Builder-broker · Going direct
Short answer
Going direct to a builder suits you if you've already chosen a builder and a design. A builder broker suits you if you want to compare homes and prices from several builders before you pick one.
Either way, you sign the building contract with the builder and the same Victorian protections apply. Check the builder's registration and have a building lawyer review the contract before you sign.
Turnkey Building Group (TKBG) compares full turnkey, fixed-price packages from over 35 builders. We're paid by the builder from a share of its margin, so using us costs you nothing extra.
Compare
Going direct means you visit display homes or contact builders yourself and deal with each builder's sales team. Using a builder broker means one person compares homes from several builders for you, then introduces you to the builder you choose. For the step-by-step version, see how a builder broker works in Victoria.
| Going direct | Through a builder broker | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you sign with | The builder | The builder (the broker isn't a party to your building contract) |
| Legal protections | Victorian building law and your contract | The same |
| Who you deal with while choosing | Each builder's sales consultant | One broker, then the builder you choose |
| How many builders you see | The ones you visit or contact yourself | The builders in the broker's network |
| Who pays whom | You pay the builder | You pay the builder. Some brokers are paid by the builder and some charge you a fee, so ask |
| Best fit | You've already chosen a builder and design | You want to compare builders before you choose |
Is it cheaper to go direct? Not necessarily. TKBG can save you money because we know what to look for when choosing a block of land and can negotiate better pricing on the package as a whole. We're paid by the builder from a share of its margin, so using us costs you nothing extra. Each builder sets its own prices and promotions, so compare written quotes on the same design, inclusions and site costs, not headline prices. For how fees work, see how builder brokers get paid.
Which suits
If all three are true, you may not need a broker.
For a fuller look at the trade-offs, read is a builder broker worth it in Victoria.
Protections
Your rights come from Victorian law and your contract with the builder. How you found the builder doesn't change them.
In house and land, the land contract is separate, with the land seller. This is a summary only. For advice on your contracts, talk to a building lawyer or conveyancer.
Questions
If you go direct, ask the builder:
If you use a broker, ask the broker:
Ask the builder the same questions you would if you went direct. For the full checklist, see how to check a builder in Victoria.
Where TKBG fits
TKBG is Victoria's leading builder broker (also called a building broker), based at the Old Post Office in Berwick. We cover all of Victoria, including Geelong and regional Victoria, and compare homes from a network of over 35 builders. Every TKBG house-and-land package is full turnkey, at a fixed price, and we also help with knockdown-rebuilds. We're paid by the builder from a share of its margin, so using us costs you nothing extra. We're a broker, not a builder, so you sign the building contract directly with the builder.
There are limits. We can only show you builders in our network. If the builder you want isn't in it, go to them direct. If you've already chosen a builder and design and had the contract reviewed, you may not need us at all.
Questions
Go direct if you've already chosen a builder and design and have a lawyer ready to review the contract. Use a builder broker if you want to compare homes and packages from several builders before you choose. Either way, you sign the building contract with the builder and the same Victorian protections apply.
Not necessarily. TKBG can save you money because we know what to look for when choosing a block of land and can negotiate better pricing on the package as a whole. We're paid by the builder from a share of its margin, so using us costs you nothing extra. Each builder sets its own prices, so compare written quotes on the same design, inclusions and site costs, and confirm the final contract price before you sign.
Not necessarily. Builders set their own prices, promotions and terms, so whether a deal is better depends on what's in it. TKBG can save you money because we know what to look for when choosing a block of land and can negotiate better pricing on the package as a whole. Compare like for like: the same home, the same inclusions and the same block, with every price in writing.
You can do both. Display homes let you see a builder's design and finish in person, but they can include upgrades, so ask what's standard. A broker can help you compare several builders' homes and prices at once, and you can then visit displays for the builders on your shortlist.
No. A builder broker isn't a party to your building contract. You sign directly with the builder, and the builder is responsible for the build. In a house-and-land purchase, the land contract is separate again, with the land seller. Have a building lawyer review the building contract before you sign.
Yes. Your protections come from Victorian law and your contract with the builder, so they're the same either way. They include the deposit cap, the cooling-off rules and, for eligible contracts signed on or after 1 July 2026, the Home Warranty Scheme. Check the details with Consumer Affairs Victoria and a building lawyer.
You may not need one if you've already chosen your builder and design, compared prices and had the contract reviewed by a lawyer. A broker can also only show you builders in its own network, so if the builder you want isn't in it, go to that builder direct.
Next step
Or book a discovery meeting.
Questions? Email info@tkbg.com.au