded, and what they need to do to ensure a smooth process.”
Once the contract is signed, Will explains that the next stage is where clients need to make some decisions before they break ground. “I sit down with clients and I say that before we start building, there's quite a bit of work for you guys to do. While we commission the consultants and get the consents sorted, they need to sit down with our design consultants and work through all the details of what they want in their new home. It’s only after all final selections of colours, tapware, flooring etc., are made that we’ll start construction.”
Although Will knows that a lot of clients are pretty keen to break ground straight away, taking the time to sort out these details makes a huge difference to how the rest of the build journey goes. “We slow clients down because we don't want any surprises. It's all about making sure they know what they're getting so once we’re on site everything runs smoothly and they're not feeling frustrated.”
Once those initial stages are sorted out, Will describes the actual construction stage as pretty straightforward. Although every build has some unexpected challenges, Will says that thanks to the detailed planning they’ve already done and proper communication with their client it doesn’t need to be a huge stressor. “We do a lot of pre-empting for any potential hurdles with good information so that if they do pop up it’s not an unexpected worry.”
The new build goes up and before too long you’re getting the keys to your brand new home, but Will says even after that their responsibility doesn’t end. “I always say to clients, look, it's our name on the line. If there's anything that's happening that shouldn't, we're going to come and fix it.”
Will says that one of the major focuses for him and his team is how they work with their clients and support them throughout the entire building journey. “We're not actually selling finished buildings, we're selling a process,” he explains. Where Sentinel Homes adds value is the quality of service, the way that we take clients on a journey where they know exactly what they're getting, exactly what's happening at each stage and what success looks like.”
Will explains that when you’re working with Sentinel Homes, it’s important to view the relationship as a partnership to ensure the best results possible. “When we talk about being your building partner, we're saying here are the things you can do to help us ensure the success of your project. It’s a good way of explaining it because clients have a lot more influence on the project than they realise.”
Recently, Will has implemented a new Process Booklet which helps outline the journey that clients can expect when building with Sentinel Homes. “Having that resource at the start seems to really help clients have the confidence to proceed through the various steps,” explains Will. “It highlights the key input points for them and it helps them to start thinking about what they want at those stages.”
Want to find out more about your building journey with Sentinel Homes? Reach out to your local Sentinel Homes team today.
Let’s get together for a free, no-pressure meeting with one of our team, at your place or ours.
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