What is a house and land package?

It is a single contract that bundles a block of land with a fixed design from a builder's range. You buy the land and the build as one deal, usually with one settlement process, rather than sourcing land and a builder separately.

Are house and land packages cheaper than building custom?

Often yes, because the design is repeated across many blocks and the builder buys materials at scale. The trade-off is less flexibility on layout, finishes and orientation than a fully custom build.

What is usually not included in the advertised price?

Site costs, driveways, fencing, landscaping, flyscreens, window treatments and sometimes air conditioning are common exclusions. Always ask for the full inclusions list, not just the headline price.

Can I change the floor plan on a house and land package?

Some builders allow minor changes for a fee; others sell strictly off-the-plan designs matched to the block. Ask early, since structural changes can push you into custom pricing.

House and land packages in Perth: how they work and what to check

By Nadia Delgado · Updated 2026-06-03

A house and land package pairs a block in a new estate with a fixed home design from a builder’s catalogue, sold together as one deal. It is how most first home buyers and a lot of upgraders get into a new build in Perth’s growth corridors, from Baldivis to Alkimos to Brabham. The appeal is simplicity: one contract, one settlement timeline, and a price that looks final. The catch is that “final” price often has gaps, and knowing where they sit before you sign saves a lot of stress later.

How the package actually works

You are usually buying two things under one umbrella: the land, which settles first, and the build, which starts once titles issue and finance is in place. Some packages are “house and land” in the strict sense, where the builder has a deal with a land developer and sells both together. Others are “turnkey,” meaning the home is built with driveways, fencing, landscaping and window coverings already done, so you move in without extra trades to arrange.

Turnkey and standard packages are priced differently, and the gap between them is often bigger than buyers expect. A standard package covers the house shell to a base specification; turnkey folds in most of the finishing work. If a display home has a display village feel but a “from” price well below what you see on the ground, ask exactly which version that price refers to.

A new Perth housing estate with several near-identical house and land package homes under construction on adjoining blocks

What is usually bundled, and what is not

Item	Usually included	Often extra
Base house design and standard inclusions	Yes	—
Site costs (soil test, retaining, fall)	Sometimes, capped	Above cap
Driveway and paths	Turnkey only	Standard packages
Fencing and landscaping	Turnkey only	Standard packages
Flyscreens, blinds, air conditioning	Rarely	Almost always
Connection fees (power, water, NBN)	Varies by builder	Check per contract

Site costs are the single biggest source of budget surprises. Perth has a mix of sandy and reactive clay blocks, and a standard site works allowance can be a few thousand dollars short of what a sloping or reactive block actually needs. Ask for the soil classification and a firm site costs quote before you commit, not an estimate.

Choosing between builders on the same estate

Most growth corridor estates have several volume builders represented, often with near-identical price points on paper. The differences that matter show up after handover: how closely the final invoice matched the original quote, how responsive the builder was through the build, and how they handled defects once you moved in. Builders that consistently deliver on time and on budget, and communicate clearly when something changes, tend to earn that reputation over years of reviews, not one glossy display home. Our display home and volume builders category lists the volume builders active in Perth metro if you want to compare beyond the estate’s preferred builder list.

If you are also weighing a display home against a fully custom design for a different block, the display home vs custom-designed home guide breaks down the cost, timeline and flexibility trade-offs between the two.

The contract questions worth asking before you sign

Ask for a written, itemised inclusions list rather than relying on the display home. Confirm whether the price is fixed or has provisional sums for items like tiling and fixtures, since provisional sums are where costs commonly blow out. Get a firm start date tied to land titling, and ask what happens to your position in the build queue if titles are delayed, which happens often in newer estates still being serviced with roads and utilities.

It is also worth asking who supervises your build day to day. Volume builders run many sites at once, and the site supervisor’s workload affects how quickly issues get resolved. A builder who is upfront about typical build times and realistic about delays is a better sign than one promising the fastest handover in the estate.

Land and building contracts involve real financial and legal commitments, so this guide is general information rather than advice for your specific contract; a solicitor or conveyancer can review the paperwork before you sign.

Once you have shortlisted a few builders, our methodology explains how we weigh reviews, consistency and verified feedback to rank builders, and the Perth Builder Hub homepage is a good starting point to compare across categories beyond just volume builders.

Questions people ask

What is a house and land package?: It is a single contract that bundles a block of land with a fixed design from a builder's range. You buy the land and the build as one deal, usually with one settlement process, rather than sourcing land and a builder separately.
Are house and land packages cheaper than building custom?: Often yes, because the design is repeated across many blocks and the builder buys materials at scale. The trade-off is less flexibility on layout, finishes and orientation than a fully custom build.
What is usually not included in the advertised price?: Site costs, driveways, fencing, landscaping, flyscreens, window treatments and sometimes air conditioning are common exclusions. Always ask for the full inclusions list, not just the headline price.
Can I change the floor plan on a house and land package?: Some builders allow minor changes for a fee; others sell strictly off-the-plan designs matched to the block. Ask early, since structural changes can push you into custom pricing.