By Chaice Paterson, CEO & Founder, Low Deposit Homes | Updated June 2026

A single-storey 3-4 bedroom house in Queensland in 2026 typically takes 6-9 months to build from slab pour to handover — assuming a fixed-price contract, standard design, and no major weather or supply disruptions. For first home buyers, that build phase is one part of a larger timeline: land settlement to handover is typically 7-10 months total. Construction itself follows predictable stages (slab, frame, lock-up, fit-out, handover) with payments due at each stage milestone. Here’s exactly what happens during each phase, what causes delays, and what protects you from cost blowouts.

What’s the standard construction timeline for a QLD house?

A typical 6-month build broken down by stage:

Total: approximately 6-8 months from slab to handover, plus 1-2 months of pre-construction.

For two-storey homes or larger designs (5+ bedrooms), add 1-2 months. For homes with complex features (basement, theatre rooms, complex cladding), add further time.

What happens at each construction stage?

Pre-construction (4-8 weeks after land settlement):

• Soil test conducted
• Engineering plans drafted based on soil classification
• Council building approval lodged
• Builder’s QBCC insurance issued
• Final house plans confirmed and signed off
• Site survey and set-out

Slab (2-3 weeks):

• Site preparation (clearing, leveling)
• Drainage and plumbing rough-in
• Steel reinforcement laid
• Concrete poured
• Cure period (typically 7-14 days)

Frame (3-4 weeks):

• Wall framing erected
• Roof trusses installed
• Initial council frame inspection

Lock-up (4-6 weeks):

• Roof tiling/sheeting completed
• Windows installed
• External doors installed
• House is “weatherproof”

Fit-out (6-8 weeks):

• Electrical rough-in completed
• Plumbing rough-in completed
• Insulation installed
• Internal plasterboard
• Kitchen and bathroom cabinetry installed
• Tiling and flooring

Final fix and handover (2-3 weeks):

• Painting completed
• Final electrical and plumbing connections
• Appliances installed
• Landscaping completed (basic — driveway, turf)
• Final council inspection
• Builder’s pre-handover inspection
• Owner’s handover walkthrough

How do progress payments work?

Construction loans are interest-only on the drawn-down portion, with payments released to the builder at each stage milestone. Standard QLD progress payment schedule:

For a $400,000 build, the bank releases approximately $60,000 at slab, $80,000 at frame, $100,000 at lock-up, etc. You only pay interest on the drawn-down portion until handover, when the full loan converts to principal and interest.

This means your repayments START SMALL during construction and gradually increase. For a $400,000 build at an indicative 6% construction-loan interest rate (the standard variable home loan rate in 2026 — your actual rate depends on your lender):

• Month 3 (slab drawn): interest on ~$80,000 drawn ≈ $400/month
• Month 5 (lock-up): interest on ~$240,000 drawn ≈ $1,200/month
• Month 8 (handover): full P&I on $400,000 at 6% ≈ $2,400/month

What causes construction delays?

The most common delays:

Weather. Queensland’s wet season (December-March) can delay slab pours and frame stages by 2-4 weeks. Cyclone season can compound this.

Material supply. Specific items (Colorbond colours, specific tile lines, premium appliances) can have 4-12 week lead times if back-ordered.

Council inspections. Frame inspection, plumbing inspection, electrical inspection — each requires council sign-off. Booking delays of 1-2 weeks are common.

Variations. Mid-build changes (upgrade to flooring, additional power points, kitchen modifications) typically add 2-4 weeks each.

Trade availability. Tilers, painters, and electricians are sometimes booked weeks ahead. Builders manage this but can’t always avoid it.

Owner-caused delays. Slow selections (colours, fixtures, tile choice not made by deadlines) push the whole timeline.

How do fixed-price contracts protect you?

A fixed-price contract means the builder commits to a specific total cost for a specific scope. Cost overruns due to material price changes, weather delays, or general inflation are the builder’s risk, not yours.

With Low Deposit Homes panel builders:

• Site cost surprises after slab dig — risk borne by the builder
• Council fees and infrastructure charges — risk borne by the builder
• Soil class re-grades post-contract — risk borne by the builder
• No provisional sums in the contract — what you sign is what you pay
• Material price inflation during build — builder risk
• Variations you request mid-build (the one exception — these are itemised, costed, and authorised by you before they happen)

This is one of the reasons LDH is strict about which builders sit on our panel. We work with builders who have done the upfront engineering and pricing properly so they can hold a true fixed price. Building with an off-panel builder, you may sign a “fixed price” contract that includes provisional sums or excludes site cost overruns — meaning the contract isn’t genuinely fixed and the buyer carries the residual risk.

What to verify before signing any building contract:

• Detailed inclusions list (what’s actually in the price)
• Whether provisional sums exist anywhere in the contract (with LDH panel builders, they don’t)
• Variation pricing policy (how mid-build changes are costed)
• Builder’s track record on price discipline and stage timing

The standard build contracts LDH clients sign include comprehensive inclusion lists with no provisional sums — protecting against the most common cost blowout patterns.

What can and can’t I change during the build?

Easily changed (before specific stages):

• Paint colours (before painting)
• Floor coverings (before fit-out)
• Light fittings (before final fix)
• Tap fixtures (before final fix)
• Appliances (before final fix)

Difficult/expensive to change (require structural rework):

• Wall locations (after frame)
• Power point locations (after rough-in)
• Window sizes/positions (after frame)
• Plumbing locations (after rough-in)

Cannot be changed:

• House design type (you signed a contract)
• Lot dimensions
• Major structural elements

The general rule: make all major decisions before slab pour. Changes after slab are progressively more expensive.

“I tell every client at handover the same thing — eight months ago you signed a contract and your home was an idea. Today you’re holding the keys. That’s the magic of building new. But the eight months in between needs discipline — make your decisions early, stick to them, don’t try to redesign mid-build. The clients who do that get smooth handovers.” — Chaice Paterson, founder of Low Deposit Homes

What does LDH monitor during construction?

For every client purchase, we track:

• Council approval status
• Slab pour date
• Frame stage completion
• Lock-up date
• Expected handover date

We follow up with the builder when stages stretch beyond expected timelines and surface any issues early to the client. Our four-stage Uncon Handover model ensures that pre-construction work starts in parallel with land registration — so we hit construction milestones without unnecessary delays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What if my build takes longer than expected? Most build contracts have a “practical completion date” target with allowances for weather and other excusable delays. Beyond this, liquidated damages may apply (typically a small daily amount to the builder for delays). Read the contract carefully.

Q: Can I move into the property before official handover? No — until handover, the property is the builder’s work site under their insurance. Occupying early voids warranties and creates legal complications. Wait for handover.

Q: Do I need to pay rent during the build? Yes — until handover, you can’t live in the property. Most LDH clients continue renting through the build period. This is actually financially valuable: you continue saving (interest-only payments are small until handover), and your move-in costs are spread out.

Q: What happens at handover if there are defects? You conduct a pre-handover inspection with the builder, listing any defects on a defects list. The builder must rectify within an agreed timeframe (typically 90 days). The QBCC home warranty covers structural defects for 6 years post-handover.

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Visit our First Home Buyer Queensland guide or First Home Buyer Melbourne guide for the complete pathway.

Low Deposit Homes operates under Winning Homes Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 633 321 758). All calculations are indicative. Individual circumstances may vary. This is not financial advice.