Our Services
Immerse yourself in the beauty of sustainable living with Watermayne. As a leading South Australian custom home builder, we craft exceptional residences that seamlessly blend modern design with eco-conscious practices, ensuring a harmonious balance between your lifestyle and the environment.
As you consider your dream home, explore all the possibilities of a custom-build with Watermayne.
Before you explore the 6-steps in our building approach, consider:
- The design style you might like to explore with Watermayne; from modern, coastal, to farmhouse style, eco or a combination of a few
- Your block type if you’ve selected it already, and how Watermayne can recommend high-performance elements for sloping blocks, small blocks, rural properties, coastal sites, hills or suburban areas
- The number of storeys and the slope of your block, and the different approaches the Watermayne team have taken with other builds in the region
- The functionality that your home needs to serve you and your family, those you invite in when you entertain, and how you want to relax in your own oasis
Regardless of the custom elements you choose for your home, the Watermayne team will always provide buildability (a construction methodology) so there is a balance between practical design and good construction, to deliver high value and great performance in your home build.
Our Approach
Start the journey to your new home
We love to start every potential project with a conversation.
Bring your ideas, wants and needs to life in design form.
Final Design, Building Contract and confirmation of construction slot date.
The stage where we lift your dream home from the plans and create it.
The most exciting part, mixed with crucial compliance docs.
Book a time and we look forward to connecting with you
Book a discovery sessionOur Modern Farmhouse Designs
Our range of modern farmhouse designs have been inspired by the minimalist home designs of Australia and New Zealand, that capture the external vistas and views while also creating cosy spaces within vast barn and pavilion design.
You can be certain of these distinctive elements in every Watermayne modern farmhouse:
- Prioritisation of natural light
- Internal and external connection – flows effortlessly from zone to zone
- Uncomplicated and graceful lines
- Customisation for your land size and orientation
- Soaring raked ceilings and double-glazed windows and doors
- Expansive open plan living
- Classic gable roof, creating a feeling of space and height
- Constructed from lightweight materials that are highly insulated
- Colour palette menu options integrated with the materials, to guide your selections if you wish.
Regardless of the style you choose, we will always ensure we customise your home, to suit your specific needs and design style.
Our approach to modern farmhouse design and construction draws in sustainable thinking across the following areas, to create your high-performance home:
- Thermal bridging solutions
- Adequate ventilation strategy
- High performance windows
- Air tightness
- Optimised insulation
Frequently asked questions
What are the stages when building a house with Watermayne?
At Watermayne, we follow the industry standard in the construction process, and we have added in extra communication and service points because we like to keep our homeowners informed and included during the journey.
Take a look at our 6-stage approach that starts with a conversation. We start with a conversation so that we can chat about your wants and needs in a new home design and construction, and so that you can get to know us too.
What does ‘custom build’ mean at Watermayne?
A custom built home is a one off design. It’s a home that is specifically designed and built to your particular requirements, brief, and one that makes the most of the characteristics of your site.
What is a high performance home?
In broad terms, high performance homes are designed and built to achieve a higher performing, and energy efficient home. They can also follow some of the passive house design standards.
At Watermayne, we believe that it is important that specific building techniques are captured during the design phase of a high performance home, in order to achieve the best outcomes now and into the future.
Principles that Watermayne considers in our designs and construction:
- Thermal insulation
- High-performance windows
- Ventilation strategy
- Airtightness
- Reduce thermal bridging
Why should we include Watermanye from the beginning of the concept and design process?
Going to a building company from the beginning of a project has multiple benefits.
Here are some of the top benefits our customers have talked about:
Cost control: Managing costs should be part of the experience-set of a good builder. We prioritise this at Watermayne as our team have both extensive building and project management experience and qualifications. A good builder should be able to provide you with construction cost advice on building techniques, material selection, all the way through to the finishes. At Watermayne, we provide our customers with this important information so you feel comfortable making decisions. This ensures that you have the opportunity to refine the design to ensure it’s in line with your budget and aspirations.
Buildability: A good builder is well placed to provide design advice on the method of building your new home. This ensures your plans are fit for purpose. At Watermayne we both love and are skilled and qualified in providing design advice – and we have a range of past projects that showcase how our we translate this into functional high performance homes.
Construction slot planning: Project management experience is essential for builders as we need to follow compliance standards, manage a range of trades, and keep you informed throughout your build. The benefit of designing and building with Watermayne ensures forward planning of your construction phase. This assists with planning the construction slot start date, and much more. Our experience in this area is how we can keep our build times lower than other traditional builders.
What makes Watermayne different from other builders?
As an established boutique builder, we pride ourselves on our relationships and the culture we create with our team, clients and trades. We care about what we do and do so with honesty and transparency.
We only take on a select number of projects each year so that every project gets the attention and resources it deserves. We are proud of our build times being 12-14 months on average.
We recognise the importance between your wellbeing and the built form. Your home is your sanctuary, a reflection of your lifestyle, and a place to build lasting memories. We can assist you to create a home that is not only beautiful, but also functional, durable, and built with responsible materials.
Where do you build?
Watermayne are experienced and capable in serving rural, coastal and city locations across South Australia. We are committed to providing quality builds throughout the Fleurieu Peninsula and generally work within an approximate 40km radius of McLaren Vale.
Do you include landscaping?
At Watermayne, we can offer a full turnkey solution. We can ensure that your home and landscape are both complete, and ready for you to move in and enjoy.
Can you help with exterior or interior design?
At Watermayne, we can assist with all aspects of design and finishes, including landscape design.
How much will it cost to build a custom house?
There are many factors that determine a project’s cost, and at Watermayne we will be transparent with you based on the scope and selections of your home. We will discuss your budget from the onset and have cost control measures from then on to ensure that budget parameters are met.
Can you build on a sloping, narrow, or difficult block?
The Watermayne team are skilled in building on a range of terrains and block types, including challenging and sloping blocks. We have experience building around a vast area of Adelaide from suburban streets to sloping and small blocks, rural properties, exposed coastal sites and the Adelaide Hills.
How do you use communications in construction to keep homeowners up to date during the building process?
As you can see in our new home build process steps, we prioritise communications with you, as well as the wider team working on your new home. Once we initiate your new home construction, you will have access to communications via our customer portal, where you can also track items like our structured schedule. Through the portal, you will receive 24/7 access to ask questions, receive progress photos, as well as financial and project updates.
How long will it take to build my house?
Based on our Watermayne project tracker, we can build your home in 12-14 months (the construction phase). This time is of course dependent on the size and complexity of the project, but our current estimates give you an idea based on recent project timelines. Your build time will be outlined in your building contract – we do this to provide you with a level of comfort and knowledge around the time frame for your new home handover.
What type of building contract do you offer?
With our experience and systems, we most often provide a fixed price, lump sum contract providing assurance regarding project financials. However, we are open to discussing the various types of alternate build contracts with our customers, if you have another preference.
Can I make changes to my home design once construction has begun?
At Watermayne, we like to make sure you are 100% happy with your forever home. So, yes it is possible to make design changes after construction has commenced. Ideally, these are of a minor nature as you see your home being built.
Based on our experience with other projects, we endeavour for the design phase to be as complete as possible to leave the construction phase the best opportunity to be delivered in a timely manner.
