Building vs. Buying a home in Australia isn’t only about finances. It’s a crossroad moment to decide your lifestyle, future, and everyday comfort.
On one hand, new home builders give you freedom to create a place of your dreams. On the other, buying a new house feels more easy and less risky. So, which one to choose?
It’s not a simple yes or no decision, as there are several trade-offs in cost, time, and long-term value. Especially now, when property value, labour fee, and material prices are shifting on daily basis in Perth market.
Your trusted local residential builders at PDCD Homes can make this complicated decision clear. Because we know the entire journey from planning through construction to the moment you move in. We’ve seen the pros and cons of each choice.
Let’s guide you on building vs. buying debate and see which one suits you.
Pros and Cons of Working with New Home Builders
Building offers you control, customisation, and long-term value, but comes with higher complexity and up-front commitment. Let’s discuss its pros and cons in detail.
Pros of Building a House:
Let’s first understand why most Aussies decide to build custom home designs.
True Custom Design
Building gives you the freedom to choose everything, from the floor plan to the finishes. Because expert custom home builders will work around your vision. You can choose open plan living, special energy-saving materials, or a unique layout as per your choice.
Energy Efficiency & Long-Term Savings
A newly built home can be much more energy-efficient than an older property. You can design modern insulation, glazing, ventilation systems, and energy-efficient appliances. They’ll reduce not only your carbon footprint but also energy bills.
Higher Resale Value
New homes are in demand, especially if you build it with trendy features. A well-built, modern house commands a premium because it’s turnkey, and buyers know they won’t need to invest in major repairs in the short term.
Minimal Immediate Maintenance
Since everything is new, you won’t have the same maintenance headaches that come with older homes. You’re less likely to spend on surprise repairs or fixes of plumbing, roof, structure or installations.
Built to Current Standards
Building now means your home meets up-to-date building codes and practices. Structural, safety, and energy standards are all modern and high-quality. So, your house can last for decades without any repair.
Cons of A New Home Build
Every decision has some downsides, so does custom home building. Explore them and decide if they’re a deal breaker for you or not.
Longer Build Time
Building a home from scratch in Perth takes several months. On average, it can take 8–14 months depending on design complexity, approvals, and builder scheduling. Means you can’t move in immediately.
Heavy Decision Load
You’ll need to make a lot of decisions like layout, materials, fixtures, etc. For some people, that’s exciting. For others, it’s stressful. You also need to manage or trust professionals to deliver on those decisions.
Regulatory Concerns
In WA, you’ll have to navigate planning approvals, building permits, and compliance assessments. Missteps can cost time and money, though working with experienced residential builders can avoid this risk.
Pros and Cons of Buying a House
Buying a new home offers you convenience, immediacy, and certainty. But it can’t guarantee to fulfil your needs and there can be potential hidden maintenance costs.
Pros of Buying a Ready-Made House
Move-in Ready
When you buy an existing house, you can avoid the long wait associated with construction. Once the settlement is final, you can move in and start living.
Established Infrastructure
Older homes are located in mature neighbourhoods already stocked with amenities like public transport, schools, shops, and parks. You don’t need to worry about access.
Immediate Features
An existing home already has landscaping, outdoor areas, driveways or other features. Means no stressing over decisions.
Cons of Buying an Existing Home
Limited Flexibility
You’re stuck with the floor plan, room sizes, layout, and design choices that came with the home. If you want to change things, it will take a costly renovation.
Maintenance Costs
As homes age, maintenance becomes increasingly significant. Roofs, plumbing, cladding and electrical systems can all require repair or replacement.
Hidden Problems
Even with inspections, issues like termite damage, damp, structural faults or outdated wiring surface later. So, you’ll be facing costs more than your expectation.
Wear & Tear
Fixtures, finishes, and fittings will be old and also can be of low quality. You’ll be refreshing the flooring, kitchens and bathrooms sooner. So, keep it in mind.
Energy Inefficiency
Older homes always lag behind on energy codes. Poor insulation, single-glazed windows or inefficient heating and cooling systems can lead to high bills.
Building vs. Buying: When Each Option Make Sense?
| Build if you | Buy if you |
| Want a home designed around your lifestyle.Care about long-term energy savings.Own land already or are willing to buy.Need quality, modern standards, and long-term value. | Need to move in quickly.Prefer established suburbs and neighbourhoods.Layout or design doesn’t matter to you.Can manage or pay for maintenance. |
If you’re scared of building due to possible expenses, let’s clear the financial side for you.
How Expensive It is to Build a House in Perth?
Current cost to build a house in Perth sit between $2,300 and $4,750 per m², depending on design complexity and material choices.
For an average-sized new home of around 223 m², construction cost is somewhere between $513,000 and $993,000. Many build-only projects start at roughly $370,000, though prices rise for customised or luxury homes with high-end features.
It’s also important to factor in the broader market shift. E.g. construction costs across WA have climbed by about 40% since before the pandemic. It has pushed overall build budgets higher than in previous years.
Turn-key packages in Perth range $600,000 to $700,000 depending on location and features.
But remember that these are just wide estimates. You can actually manage the cost of your home construction if you manage a few factors. What are they? Let’s find out.
What Affects the Cost of New Home Construction WA
Several key factors influence how much your build will cost:
| Factor | Description |
| Land Price & Site Conditions | The terrain, slope, soil condition, and access all affect how much site preparation costs. Land in Perth varies substantially by suburb. |
| Design Complexity | Luxury custom layouts always raise the cost. A simple rectangular design is cheaper than multiple wings, cantilevers, or double storeys. |
| Quality of Materials | Higher-end finishes like stone countertops, timber flooring, or designer fittings are expensive than basic ones. |
| Labour Costs | Skilled labour in construction takes a major part of the budget. Hiring experienced residential builders can get you affordable labour. |
| Compliance & Permits | Getting approvals (development permits, building permits, BAL assessments) also adds to the cost. You also need to factor in surveyor, architect, and engineer fees. Plus, taxes, red tape and infrastructure charges made up 36% of a new home’s cost. |
| Energy Efficiency Features | Items like solar panels, advanced insulation, or double glazing increase the cost but save you from rising bills. |
| External Works | Don’t forget driveways, landscaping, fencing and external living areas. They can push up your budget by tens of thousands. |
Concluding our debate now:
Building vs. Buying in Perth: Final Word
Given the current Perth market:
You should get new home builders if you have land or can buy a lot. We’ve seen this trend recently with an increasing demand for customised and energy-efficient homes. Buying a house is safer for those who don’t want to wait for building delays.
If you want an energy-smart home built to modern standards, build with an experienced team. But if you want to move in quickly and avoid construction risk, buying is better.
Looking for best home custom builders in Perth?
Why PDCD Homes Is the Right Partner for Building
Perth’s most trusted builders of houses can help you build smarter and easier.
We offer new home construction, custom home builds & renovation or subdivision projects. From concept to completion, our team handles design, planning, permits, finance advice, construction, and on-time hand-over. So, you’ll be worry free along the process.
We work hard to keep costs transparent, using quality materials without hidden surprises and build your next home exactly as your dreams.
