Honest advice
on building your home.
Tim writes what he'd tell a friend — the things most builders won't say upfront about budgets, design, and what to expect when you're building in SE Bayside Melbourne.
From Tim's desk
Practical guidance for families planning a custom home, knockdown rebuild, or development in SE Bayside Melbourne.
Is Your Land Suitable for a Knockdown Rebuild? What to Check First
Overlays, easements, soil and slope — the four things that actually determine feasibility, explained plainly, plus a free tool to check your own block.
Sloping Block Home Designs: What They Actually Cost in Melbourne
Split-level, stepped and reverse-living sloping block home designs, done right. What they actually cost in Melbourne, and a real Rye case study.
Custom Home Builder in Rye, Mornington Peninsula — The Tasman Story
360m², platinum finishes, Bass Strait views. Crowncon's most ambitious build — delivered in seven months on the Peninsula.
Knockdown Rebuild Melbourne: What It Really Costs, Start to Finish
Demolition, asbestos, site costs, the build and the timeline — the honest 2026 breakdown of what a knockdown rebuild actually costs, including the numbers most builders leave out.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a House in Melbourne? (2026)
Per-square-metre rates, what's included and what isn't, site costs, and what $850k actually buys — a builder's straight answer to the question everyone asks first.
Energy Efficient Home Design: Plans & Floor Plan Principles
Orientation, thermal mass, glazing, layout — the decisions made at the design stage that determine how a home performs for the next 50 years.
How to Plan a Seamless Home Building Journey
Most people approach a home build with the right intentions but the wrong order of operations. Here's how Tim recommends getting started — and what to lock in before you commit to anything.
What to Expect at Every Stage of Your Build
From first meeting to handing over the keys — a plain-language guide to what actually happens at each stage, and what to watch out for along the way.
Why Engaging Your Builder Early Changes Everything
The most common — and costly — mistake in custom home building. Here's how to avoid it, and why the sequence matters more than most people realise.
Questions are free.
So is the first chat.
If anything you've read here raises a question about your specific situation — Tim is the right person to ask. No obligation, no sales pitch.