Set amongst picturesque playgrounds and walking trails, Prestwood Estate is bordered by a flourishing reserve with bird life and even a small herd of deer – all this in Logan Reserve, just 30 minutes from Brisbane CBD.
The surrounds are shaded by mature trees with bike and pram-friendly paths creating an estate designed to deliver active living for the whole family.
Prestwood features modern family-friendly homes on easy-to-manage blocks so you have plenty of free time to enjoy.
Within a easy drive of either Brisbane or the Gold Coast, Prestwood offers the best in lifestyle whether you enjoying time out at the beach, improving your golf game or splurging on a little shopping.
For more information, talk to the team at Homecorp today.
When it comes to building the term “Practical Completion” is like the holy grail. This is a day new homeowners look forward to as it is the day when ‘practically’ all the work on your new home has been completed.
Although is sounds like everything is complete, it is not the day you will get to take possession of your new home. Industry terms, like practical completion, can sound like a full stop to the home building journey but there are actually several steps beyond this.
Here is a quick guide to the final stages of your house build and handover.
Between practical completion and handover there is often an inspection by an independent person or company who will look over the entire house and compile a list of defects against Australian standards of finished work.
These defects are then fixed prior to you moving in to help ensure your home is at the highest quality.
There is also likely to be some other formalities, like the final valuation of your home, and of course the final payment. It is generally a two week period from practical completion (PC) to handover.
Handover can take anywhere between 1-3 hours. This is where one of our team will take you around your home and explain everything to you.
Final cleans are done the day of or day before handover so everything is fresh for when you move in.
Just like at the PC stage you will go around your home with your site super. They will point out all the key functions of the house, like how to open and lock the doors and where the garage remote is stored.
After handover is when we step into what we call the defects period. This goes for 6 months, the standard HIA period is 3 months. We doubled it to give you and the home extra time to settle in!
During this period, we rely on the help of the new homeowners to help us note any defects such as leaks that may occur. We will also check in from time to time over the first few weeks and months.
At about the halfway period in the year, we will have a look over the defects that have been recorded and start preparing to go through them.
Everyone also gets a digital handover guide. This book has all kinds of tips and tricks to help you get the most from your new home – like drying out the house, making it green, energy use, window protection, insulation, lighting, and air conditioning.
This guide also includes information about security, electrics, ceilings, bathroom fittings, paintwork care, roofing and your warranty.
Your home comes with a 12-month* maintenance period. Your warranty means that we’ll cover any structural problems that occur with your house. Small maintenance issues are really common and nothing to worry about.
Moving can be a stressful time. Here are some helpful reminders to help make the process as low-stress as possible.
First, make sure all the important stuff is safe – things like prescriptions, driver’s license, marriage, birth certificates, and passports.
Secondly, book in the disconnection of the utilities at your old address and the connection of the amenities, internet, and pay-tv at your new address.
Also notify any relevant businesses (incl. Aus Post) of your change of address.
Whether you already know where each picture is going to go, or you’re just beginning your nesting journey, there’s no rush, pace yourself!
There are a number of milestones in every build and Homecorp’s Customer Experience team are here to help you navigate them with ease. If you have any queries about key stages, compliance and certification, just reach out to our team and they’ll guide you through the process.
Homecorp has added 83 apartments and an extra nine storeys across the last two towers planned for its half-complete $200-million Capital Court build-to-rent project.
The first stage of the project—comprising two towers of 10 and 16 storeys—has been delivered and its 257 apartments are occupied.
Under reworked plans by design studio BDA Architecture, the second stage has been increased in height from 10 to 12 storeys and 9 to 16 storeys, respectively adding 19 and 64 apartments.
For more information visit the Cienna Varisty Living portfolio.
The Sunshine Coast is an exceptional part of Australia. The work life balance is unparalleled with access to a multitude of stunning beaches, plus all the boating and fishing that comes with it.
Situated 160km north of Brisbane Airport, Gympie sits on the Mary River. It is just a 40-minute drive to Tin Can Bay and is just 30 minutes to Noosa. On the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef and Fraser Island, the region is also home to national parks, state forests, and the subtropical climate is perfect for enjoying the Great Outdoors.
It is now widely accepted that Gympie, officially named in 1868, is a local Aboriginal word – “gimpi gimpi” – for a stinging tree. There was a time prior to 1868 when the town was known as Nashville after James Nash who discovered gold and “saved Queensland”.Gy
Today Gympie is a town of just over 20,000; the wider region is home to 50,000. That’s big enough to have amazing running, cycling and horse riding trials and small enough that you are around ten minutes from almost everything you need.
It is a charming spot famous for its goldfields and a quiet, safe, peaceful place to live. Gympie offers an enviable lifestyle with a great work life balance; it’s an idylic place to raise a family or retire to.
There are numerous schools both public and private, as well as a campus of the Wide Bay Institute of TAFE. The University of the Sunshine Coast also has a Gympie campus. There is a small local airport just south of Gympie, and there are local rail services on your doorstep. The Bruce Highway provides road connection to other major Queensland centres.
▪Valley Rattler Steam Train
▪ Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum
▪ Mary Valley
▪ Mothar Mountain Speedway
▪ Beaches (like Rainbow Beach)
▪ Tin Can Bay and dolphins
▪ Fraser Island
▪ Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival
▪ Woondum National Park
▪ Gympie Music Muster
▪ MX Farm Queensland (Motorcross Park)
The Queensland property market has seen remarkable growth. Homecorp has chosen Gympie as a development location and is releasing The Outlook Stage 5 house and land packages.
If Gympie sounds like the place you’d like to call home, take a look at The Outlook or reach out to the team at Homecorp today.
Known as the Beef Capital of Australia, Rockhampton is a booming regional town, the fourth largest in Queensland. Since beef is one of the area’s primary industries, it is no surprise some of the best steak houses and restaurants in regional Queensland are right here.
Rockhampton is so proud of their reputation as the Beef Capital of Australia that there are six iconic bull statues throughout the city.
Interstate investors and owner occupiers are flocking to north Queensland’s regional property market in droves, hoping to cash in on affordable housing in limited supply and offering very high rental yields.
It’s a story on repeat from Cairns to Rockhampton, where local agents talk of an unexpected boom.
Located an hour and 20 minutes by plane from Brisbane, Rockhampton is attracting high investor attention, predominantly New South Wales and Victoria.
Mat O’Brien, Sales and Marketing Consultant, Ray White Rockhampton:
“I’ve also run into quite a few people from Tasmania, and they’re not just enquiring, they’re actually coming through open homes so they’re here, on the ground, and I know of a few people who had just flown up for the weekend to see properties too,” Mr O’Brien said
CoreLogic’s August Regional Market Report, shows Rockhampton’s median house price is $377,673, which is a 6.6 per cent increase in the past 12 months.
That makes for some great reasons to invest in house and land in the area but there is more to love.
Rockhampton has a subtropical climate. It is generally too far south to have regular northwest monsoonal influence and too far north to receive cold fronts sweeping in from the south!
While Rockhampton is blessed with plenty of clean country air, it is also just 30 minutes from 23 glorious kilometres of sandy beach between Yeppoon and Emu Park.
Smack bang in what can only be called “the Bible Belt of Rugby League”, there’s plenty on offer for sports lovers. The city is also home to AFL, basketball, soccer, mountain biking and even roller derby.
Rocky is rocks with concerts, events and festivals every year. Some big ticket items include the Rockhampton Show, Beef Australia Expo, Rockhampton Cultural Festival and the Capricorn Food and Wine Festival.
The Southern Great Barrier Reef is just a stone’s throw away but you can also head inland for a true taste of what living in Central Queensland is all about – national parks, the Capricorn Caves, and numerous state forests.
Homecorp first started developing in Rockhampton in the early 2000’s. The potential was clear to see and that is still the case more than 15 years on. If Rocky sounds like the kind of place you’d like to call home, take a look at The Gardens or reach out to the team at Homecorp today.
The Gold Coast property market across all sectors continues to remain one of Australia’s most resilient, bolstered by high numbers of migration and significant new infrastructure and investment projects.
Famed for its natural amenities and idyllic lifestyle, this iconic coastal destination is one of the fastest growing economies in the country with interstate migration fuelling population growth and that in turn super powering demand for property.
Like many parts of Australia, demand on the Gold Coast continues to be strong, driven by high levels of immigration that has been at record levels.
Many were forecasting a drop or at least an easing in the number of people choosing to call the Gold Coast home but the influx of new Australians remains high.
Population growth for the Gold Coast is known for overseas immigration but strong interstate migration is super powering the property market.
As such, property prices are expected to continue increasing throughout 2024.
Prices had been forecast to drop in 2023 but figures showed they increase of 8.1 per cent.
The area is well-known for roller coasters and although the property market also sees peaks and troughs, over the 35 years to 2021 PRD research shows the Gold Coast median house price grew 1,077 per cent and unit prices rose 643 per cent.
The Covid 19 pandemic greatly impacted the building and construction sector. Unsurprisingly, FY23 saw a sharp fall in apartment launches, around a -48 per cent drop from the launch numbers from FY22, however it was still the highest number of apartments launched since FY19.
New apartment sales on the booming Gold Coast. The surge came as a swath of cashed-up local and interstate buyers pounced on the larger luxury residences that have become the post-COVID-19 staple of the coastal city market.
Over the September quarter, the biggest-selling Gold Coast project – according to Urbis – was Drew Group’s Lagoon project at Main Beach, which is being built by Hutchinson Builders and racked up 124 sales across two towers.
The first stage of Cienna, a multi-tower project in Varsity Lakes being undertaken by Ron Bakir’s Homecorp, secured 85 sales. Meanwhile, 26 Vista, a high-rise tower at Surfers Paradise being developed by Malaysian-listed MRCB Malaysia, sold 80 apartments over the quarter.
Urbis director Paul Riga said a significant new trend was the conversion of a number of build-to-rent projects to build-to-sell as developers look to capture sales in a constrained supply environment.
“What the data tells us quite simply is that the demand for apartments has remained strong,” Mr Riga said.
“This is great for the property market, underpins property prices, but creates further problems with supply – meaning if new projects don’t get under way, the supply will continue to diminish.”
Homecorp is about to release the next stage of Cienna Varsity Ridge in 2024 and will also complete Eve Residences, a luxury apartment development on Marine Parade with unobstructed Broadwater views.
To discover more about what Homecorp are developing, reach out to the team today.
After the slab has been laid, the most notable step in is the frame. A frame for an average, single story home takes approximately one day to be completed as the framing elements are usually partially assembled in the factory and then freighted to site.
For a two story home, the build time is a little longer – more like two to five days depending on the complexity of the build.
Framing has traditionally been constructed of timber but homes are also now build using steel framing.
The following are normally part of the Frame Stage:
Frame walls are a series of upright beams, joined together by noggins (smaller pieces of wood), to form a sturdy frame for either the external wrapping or internal plasterboard to be fixed to.
The frame walls also form an structure for windows and doors to be fixed to.
Building paper will be also be applied to the external walls.
Building paper, also called house wrap, is a strong, fibrous paper that blocks water and moisture from entering from the outside but allows moist air to pass through from the inside, preventing a buildup of moisture inside walls that can lead to mold.
Once the frame walls have gone up, windows and doors are then able to be installed. This usually happens during or shortly after the framing stage. In some cases, builders will install temporary doors for security or to help control environmental factors.
At this stage, the electrical fuse box that was fixed to the pole during the concrete slab prep stage is now incorporated into the frame of the home.
If the home is high set or double story, the upstairs floor joists will have been installed. The second level frame will be constructed on top of this series of upright structures.
Based on the design and the requirements of materials specified, the exterior cladding will be installed.
When building a double story dwelling, the upper story floorboards – which are generally chipboard – will be laid on top of the floor joists and securely nailed into place.
Once all these steps have been finished the framing step is complete and the roof can be installed.
Take a look at this video of how Homecorp approach framing a house.
It is natural for future home builders to explore the options out there and research what is involved with the build process. As a result, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed by all the jargon. One of the biggest questions you might have is: what’s the difference between foundations and footings? Grab a cup of coffee, and let’s break it down!
First things first—let’s talk about what these terms actually mean. You can think of the footing as the unsung hero that literally supports your entire home. It’s what stands between the weight of your house and the ground beneath it. So, what does this component do? Well, footings have a few essential roles:
Getting your footings right is crucial for ensuring your home is safe and sound for years to come.
Now, let’s chat about the foundation. This is the actual soil or rock that your home sits on. Sounds simple, right? But it’s super important to test the foundation to ensure it can handle the weight of your future abode. Developers typically start by evaluating the soil to determine what they’re working with. This helps in designing footings that are tailored to the specific conditions of your site.
Did you know that the type of soil on your property can significantly impact your home’s stability and what it costs to build? For example, if your footings rest on bedrock, you’re in luck! There’s minimal settling there so what you build doesn’t generally move much from today to tomorrow or ten years down the track. Sandy soil on the other hand is quick to settle and then stable.
Now, let’s talk about the trickest soil, which is in fact clay. It can expand or shrink dramatically depending on moisture levels. This means that during heavy rains, clay can swell by up to 50%! And when it dries out, it can shrink just as much. This constant movement can put stress on your footings, leading to cracks in surfaces in your home over time.
While many builders can gauge soil conditions just by stepping onto the site, it is crucial to get a geotechnical report. This report provides detailed insights into your soil type and behavior, helping engineers design a home that can withstand its unique challenges.
Now that we’ve laid the groundwork (pun intended!), let’s dive into the different types of footings commonly used in Aussie homes:
One of the biggest questions in construction is: how deep should your footings be? The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. It depends on several factors, including the type of structure, soil conditions, and even local climate influences.
The proper depth will help ensure that your home’s weight is distributed evenly, preventing issues like uneven settling or structural damage.
In Australia, where we have all kinds of soil types and weather conditions, making sure your footings are able to handle everything from frost to water tables is key.
Building a home is no small feat, and understanding the difference between foundations and footings is just the beginning. At Homecorp, we take care of all the nitty-gritty details, including geotechnical reports and engineering checks, so you don’t have to.
A big part of our business is creating House and Land Packages to make it easier for Australian’s to get into the property market and invest in housing. These Turn-Key Packages include plans that we know perform well under local conditions. They are also carefully curated to be sustainable, easy to maintain and cost-effective to retrofit down the track.
Curious about where we’re developing next? Don’t hesitate to reach out to the Homecorp team! We’re here to help you every step of the way. Happy building!
Before selecting areas for house and land estates, Homecorp does a lot of digging. By this we mean hundreds of hours of ground work, in terms of research into the potential for growth in an area, has been done before buyers get to see an estate.
Homecorp considers a range of factors when developing house and land estates, like the infrastructure spend outlook for 2024.
New infrastructure or upgrades to existing amenities can influence the desirability of a suburb and the increased workforce can drive demands, enhance business and even flow through to the property market.
2023 was a busy year for the Australian engineering and construction industry and current forecasts point to an equally busy 2024.
“There is a cautious optimism surrounding 2024,” explained James Lawrence, Group Manager for Customer & Markets at Coates. “While residential construction is declining, nationally the market remains in an upward cycle driven by concurrent booms in road, railway and renewables construction.”
“If businesses can successfully navigate challenges and retain the talent to deliver on demand, the next decade will be a rewarding time to be working in this industry.”
Current trends and market conditions
Despite challenges, the overall position of Australia’s construction markets remains strong.
State-based demand
The value of construction work is a key indicator of the health of economies and, based on current forecasts, Queensland and WA are expected to outperform NSW and Victoria in coming years on a percentage growth factor.
“These states have relatively strong foundations for demand this decade, with growing populations, mineral and renewable resources, relatively low debt and major events like the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane stimulating further opportunities,” Lawrence said.
Growth sectors
Nationally, the construction of transportation, utilities, renewables, transmission, industrial, road and rail infrastructure projects will continue to drive significant activity in 2024, and provide longevity for engineering and construction businesses.
“We’re seeing considerable expansion into social institution infrastructure in areas like health and education, particularly in regional locations,” Lawrence said.
“We’re also starting to see the return of private investment, in large scale multi-dwelling projects, which will be essential for meeting the needs of Australia’s growing population.”
Renewable energy infrastructure will surge significantly in 2024, notably in the Eastern states. Industry research and forecasting company Macromonitor recently forecast spend on renewable energy infrastructure to rise 49 per cent to reach $5.2 billion in FY24, and grow to $12 billion in FY26.
The proposed Integrated System Plan (ISP) from AEMO2, Australia’s independent system and market operator, indicates there will be continued escalation in infrastructure for large-scale renewable generation, distribution and storage, and a contraction in traditional sources of power generation. The impact of this investment will be truly national as indicated on the ISP project roadmap.
Challenges
Market capacity, capability, cost and carbon reduction remain key focus areas for construction in 2024.
Capacity and capability
As the pipeline of construction work continues to exceed the availability of skilled and unskilled labour, workforce challenges will remain.
Cost inflation
A slight resettling of costs and the completion of the Federal government’s infrastructure review will bring more surety to the industry.
Carbon
Navigating changing environmental regulations and the need to deliver on carbon reduction targets and strategies is another factor that will shape construction activity and the cost of delivering construction projects in 2024 and beyond.
“Initiatives and legislation, such as the Sustainable Buildings SEPP3 in NSW, are shifting from reducing operating emissions to reducing embodied carbon – that is the carbon associated with construction materials, their transport to and from site, and the construction process itself,” Lawrence said.
“Construction businesses will increasingly need to consider embodied carbon in the early stages of the project life cycle.”
Opportunities
Across all sectors and geographies, there is potential for construction businesses to improve productivity and ease cost and capacity constraints.
Utilising technology
Technology has a role to play in easing labour pressures and offsetting rising construction costs. Homecorp is investing in further development of its Build Portal which allows stakeholders, owners and suppliers to track build progress online, anytie.
Embedding more sustainable practices
While the path to net-zero presents significant challenges for the industry, it also offers opportunities. Embedding circular economy principles – such as reusing materials, designing structures for disassembly and reducing waste – can yield significant benefits including increased efficiencies that can lead to cost savings and reductions in embodied carbon.
Homecorp offers home designs that achieve stringent 7 Green Star ratings to ensure we are not only building the best homes for today but also for the future.
Take a look at Homecorp House and Land opportunities or talk to the team about your needs today.
