An Interview with Our Construction Director: Your Top Questions Answered

Once a custom home moves from design and preconstruction onto site, months of planning, documentation and selections begin to take physical form. Behind that process is a significant amount of coordination between supervisors, trades, suppliers, consultants and the wider project team.

To explain what happens during construction, we sat down with Beachstone Homes Construction Director, Brock Reid. Brock oversees our construction operations and works closely with our site and project teams to manage build quality, construction sequencing, trades and the practical challenges that can arise when delivering a custom home.

Key Takeaways

• Successful custom home construction relies on detailed planning, experienced supervision and coordination between trades, suppliers and consultants
• Quality needs to be managed throughout construction, including the important structural, waterproofing and service details that will eventually be concealed
• Sloping sites, coastal exposure, access constraints and complex architectural details require careful consideration during both design and construction
• Good trade coordination helps ensure structure, services, cabinetry, lighting and other building systems work together as intended
• Making key decisions early and working with an experienced construction team can help reduce delays, changes and avoidable issues once building begins

Q: Brock, what does your role as Construction Director involve?

A: My role is primarily about making sure our construction team has what it needs to deliver each home to the standard we expect. That involves overseeing our projects, supporting our site team, coordinating trades and suppliers, reviewing construction issues and helping resolve challenges as they arise.

With custom homes, every project is different. The site, structure, materials and architectural details can all create different construction requirements, so there is a lot of planning and coordination involved beyond simply following a set of drawings.

A big part of the role is looking ahead. We want to identify what is coming next, make sure the necessary information and materials are available and resolve potential issues before they affect subsequent stages of the build.

Q: What should clients expect when construction first begins on site?

A: The early stages can be some of the most dramatic because the site changes very quickly. Depending on the project, there may be demolition, excavation, temporary site works, drainage, retaining structures, foundations or other groundwork required before the home really starts to take shape.

This is also where good preconstruction planning becomes important. Before starting, we want the construction documentation, engineering and relevant approvals coordinated so our site team and trades have clear information to work from.

On more complex sites, particularly sloping or coastal properties, there can be substantial work below ground before clients see much happening above ground. Those early works are critical because they establish the foundation for everything that follows.

Q: How do you manage unexpected issues during construction?

A: Even with detailed planning, construction can present issues that are difficult to identify until work begins. Existing ground conditions, hidden services, weather, product availability or an architectural detail that needs further resolution can all create challenges.

The important thing is how those issues are managed. We first establish exactly what the problem is, then work with the appropriate people, whether that is the engineer, designer, building surveyor, supplier or trade, to determine the best solution.

We consider the effect on the design, construction sequence, cost and program before proceeding. Where an issue affects the client or requires a decision from them, it is important that the options and implications are clearly communicated so an informed decision can be made.

Q: How does Beachstone Homes approach quality during construction?

A: Quality is not something you inspect into a home at the end. It needs to be considered throughout the entire construction process.

It starts with good documentation and appropriate material selections, then continues through trade coordination, supervision and checking work as the build progresses. Many elements become concealed by later stages, so it is important that issues are identified and addressed at the appropriate time rather than waiting until completion.

We also work with trades and suppliers who understand the standard expected on our homes. Custom construction often involves details and materials that require more care than repetitive residential work, so experience and workmanship are particularly important.

Q: What are some of the challenges involved in building custom homes on the Mornington Peninsula?

A: The Mornington Peninsula has some fantastic building sites, but they can also be challenging. We regularly deal with sloping land, coastal exposure, difficult access, significant excavation, retaining walls, bushfire requirements and homes designed around views or existing vegetation.

Those conditions can influence everything from foundations and structural systems through to material selection, waterproofing, drainage and the way trades access the site.

The best results generally come when those challenges are considered during design rather than left until construction. That is one of the advantages of having construction input early in the Design & Build process. We can help the design team understand the practical implications of different solutions before they are fully documented.

Q: How do you manage the construction program on a custom home?

A: A construction program involves much more than scheduling trades one after another. There are materials with long lead times, inspections, consultant information, client selections and work that needs to be completed before another trade can begin.

Our team is continually looking ahead at upcoming stages so we can coordinate those requirements. The objective is to keep work progressing efficiently while making sure we do not compromise quality simply to move to the next stage.

There will always be factors that can affect a construction program, particularly weather, availability of trades or materials and changes to the project. Good planning helps reduce those risks, and when something does change, we adjust the sequence where possible and keep the relevant people informed.

Q: How important is trade coordination on a custom home?

A: It is extremely important. A modern custom home has many different systems that need to work together, including structure, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, lighting, cabinetry, waterproofing and home automation.

A decision made by one trade can affect several others. For example, ductwork may need to pass through structural elements, lighting positions need to coordinate with cabinetry and ceiling details, and plumbing fixtures can influence wall framing and service locations.

Good coordination is about understanding those interfaces before they become problems on site. The more complex the home, the more important that becomes.

Q: How do you approach construction site safety?

A: Building sites are active workplaces, so safety needs to be managed throughout construction. Site conditions change constantly as excavation, scaffolding, framing, services and finishing trades move through the project.

Our construction team works with our trades and contractors to manage site specific risks and maintain appropriate site controls throughout the build. It is also why client site visits need to be arranged with the construction team rather than clients entering an active site independently.

The objective is straightforward: everyone working on or visiting one of our projects should be able to do so safely.

Q: What do you think makes a well built custom home?

A: It is the combination of a lot of things rather than one particular product or construction method. Good design and documentation are important, but so are appropriate materials, experienced trades, supervision and taking the time to get the details right.

The parts clients notice at handover are obviously important, but a lot of what determines how a home performs over the long term is hidden behind walls, below floors or within the structure. Waterproofing, drainage, framing, insulation, flashings and service coordination may not be the most exciting parts of a new home, but they matter enormously.

For me, a well built home is one where the design intent has been properly translated into construction and the same level of care has been applied to the things you cannot see as the things you can.

Q: What advice would you give clients before construction begins?

A: Make as many decisions as possible before they are required on site. Late changes can have consequences that are not always obvious because one change may affect work that has already been documented, ordered or completed.

I would also encourage clients to ask questions and understand why things are being done a particular way. There is a lot happening during a custom build that may not be visible from the outside, and understanding the process makes it much easier to appreciate how the home comes together.

Most importantly, work with a team you trust. Custom building inevitably involves challenges and decisions along the way. Having experienced people who can identify issues, explain the options and work through them with you makes a significant difference to the experience and the finished home.

At Beachstone Homes, our construction team works closely with our design, estimating and project management teams to carry the design intent through from documentation to the finished home. If you’re considering building a custom home on the Mornington Peninsula, Bayside or Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, contact our team to discuss your project.

ABOUT BEACHSTONE HOMES

Beachstone Homes is an award winning custom home builder specialising in bespoke Design & Build homes across the Mornington Peninsula, Bayside suburbs and Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Our integrated approach combines custom design, interior design, cost planning and construction expertise under one roof to help clients move from vision to certainty with confidence.