Frequently Asked Questions

Personal service, attention to detail and true custom building. With J & S Contracting, the builder you talk to during the design and planning stages is the same builder who will be supervising the construction of your home. We deliberately limit the number of projects we are working on at any one time so that you can be assured that your project will be given the attention it deserves. Justin personally still works on and supervises each project we undertake and uses his experience to ensure your build is the best it can be. Rather than having a set of pre-drafted plans and making your site fit in with these, we build homes which suit your site, and we aren’t limited to common construction styles.

No! And in fact, it’s often more beneficial for you to begin working with us beforeyour plans are finalised. If you have not started organising plans yet, we can assist you with these. But if you have started working with an architect or draftsman, we can offer a builder’s perspective on these and, if needed, liaise with your architect/draftsman. Sometimes we find that by amending a few points within a design we can greatly improve the functionality of the plans and/or save you thousands from your budget. But this is best done before your plans are finalised.

The cost of a new build depends so much on the building’s design, materials and on which inclusions you would like as well as the slope and soil of the site and its access to infrastructure such as water and sewer. The more “high value” rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms in a home mean a higher cost, and verandahs/decks also need to be taken into account. Each of our homes is costed individually so you pay no more than you need to.

Lots of them! We have built with brick veneer, full (double) brick, weather boards, rendered brickwork and corrugated iron. We are happy to fit either iron or tiled roofs. We use concrete slabs, suspended concrete decks and framed timber floors. The only things we won’t use are those methods which we feel simply aren’t durable enough or up to standard. Unusual designs or complicated roofs are not a problem as we have the skill set to complete anything. Problem solving of complex construction issues is a specialty of ours.

The quality of the home, the workmanship and the inclusions. As award winning builders, when we select the materials to use we consider how they will last, how they will look and how easy they will be for you to maintain. Often there is more than one way to build something. Our tradesmen always choose the way which is the strongest and most stable, to give the long-term finish you expect. Built-in quality pays you back in lower maintenance costs, higher resale value as well as simply looking great for you to enjoy.

Sometimes, but not always. Sometimes it costs a little more to have a home built well, to use better-quality materials and to have the tradesmen take the time to complete the build properly. This can be more than offset, though, by lower on-going maintenance costs and a home which still looks good years down the track, giving you the option of a higher resale value. Often we charge less for a specialised build than project/volume builders would for that same build, as we are not limited to common methods and our tradesmen are skilled at specialised building.

As much as you want us to complete for you! All the normal things are always included: electricity, sewer and gas (if required) connected and ready. Fly screens and/or security screens, steps (if required) and any retaining walls needed. We can complete driveways and fencing if required. Inside your home, you get to choose the fittings you would like from anything our suppliers offer. A generous allowance for electrical outlets is included. We allow for you to have quality fittings, not ones which will break a week after the warranty finishes.

If you do not change your mind on inclusions/design of the project during construction, nothing! We know our customers would not appreciate being hit with an unexpected large bill at the end for things which they always thought were included in the first place. So, we always try to include into our original price everything you will need to move in. Anything which is not included is clearly stated at the beginning, so you can budget with confidence.