Quick answer: A renovation with us moves through 16 defined steps, from initial enquiry and a discovery call, through design, council approval and a detailed building proposal, to construction, handover and post-handover check-ins at 3 months, 12 months and 2 years.
Most renovation checklists online are generic. This one is ours, the actual 16 steps we take every client through, from the moment they enquire to well after the keys are handed over. Read more about who’s behind this process on our About page.
Stage One: Enquiry & Design
1: Initial enquiry, submitted through our website.
2: Onboarding form, a short questionnaire to understand your project.
3: Discovery call, a 30-minute conversation about goals, budget and next steps.
4: Site inspection, an on-site walkthrough to assess feasibility.
5: Design and planning, architectural and engineering plans prepared, with council approval obtained where required.
This first stage is where most of the big decisions get made, what’s actually achievable on your block, what it will likely cost, and which approval pathway your project needs. Getting this stage right sets up everything that follows.
Stage Two: Proposal & Contract
6: Preliminary agreement, signed while we prepare your full building proposal.
7: Building proposal, delivered in person, covering scope and pricing in detail.
8: Selections and amendments, where you make material choices and request any changes.
9: Final proposal, locking in pricing, timeline and inclusions.
10: Contract issued, a Master Builders contract sent digitally for review and signing.
11: HBCF insurance, your project insured under NSW’s Home Building Compensation Fund.
12: Deposit, issued once the HBCF policy is approved.
13: Notice of commencement, formal certifier approval to start work.
This is the stage where scope, price and legal protections all get locked in writing, before a single tool touches your home. It’s also the stage where a rushed or vague process elsewhere tends to show up later as disputes over what was actually included.
Stage Three: Build & Beyond
14: Construction, with weekly updates, milestone walkthroughs and transparent communication throughout.
15: Handover, keys delivered, home professionally cleaned, final walkthrough completed.
16: Post-handover check-ins, follow-ups at 3 months, 12 months and 2 years, for peace of mind.
Why This Structure Matters
A lot of renovation stress comes from not knowing what happens next, or being surprised by a step nobody mentioned. Every one of the 16 steps above exists because it protects either your budget, your timeline or your legal position, HBCF insurance and the notice of commencement in particular are steps some builders gloss over, but they matter. Post-handover check-ins are another step that’s easy to skip entirely, they exist specifically so small issues get caught and resolved well after the excitement of moving back in has settled.
If you want more detail on how council approval fits into steps 4 and 13, see our council approval guide. And as a Master Builders Association member, every contract we issue follows their standard building contract framework. See our full range of services for how this process applies across renovations, extensions and second-storey additions.
For a realistic sense of how long each stage takes, our extension timeline guide breaks it down further.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a preliminary agreement and a building proposal? A preliminary agreement is signed while we prepare your full building proposal, the proposal itself is the detailed document covering scope, inclusions, exclusions, specifications, allowances, timeline and payment structure.
Why does HBCF insurance matter? HBCF insurance protects you if your builder can’t complete the work due to insolvency, death, or disappearance. It’s issued as part of our standard process, ahead of your deposit, not treated as optional.
What happens after handover? We follow up at 3 months, 12 months and 2 years after handover, so any issues that surface as the home settles in are caught and addressed rather than left to chance.
Ready to start at step one? Get in touch.