Buying your first home is likely one of the biggest purchase decisions you will ever make. With a raft of budget discussions to be had, a list of must-haves, and specifications to be drawn up, there’s a lot to consider. So what makes a prefab home such a great option for first-home buyers?
1. Efficient build process
When bad weather causes conventional building sites to shut down, our factory continues to operate, meaning your home is ready sooner and with fewer delays. A prefab building is constructed inside a purpose-built factory with no risk of weather delays holding up the build.
At Genius Homes, we can guarantee your new build is ready in only 20 weeks from signing your final design to onsite delivery. It’s not uncommon for onsite build projects to be extended by weeks or even months while the prefab process offers unmatched predictability.
2. No surprise costs
Delays in a build can come from a multitude of places, such as builders being assigned to another job or delayed material deliveries. Rain, staff sickness and subcontractors not showing up can all result in a knock-on effect of slowed progress.
With Genius Homes, the build team consists of permanent members of staff who have one project to focus on at a time. And with our central factory, the delivery of materials won’t incur any unforeseen labour costs.
3. Customised options are available
Gone are the days when prefabricated meant boxy, cold, and a lacklustre design. While you can buy an off-the-shelf plan, you can also opt to customise those designs to suit your preferences. There are 3 different levels of customisation that we offer at Genius Homes, including:
Standard
With this option, the floor plans haven't changed and all of the customisations are from standard colours and finishes. In some cases, the kitchen appliances may have been upgraded for a personal touch.
Hybrid
With hybrid designs, a few minor tweaks are made to an existing plan. The majority of the floor plan is unchanged but there are opportunities to make a few customisations. For example, you could add a second ensuite, extend the living area, or select a few special colours and finishes.
Custom
If you are wanting something completely original for your new home, talk to us about our custom options. These require more intensive design work in conjunction with a specialist architect and therefore are less common.
Before you make a decision, we can advise which option is best suited to your needs, whether it be starting from scratch or adapting from an existing plan.
4. More affordable than traditional build homes
House prices are fairly high at the moment and the cost of land can put many people off building a brand new home. But what many people don't know is that the low cost of a new prefab home can actually enable a new home builder to have a house and land for a similar price as an existing home.
Due to the efficient building process, fewer delays, and streamlined process, the prefab building method is far more cost-effective than the conventional approach. That means you can get a brand new home for much less, without sacrificing quality.
5. You can get a prefab home loan
Traditionally, getting a home loan for a prefab home has been challenging, but as the demand has risen so much in recent years, some banks are adjusting their policies.
To get a prefab home loan, you need to choose a qualifying prefab building company. For example, at Genius Homes, we have a partnership with BNZ to provide accessible funding for our prefab homes. This partnership allows us to ensure the bank has the necessary security and the customer has the funds they need to go ahead with the building process.
You can find out more about our BNZ prefab home loans here.
6. You can use your KiwiSaver to purchase your home
Once you've been a member of KiwiSaver for 3 years, you may be able to withdraw some of your KiwiSaver funds to put towards the purchase of your first home. Additionally, you may also be entitled to a KiwiSaver HomeStart grant to help with your new build home. For building or purchasing a new home, or for purchasing land to build a new home on, the grant is effectively doubled to $2,000 per year of membership in the scheme, up to a maximum of $10,000 for five years, for each member. You can learn more about the HomeStart grant by visiting their website.
To discuss these options or to see if you fit the criteria we suggest you talk to your lending provider.
7. High Spec appliances and specialist design consultant
When building a Genius Homes prefab home, a design consultant will walk you through the standard and non-standard inclusions, such as our range of kitchen appliances from Fisher & Paykel which are included as standard.
Our houses also include items from the Plumbline and can include almost anything you desire from the Plumbline line-up.
8. Factory tours and regular check-ups
Here at Genius Homes, we offer factory tours to help give our customers a clear insight into the process each house undergoes from frame to finish. This provides an interesting insight into the prefab approach but also gives you the chance to be inspired by some of the homes being built.
When your home is being built, you're also welcome to come and see it as it progresses through the stages. While changes might not be possible, depending on progress and budgets, you will be able to enjoy the unique experience of seeing your home come together.
9. Guarantee
Our buildings are engineer designed with a strong steel sub-frame and high-quality timber framing to ensure they exceed NZ building code requirements. With a 50-year steel frame structure warranty.
When you purchase a new home from Genius Homes, our superior service doesn’t end once you have the keys in your hand - we provide you with a 24-month Maintenance Guarantee for extra peace of mind whilst you settle into your new home.
We are confident in the quality of our homes, which is why we have a Quality Assurance team to conduct thorough quality inspections and address any queries you may have.
10. Ease and peace of mind
Here at Genius Homes, we offer full project management when it comes to building your new prefab home. This service makes it easier for you the customer. There is no need for you to have to deal with tradespeople, consents or councils.
Our experienced council liaison team member manages all council approvals, as well as earthquake, high wind, and flood zoning as needed. The factory construction is a very service-based build option, with the projects team constantly in contact to update you on the progress of the build.
Offsite builds are all about delivering you your new home while making the process as simple and easy as possible! To see our full range of prefabricated homes, download our latest product catalogue.
