The Four Gates to a Successful Home Build – Gate Four: Paying a Deposit
Over the course of our Four Gates journey, we’ve guided you through the essential steps that lead to a successful new home build – the kind that leaves you feeling confident, informed, and excited, not stressed or second-guessing.
From securing the right land, to the design that fits your lifestyle and budget, to receiving a transparent estimate or a quote, each gate has brought you closer to the place you’ll soon call home.
Now we reach Gate Four: Paying a Deposit – the moment you take the final step from planning to building.
Paying a deposit is the point where your plans become real. It’s a small but significant step – the green light that says, “Let’s build!”
At Stroud Homes, we treat this step with care and professionalism. Now your design, with costs (and finance) are approved we need to prepare your building contract, making sure to include all the agreed specifications, with timeframes, and any changes before drawing the contract set of plans.
To get going you’ll need to pay a modest deposit to cover the drafting, engineer and contract setup costs. It’s important to note: Your deposit is to cover real costs and comes off the contract price.
All work is necessary for your building consent and we only ask for the preliminary deposit once everything is crystal clear – your plan, your estimate quote, finance, and your confidence in the process.
Too many builders pressure clients into signing building contracts or paying deposits before they’re ready, and without doing proper due diligence often leaving key details unresolved. That’s not how we operate.
At Stroud Homes, Gate Four only opens when:
This is how we give our customers peace of mind and a solid foundation for the build ahead. There are no hidden surprises, and nothing is left to guess. Just excitement and certainty as we move into the construction stage.
Now your preliminary deposit is paid, and we begin working behind the scenes to bring your home to life. The working drawings are completed, and the building contract is presented for your final approval.
The best part? You’re not left wondering what’s happening. We keep you informed every step of the way with regular updates, and clear communication.
You’ll know exactly where your build is at, and when to expect your documents for approval and signatures.
Gate Four isn’t just a financial step – it’s a commitment from us to you.
By the time we ask for the preliminary deposit, we’ve already invested significant time and care into helping you get to this point, and we’ll continue doing so right through to handing over your new home (and beyond).
Gate Four opens when:
You’ve approved your plan and quote, paid your deposit and we’ve prepared your building agreement for signatures – your builder is now ready to bring your new home to life.
The construction phase begins once you have signed your building agreement.
You can relax – but there is still plenty of work to do at our end such as making any final changes to the plans for your approval and then applying for your building consent.
Read more about building contracts, stage payments, building timeframes, variations and the construction phase in our next series – ‘Building Your New Home’.