What a signature home actually costs.
What a signature home actually costs.
Plain-English guidance on budgeting for a custom home or major renovation in Northern Tasmania — no jargon, no games.
Plain-English guidance on budgeting for a custom home or major renovation in Northern Tasmania — no jargon, no games.
Why Two Prices Aren't The Same
Two builders can quote on paper for what looks like the same house and land on two very different numbers. That is rarely because one of us just decided to charge more. It comes down to what is actually sitting inside the price, and what has quietly been left off the page to make the number look smaller.
A lot of advertised prices are built to win the first conversation, not to finish the job. Items every house genuinely needs get treated as an allowance, an upgrade, or simply left out altogether. You only find out once you have already signed.
The Code Is A Minimum, Not A Target
The Code Is A Minimum, Not A Target
Every home has to meet the National Construction Code. What most people are never told is that the code is a floor, not a benchmark. A house built exactly to code is the lowest standard a builder is legally allowed to hand you.
We build above it. Not everywhere for the sake of it, in the places that decide how your home performs for the next thirty years.
Worth Asking Any Builder
What is excluded from the price altogether? Is the insulation at the code minimum, or above it? How are the wall cavities and roof space ventilated? What happens to the moisture this house will generate every day? A written answer to each is worth more than any advertised price on its own.
Typical custom home build costs
As a guide only, AXJ builds typically fall somewhere between $2,400/m² and $4,000/m²+, with our standard build sitting at around $2,700/m². We are cautious about leaning on this as a formula though — every home we build is its own, and no per square metre rate can honestly capture that. The real number only comes from your actual plans and site, which is exactly what a Pre Construction Consultation is for.
Why builder prices vary significantly
Renovation cost ranges
Every custom home is priced on its own plans, site and finish level — there is no single number, or even a reliable range, that applies across the board. What we can offer is an honest process for getting to a real figure quickly, not a guess pulled from a size calculation.
We do not put a number on renovations and extensions, and there is a real reason for that. A new build starts from a clean site, so conditions are consistent from the footings up. A renovation depends entirely on what is already there — the condition of the existing structure, what is hiding behind the walls once they come off, and how much needs reworking to tie old and new together properly. Two renovations of the same size can land in very different places because of that. The real figure comes from seeing the existing structure and scope in person, which is exactly what a Pre Construction Consultation is for.
Two quotes for what looks like "the same house" can be a long way apart. The difference usually comes down to what's actually included — allowances, inclusions, contingency, and how much is left to be decided (and priced) later. We'd rather give you a fixed, detailed figure upfront than a low number that grows once construction starts.
Why builder prices vary significantly
Two quotes for what looks like "the same house" can be a long way apart. The difference usually comes down to what's actually included — allowances, inclusions, contingency, and how much is left to be decided (and priced) later. We'd rather give you a fixed, detailed figure upfront than a low number that grows once construction starts.
What affects pricing
Site conditions, slope and access, size, level of finish, structural complexity, number of wet areas, and any custom or architectural features all move the number — sometimes significantly.
Realistic budgets for different project types
Realistic budgets for different project types
Every project we build — new home, renovation, or extension — is different enough that a realistic budget figure here would be more marketing than fact. The genuinely realistic budget for your project comes out of a Pre Construction Consultation, where we look at your actual plans and site rather than a category average.
Why Two Prices Aren't The Same
Two builders can quote on paper for what looks like the same house and land on two very different numbers. That is rarely because one of us just decided to charge more. It comes down to what is actually sitting inside the price, and what has quietly been left off the page to make the number look smaller.
A lot of advertised prices are built to win the first conversation, not to finish the job. Items every house genuinely needs get treated as an allowance, an upgrade, or simply left out altogether. You only find out once you have already signed.
Typical custom home build costs
The Code Is A Minimum, Not A Target
Every home has to meet the National Construction Code. What most people are never told is that the code is a floor, not a benchmark. A house built exactly to code is the lowest standard a builder is legally allowed to hand you.
We build above it. Not everywhere for the sake of it, in the places that decide how your home performs for the next thirty years.
Worth Asking Any Builder
What is excluded from the price altogether? Is the insulation at the code minimum, or above it? How are the wall cavities and roof space ventilated? What happens to the moisture this house will generate every day? A written answer to each is worth more than any advertised price on its own.
Typical custom home build costs
As a guide only, AXJ builds typically fall somewhere between $2,400/m² and $4,000/m²+, with our standard build sitting at around $2,700/m². We are cautious about leaning on this as a formula though — every home we build is its own, and no per square metre rate can honestly capture that. The real number only comes from your actual plans and site, which is exactly what a Pre Construction Consultation is for.
Typical custom home build costs
Extension
$180k – $450k+
Whole-Home Renovation
$350k – $800k+
Second-Storey Addition
$400k – $900k+
Renovation cost ranges
Every custom home is priced on its own plans, site and finish level — there is no single number, or even a reliable range, that applies across the board. What we can offer is an honest process for getting to a real figure quickly, not a guess pulled from a size calculation.
We do not put a number on renovations and extensions, and there is a real reason for that. A new build starts from a clean site, so conditions are consistent from the footings up. A renovation depends entirely on what is already there — the condition of the existing structure, what is hiding behind the walls once they come off, and how much needs reworking to tie old and new together properly. Two renovations of the same size can land in very different places because of that. The real figure comes from seeing the existing structure and scope in person, which is exactly what a Pre Construction Consultation is for.
Why builder prices vary significantly
Two quotes for what looks like "the same house" can be a long way apart. The difference usually comes down to what's actually included — allowances, inclusions, contingency, and how much is left to be decided (and priced) later. We'd rather give you a fixed, detailed figure upfront than a low number that grows once construction starts.
What affects pricing
Site conditions, slope and access, size, level of finish, structural complexity, number of wet areas, and any custom or architectural features all move the number — sometimes significantly.
Where our pricing starts
Realistic budgets for different project types
Every project we build — new home, renovation, or extension — is different enough that a realistic budget figure here would be more marketing than fact. The genuinely realistic budget for your project comes out of a Pre Construction Consultation, where we look at your actual plans and site rather than a category average.
NEXT STEP
NEXT STEP
Get an accurate figure for your project.
Get an accurate figure for your project.
Custom homes and major renovations across Northern Tasmania — built personally by Alex and Joby, and a small, hand-picked crew.