At Matte Building, the first stage of your project begins with a personalised on-site consultation. This is where we meet you at your property to review your plans, discuss your ideas and assess the site conditions that will shape your build. This visit helps us understand your vision, your priorities and the level of finish you’re aiming for.

After the site visit, we use the information gathered to prepare one obligation-free estimate, giving you a clear picture of the expected project costs from the outset.

For clients who are committed to building with us and want to secure their construction start date as soon as possible, we offer a Preliminary Agreement.

A Preliminary Agreement allows you to lock your project into our calendar while you wait for approvals and engineering This is particularly beneficial for clients preparing ahead or planning to build at a later date but don’t have the required documentation to sign a building contract.

The agreement is a signed contract that reserves your position in our schedule while you progress through approvals and engineering.

The Preliminary Agreement requires a 2–5% deposit, calculated from your estimate, which is credited toward your final building contract. It’s a proactive way to secure your preferred timeline and ensure your project gets underway as soon as possible.

After you’ve received your initial estimate, the next step in our process is the Construction Proposal , a comprehensive pre-construction package designed to give you absolute clarity around your build. This stage transforms your plans into a fully costed, fully documented proposal so you can move forward with confidence.

Our Construction Proposal includes:

1. A detailed review of your plans

We take the time to thoroughly assess your plans, engineering and site requirements. We consult directly with our trusted trades and suppliers to gather accurate, project specific pricing.

2. An itemised fixed-price quote (with up to 2 revisions)

Your proposal includes a fully itemised, fixed-price quote outlining every stage and cost associated with your build. You can make up to two revisions, allowing you to refine selections or adjust the scope while maintaining full cost transparency.

3. A proposed build timeline

We map out your project from start to finish, outlining each stage in weeks so you know exactly what to expect and when. This timeline gives you a realistic understanding of your build duration and how your project will progress on site.

4. A tailored PC item purchase guide

You’ll receive a customised purchase guide for all PC (Prime Cost) items, with clear, realistic allowances suited to your design and finish level.

5. All provisional sums clearly outlined

Any provisional sums are detailed and explained upfront, giving you total clarity around costs that may vary depending on your selections.

Once your Construction Proposal is finalised, the next step is signing your building contract. This stage is designed to give you complete confidence before construction begins, ensuring every legal detail, cost and expectation is clearly understood.

At Matte Building, we believe an informed client is an empowered client. That’s why we take the time to sit down with you and go through every section of the contract in detail. Together, we review:

• All legal obligations and protections

We walk through the contract clause by clause so you understand your rights, warranties and responsibilities, as well as ours.

• A clear and transparent payment schedule

You’ll see how each payment aligns with specific construction milestones, ensuring cost transparency and predictable budgeting throughout your build.

• Detailed cost inclusions and exclusions

Every allowance, PC item, provisional sum and fixed-price component is explained so there are no hidden surprises once construction begins.

• Project timelines and expectations

We outline your proposed schedule and clarify how each stage of your build will progress once on site.

This stage marks your official commitment to moving forward, and once the contract is signed, your project is locked into our construction calendar — unless this was already secured earlier through a Preliminary Agreement.

Our goal is to make the contract stage clear, transparent and stress-free, so you feel confident, informed and excited about the next step: bringing your home to life.