Construction Loans

Neomoney > Construction Loans

What is a Construction Loan?

When it comes to construction, building or renovating, you need a lender with the right construction loan product which can grow as your home gets built or renovated, allowing you to draw funds at each stage of the construction or renovation process.

Additionally, with construction or renovating loans, some lenders are extremely good at this construction process or extremely awful due to poor systems or lack of staff to assist clients during the construction process, since lenders control the payments to the builder. With the vast variety of lenders available, Neomoney knows which lenders handle the construction process quite well and which lenders handle the construction process poorly.

Neomoney have a wide range of lenders with specialised construction loan processing teams that offer exclusive construction loan processing services, meaning you can confidently know payments to builders at each stage will be handled promptly and efficiently, allowing you to concentrate on your home building development.

What Type Of Construction insurance Would I Need?

To ensure you are adequately protected and mandatory with lenders the following types of insurance will need to be provided which are arranged by the builder or construction agency, these insurance policies will need to be in place prior to a loan submission.

Builder’s Insurance of Works

The builders insurance covers the physical risk to the building during construction. This policy is replaced by a standard Domestic Home building insurance policy, which you need to obtain at lock-up stage.

Domestic Home Warranty Insurance

Domestic Warranty Insurance is provided by your registered builder to you the customer. This type of insurance covers risks such as non-completion by your builder due to insolvency, disappearance, death, structural defects due to builder negligence, etc.

Worker’s Compensation

This Insurance is arranged by the builder. Covers risks such as medical expenses for the builders injured workers on the job or work-related illnesses.

Public Liability Insurance

This Insurance is arranged by the builder. Covers risks such as medical expenses for the builders injured workers on the job or work-related illnesses.

What are the payment stages in a construction loan?

Depending on the lender there are generally 5 stages however a few lenders offer a 6th stage to the construction payment or drawdown payment stage. In the builder’s contract, the builder would normally have 5 stage payments which are outlined in their contract who request payment at each of the completed stages. At each of these stages a builder or construction agency will present you with an invoice to forward onto the lender for payment.

In order to make this staged payment to the builder, the lender requires the invoice and a progress payment authorisation form signed by all applicants or borrowers on the loan agreement. These stages are mentioned further down on this page.

You will need to ensure the construction stages are being completed as scheduled in the builders contract.

Some lenders may require a valuation at every stage of the 5 drawdowns or payment and some lenders only value the construction at the final staged payment or drawdown to ensure the builder meets all codes and outlined in the builders contract and additionally to safeguard the client if the builder has neglected to fix any unfinished works to the property.

Stages in construction and payment progress:

In the initial preparation stage of the building process with the builder or construction agency you would sign a construction contract either a Master Builders’ Association or Housing Industry Association fixed price contract. By signing a fixed-price contract, this would enable the builder to start the preparation of plans & specifications, obtaining approved plans and permits, proceeding with soil tests, insurances, etc.

In the loan application process, the lender will require copies of the fixed price contract, council approve plans, specification, permits and insurances, therefore it’s important to make sure these are all available prior to a loan submission.

STAGE 1
Cement Slab or Base Stage

Concrete slab complete or footings and base brickwork completed.

STAGE 2
Frame Stage

House frame complete and approved by building surveyor / inspector

STAGE 3
Lock-Up Stage

Windows / doors, roofing, brickwork, insulation.

STAGE 4
Fixing Stage

Plaster, kitchen cupboards, appliances, bathroom, toilet, laundry fittings/tiling, heating, fixing/internal doors, etc., plumbing, electrical, painting.

STAGE 5
Completion Stage

Fencing, site clean-up, final payment to builder.

Construction Payment Processes

First Progress Payment

Once the construction is underway and assuming the lender is a 2 stage valuation lender, the first progressive payment being made by the lender, who will require the following documents:

Copy of builders first stage invoice as per the building contract
Copies of council-approved plans and permits & specifications
Copies of the required insurance policies as outlined above
Signed borrower’s authorisation form to make progress payment to the builder (Authority must be signed by all borrows or parties on the loan).

Note: A lender will withhold funds until all of the above requirements have been supplied.

Second, Third & Fourth Progress Payments

Copy of builders first stage invoice as per the building contract
Signed borrower’s authorisation form to make progress payment to the builder (Authority must be signed by all borrows or parties on the loan).

Firth & Final Progress Payment

The final progressive payment requires a few more steps to be completed prior to a payment being made and the following documents would need to be supplied:

Copy of the occupancy certificate for new homes
Copy of the final inspection certificate
Copy of the general building insurance policy

During this final stage, the lender will organise for a final valuation once the above documents have been provided. The valuation is mandatory to safeguard the lender and the applicants to ensure the builder has met all building codes and construction specifications during the construction of your new property.

How long would a lender allow for construction?

Most lenders require that the construction or building be completed within 6 to 12. If the construction takes more than required you may be up for additional cost and penalties.