I am in Melbourne. I used Diamond Property Group for building inspection of my new property (purchased from owner-builder). These guys service Australia wide and I paid $650 for a Pre Purchase Report which included the termites. The inspector was punctual and very knowledgeable... hopefully they have inspectors in QLD that are just as great :)

My answer would be a resounding "Yes your spending a lot of money and putting in a big emotional investment into this project!". It's never a bad idea to have an independent inspector at key stages as once your home is built a lot of things can be hidden/covered up and you only find out when it all goes pear-shaped. Inspections are usually carried out at the following points:Footing inspectionSlab inspectionFraming inspectionLockup stage inspectionWaterproofing inspectionFinal inspectionPre-handover / practical completion stage inspectionFixing stage inspection But before any of this happens, save yourself potential grief and go over with a fine tooth comb the council approved plans vs the builders specs and budget - make sure that there's no oversights - raise any issues or queries early and get things sorted out before anything starts on site. Good luck with building your new home.

Wilmar, in theory it shouldn't make any difference, however while all building surveyors are supposed to be independent I have heard of some who occasionally turn a blind eye to something that there regular builder does. If you engage your own building surveyor it will cost you more money, as you are a one off client. Your builder may not like it as he may then may be forced to do something that they normally get away with. Just remember that a building surveyor checks your new home against the building regulations, Australian Standards, and the parts that are affected by the regulations (such as smoke detectors, shower waterproofing, balustrade height etc) to ensure that the building complies with what was approved in the building permit plans. The building surveyors job is not quality control, so he can't do anything if you have a bad paint finish, or poorly fitting architraves etc. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

Echo 100% all of the above comments............... the big DIY rookie design error is designing disconnected from specific context.........also starting with a rectangle shape and then filling in the rooms/spaces...not to mention not understanding how to manage budget with design appropriately within context...... you're missing the opportunity here........... To clarify, one of the biggest differences between designers/architects and draftspeople is the knowledge and management of costs......think of it like this - draftspeople draw stuff as instructed, whereas designers/architects creatively configure and develop spaces simultaneously factoring in multiple level/layers of requirements appropriately balanced within context/to regulation, with deep understanding of costs involved and ultimately how to maximise the opportunity.... Good Designers will craft an experience of space....it's chalk & cheese/completely different services......... The basic outline you've sketched is something that probably would be better suited to a smaller/suburban block...but you're talking about a rural acreage context, which brings with it a completely different set of conditions and also opens up so many opportunities for design that responds and connects with the immediate context.......think of amazing views/outlooks and how a building can be spread out without the constraints of close boundaries etc....I start to think about verandahs and spaces that connect to the outdoors.... Developing a home is a balancing process, of numerous factors and priorities. You need to establish these aspects first, work out what's important and what is your budget limit. Then work from there. You may find you need significantly greater money allocation to build aspect than you're thinking, and possibly it makes more sense to look at a smaller allotment and different land/building budget ratio......Don't underestimate owner builder costs. It's not necessarily a cheaper option unless you have "free" time, construction/industry knowledge and a passive income combination........these are big decisions that will take time to work through, but focusing on your kitchen or bedroom layout at this point in time is arguably a waste of time at this point in the process for you......as oklouise so correctly said "design is the most important part", and so it is highly advised that you allocate a reasonable amount of your investment to that part of it.... Just as a random thing, attached a sketch for a rural context....it's contemporary and subtle split/varied level, but all about the outlooks and natural light, zone separations and connecting deeply with the land........you have to design from the inside out, but you need to first understand where it's grounded and the context the design is physically responding to.... Something like you have drawn would likely be more cost effectively achieved with an off the shelf option like a volume builder, rather than going owner builder.... Hope some of this is helpful Best of luck Victoria Cheers PD :)