Quick answer
Building a new home in Adelaide moves through six stages: land, slab, framing, internal works, external works and handover. Before the slab is poured, the site has to be assessed, the home designed, and development approval granted, which needs both planning consent and building rules consent. The approval phase can take as long as the build itself, so it pays to start it early.
Key points
- Site investigations come first: soil, survey, services and trees.
- No construction before development approval is granted.
- Each building stage is checked before the next one covers it up.
- Handover includes a defects inspection, certificates and a maintenance period.
Before the build: design and approvals
Most of the risk in a new home is settled before any concrete is poured. This phase covers:
- Site investigation: a soil report, a feature and level survey, service locations, trees, easements, and street items like Stobie poles and pits.
- Design: floor plans and elevations that fit the zone's rules on site coverage, open space and landscaping.
- Approvals: planning consent, then building rules consent, which together form development approval. Our guide to the two consents explains the difference.
Stage 1: Land
We find and assess the block: zoning, overlays, services, slope and the true cost to build. Site set-out marks where the home will sit, checked against the approved site plan and boundaries.
Stage 2: Slab
Footings and the slab are poured to the engineer's design, which depends on the soil report. Plumbing under the slab goes in first, and termite protection is installed. The slab is inspected before anything goes on top.
Stage 3: Framing
Wall frames go up, followed by the floor system on two-storey homes, then roof trusses, all checked against the plans and engineering. This is when the house first shows its true size on the block.
Stage 4: Internal works
Rough-in plumbing and electrical, insulation, plaster, waterproofing, tiling, cabinetry and finishes. On our Ingle Farm homes, the drawings specified R2.5 insulation to external walls and R5.0 to ceilings. We send weekly site reports with photos through this stage.
Stage 5: External works
Roofing, cladding and render, windows, the driveway and crossover, fencing, the rainwater tank and landscaping close the home in. Front landscaping and tree planting are part of meeting the planning conditions, not just finishing touches.
Stage 6: Handover
Defects are inspected and fixed, certificates and warranties are collected, and the keys are handed over. A maintenance period follows, during which any further defects are fixed.
How long does it take to build a house in Adelaide?
It depends on the design, the site, the approval pathway and the trades market. Single-storey homes on clear, flat blocks are generally quicker than two-storey homes on sloping or constrained infill sites. Approvals vary too: our Davoren Park project took 358 days from lodgement to full approval. The best way to shorten the overall timeline is to settle the design early and lodge complete, well-coordinated drawings.
Single or double storey on a small block?
On blocks around 300 to 350 m², a second storey often gives more home and more garden. Our two-storey Telowie Avenue home has 259.50 m² of floor area on a 332.36 m² block at 46.25% site coverage. Single-storey homes avoid stairs and usually cost less per square metre, so the right answer depends on your brief and budget.
Frequently asked questions
What are the stages of building a house in Adelaide?
The building stages are land (site set-out), slab, framing, internal works, external works and handover. Site investigation, design and development approval come before them.
Can I start building before development approval?
No. In South Australia, building work can't begin until development approval is granted, which needs planning consent and building rules consent.
What happens at handover of a new home?
Defects are inspected and fixed, certificates and warranties are handed over, and you receive the keys. A maintenance period follows, during which any further defects are fixed.
Do I need a project manager to build a new home?
Not always, but a project manager coordinates design, approvals, trades and inspections on one schedule. That reduces delays and gives you one point of contact from first site visit to handover.
General information about South Australia's planning and building system, current at the date above. It isn't legal or planning advice for a particular site. Talk to us about yours.
