Builders & Renovations FAQs

Great tips for moving into a new home

Once the builder is finished and it's time to moving into a new house the home move can be up there with one of the most stressful experiences you can have in your day to day life. There is just so much to organise, planning can take weeks and getting settled in can take months. To help you to prioritize your to-do list here’s a couple of tips on the moving home essentials.

Organise your power

Contact your energy provider asap to ensure the power is on when you need it (hint, you’ll probably need it before moving in day). If you’re staying in the same area you may be able to stay with your current energy company otherwise take a look at a site like Energy Made Easy to compare local energy retailers. Be wary of some energy comparison sites which only offer deals with energy retailers they’ve ‘partnered’ with which can mean you’re missing out on some great local energy offers.

While you may have a range of electricity retailers to choose from gas retailers tend to be a choice of one or two depending on the area and whether you are connected to the natural gas mains or need LPG bottles delivered.

Home and contents insurance

Moving house is a HUGE undertaking and we can forgive you for not wanting to add to your list of ‘To do’s’ but it is also a great time to ensure your home and contents cover is the best you can get. The Choice website is very helpful and regularly reviews home and contents insurance deals and presents an unbiased overview of each product. You’ll need to join but we think it’s a great investment which could present significant savings across a few years of insurance premiums.

Now is also a good opportunity to make sure you’ve updated the value of the sum you're insured for. When was the last time you considered how much it would cost to replace the items in your home if a tragedy such as a fire or a flood happened? If you're like most people it's probably been at least a few years. The moneysmart.gov.au website has some helpful tips to ensure you’ve got the right amount of contents cover.

Get connected to the World Wide Web

Don’t leave organising your internet connection until the last minute, as it can take from a couple of days to several weeks to get fully connected; especially if cabling upgrades are needed or new NBN connections are required.

You can check out which internet providers are servicing your area at nbnc.com.au

Change your address

What a nightmare it is trying to remember all the companies, suppliers, magazine subscriptions, eBay deliveries that require your new address. It can be a totally overwhelming task. A simpler way to get this job done is to set your mail to be forwarded to your new house for around 3 months. During this time, as items arrive in the mail you can contact the relevant business and update your details.

If you’re redirecting the mail make sure you organise it a week ahead as it takes a few days to set up. Set up a redirect or find out more at Australia Post .

Important address changes include:

• The services linked to your myGov account - these include the Australian Taxation Office (ATO - ato.gov.au ), Medicare ( servicesaustralia.gov.au ), family benefits, jobseeker payments, child support, etc
• Your bank or financial institution
• Insurance providers - home, car, personal, life, etc
• The electoral roll - aec.gov.au
• Your superannuation provider
• Car registration details - if you’re moving interstate within Australia you will need to transfer your car’s rego to the new state. Timeframes vary state to state - QLD allows 14 days and NSW, Vic, NT, SA, WA, & Tas allow 3 mths.
• Any medical contacts such as doctors or specialists.

Don’t forget to update apps such as Uber, Uber Eats, Paypal, and eBay with your new address too. It would be a tragedy for the first meal in your new home to be delivered to your old address.

Update your home security

While we may like to believe that the home’s previous owners were trustworthy and handed over all the keys they had, sometimes this is not the case. We recommend changing or rekeying the locks throughout the house to ensure your home is secure. The front and back doors are obviously vital but don’t forget other potential entry points such as the laundry door, windows, and sliding doors to verandas.

Once you have updated the locks get a few sets of keys cut. During the readjustment phase after moving house keys can be easily lost.

We also suggest changing the security code if you have a home alarm system. Most alarm systems can be changed by the homeowner if you know the previous code however you may need a security specialist if not.

Moving into a new home is an exciting time. Make sure you’ve got the basics organised to help with a smooth transition to your new house.