Christchurch Custom Home Builder
Your Vision. Our Craft.
A Home Built Around Your Life.
Tailored Homes designs and builds bespoke homes across Christchurch and Canterbury. From your first sketch to the day you get the keys — we handle everything. Fixed price. No surprises.
Quick Answer
A Christchurch custom home builder designs and builds a new home from scratch, on your land or theirs, under a fixed-price contract. Tailored Homes has been delivering custom builds in Canterbury since 2010 — over 100 homes across Halswell, Wigram, Rolleston, Lincoln, Prebbleton, and St Albans. Our turn-key builds start from $617,000 (smaller townhouses) and run to $1.2M+ for full bespoke homes on private land. Every build is backed by a 10-year Master Build Guarantee and a fixed-price contract with no provisional sums.
Last updated 29 April 2026 · Tailored Homes, licensed Master Builder, Christchurch NZ.
Why Build Custom
A Home That Fits Your Life — Not Someone Else’s Floor Plan
Volume builders design one house and sell it a hundred times. We do the opposite. Every Tailored Home starts with a conversation about how you actually live — then we design around that.
Designed for You, Not a Catalogue
No choosing from a set menu. Your home is drawn from scratch based on your land, your family, and the way you use your space.
Fixed Price, No Hidden Costs
You get a fixed-price contract before we start building. The price you sign is the price you pay. No “provisional sums” that blow out.
We Can Help You Find Land
Don’t have a section yet? We have packages in Prebbleton and Wigram, and we’ll assess any private section you’re considering.
10-Year Master Build Guarantee
Every home comes with a 10-year structural guarantee and a 2-year maintenance warranty. Your build is protected long after handover.
Plain English
What “Design and Build” Actually Means
“Design and build” sounds like jargon, but it’s the simplest path most Christchurch buyers don’t realise they have. Instead of hiring an architect, paying for plans, then tendering those plans out to several builders (months of waiting, surprise quote variations), you work with one company that does both — design and construction — under a single contract.
The benefit is timing and certainty: we can quote you accurately at the design stage because we’re the ones building it. There’s no “the architect’s drawings don’t reflect what this actually costs to build” gap. Most of our Halswell, Riccarton, Prebbleton, and Rolleston projects start this way — a buyer comes in with a budget and a rough wishlist, and walks out with a 3D concept plus a fixed price in 6-8 weeks.
The trade-off is that you commit to one builder earlier in the process, so it pays to choose someone with their own showcased work and a track record in your part of Canterbury — not a builder who’s just started using “design and build” as a marketing tag. Look at completed projects before you sign anything.
Compare
Custom Home Builder vs Group Home Builder
Most Christchurch buyers compare a “custom” builder against a “group” or “volume” builder (think GJ Gardner, Mike Greer, Generation Homes). Both can deliver good homes — but the process, the freedom, and the price are different. Here is what the comparison actually looks like:
| What you get | Custom (Tailored Homes) | Group / Volume Builder |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Drawn from scratch around your land and lifestyle | Pick from a catalogue of 30–80 stock plans |
| Layout flexibility | Move walls, change roofline, redesign kitchen — fully editable | Limited to “minor” variations within the chosen plan |
| Materials & finishes | Open-spec — choose suppliers, brands, and benchtop stone yourself | Standard pack with priced upgrades |
| Pricing model | Fixed price after concept design — no provisional sums | Fixed price common, but provisional sums on landscaping, decks, tiling are typical |
| Typical price (3-bed turn-key) | $700,000 – $1.2M (varies with land, size, finish) | $650,000 – $900,000 (smaller catalogue range) |
| Build timeline | 5–7 months construction + 6–8 weeks design & consent | Often shorter (4–5 months) due to repeat plans |
| Best for | Owner-occupiers, lifestyle blocks, buyers who want their land used to its full potential | Buyers who prioritise speed and predictability over personalisation |
Bottom line: A custom build typically costs 8–15% more than a comparable group-builder home, but you control every decision and avoid the “everyone in the cul-de-sac has the same kitchen” problem. If you are buying a section, a custom builder will get more out of the land than a stock plan ever will.
Real Numbers
What $700K–$1.2M Actually Buys in Canterbury
Custom home pricing depends on size, finish, and land. Here is what real Tailored Homes builds cost across three tiers — based on contracts signed in 2025 and 2026:
Entry Tier
$617k – $750k
3-bed townhouse, 110–135 m²
- House & land package in Wigram or Prebbleton
- Single-storey or 2-level townhouse
- Standard stone benchtops, Bosch appliances
- Heat pump + James Hardie cladding
- Full landscaping & driveway included
Mid Tier
$800k – $980k
4-bed family home, 165–210 m²
- Standalone home on owned section (Halswell, Rolleston)
- Open-plan living + separate lounge
- Master with ensuite + walk-in
- Double internal-access garage
- Premium tile selections, central heating
Bespoke Tier
$1.0M – $1.2M+
Full bespoke, 220+ m² on private land
- Architecturally drawn home on lifestyle / larger section
- Designer finishes, imported stone, custom joinery
- Smart-home wiring, glass balustrades
- Multiple living zones, scullery, study
- Solar-ready, EV-ready garage
All prices are turn-key (the price you sign is the price you pay). Land values vary across Christchurch — a 450 m² section in Halswell averages $310,000–$370,000 in Q1 2026; a Wigram townhouse section is $215,000–$260,000.
How It Works
Your Build in 10 Steps
Building a custom home can feel overwhelming. Here’s exactly what happens, from your first phone call to the day you move in.
01
Free Consultation
We sit down with you to understand what you’re looking for — your budget, your must-haves, your timeline. No commitment, no pressure.
02
Know Your Numbers
Before we design anything, you’ll want clarity on your budget. Talk to your bank or a mortgage broker. We work with trusted local brokers and can make an introduction.
03
Site Visit
We visit your section to assess its size, shape, orientation, and access. If you don’t have land yet, we’ll help you find one that suits your plans.
04
Concept Design
Our design consultant produces a site plan, floor plan, and elevation drawings based on your brief. This is where your home starts to take shape on paper.
05
Fixed-Price Quote
You receive a detailed, fixed-price quote covering everything — foundations to landscaping. No allowances, no grey areas. A 10% deposit secures your build.
06
Selections
Visit our suppliers to choose your colours, fixtures, benchtops, tiles, and fittings. Our designer works alongside you. This is the fun part.
07
Final Plans & Consent
Our architectural designer draws comprehensive construction plans and submits to council. Consent times are typically 4-6 weeks.
08
Construction
Once consent is issued, building begins. Your dedicated project manager keeps you updated and meets you on-site at key stages.
09
Handover
Council signs off. Final walk-through together. Then we hand you the keys — finished, landscaped, and ready to move into.
10
Guarantee & Aftercare
10-year Master Build Guarantee plus 2-year maintenance warranty. After 12 months, we come back for a service visit to check everything is performing well.
Our Work
Homes We’ve Designed & Built
Every project is different. Here are a few recent builds across Christchurch and Selwyn.
Halswell
Larissa Road
Spacious family home with modern design and premium landscaping in Halswell.
Turn-Key Standard
What’s Included in Every Build
Every Tailored Home is delivered turn-key — complete and ready to live in. These aren’t upgrades. They’re standard.
- Gourmet kitchen with stone benchtops
- Bosch appliance suite
- Mitsubishi central heating
- Frameless glass showers
- E-LOK digital door lock
- Video doorbell with camera
- Bosch security alarm
- James Hardie + AAC panel cladding
- Full landscaping and driveways
- Insulated garage (walls and doors)
- 10-year Master Build Guarantee
- 2-year maintenance warranty
100+
Homes Built
Since 2010
Building in Canterbury
10 Year
Master Build Guarantee
Fixed Price
No Hidden Costs
Coverage
Where We Build: Christchurch, Canterbury & Selwyn
We build across greater Christchurch and the Selwyn District. Most of our recent work has been in:
- Christchurch suburbs — Wigram, Halswell, Riccarton, Hornby, Cashmere, St Albans, the CBD
- Selwyn District — Rolleston, Prebbleton, Lincoln, West Melton
- Wider Canterbury — on request, where the section makes sense for a custom build
One thing we don’t do: renovations or extensions on existing homes. Our work is new builds only — turn-key house-and-land packages, fully custom builds on your own section, and small infill townhouse developments. If you’re after a renovation, the Master Builders directory is a good place to start.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a custom home cost?
It depends on the size, design, and site. Our current house-and-land packages start from $849,000 in Prebbleton. For a custom design on your own section, we’ll give you a fixed-price quote after the concept design stage — no obligations until you sign.
How long does the build take?
A typical standalone home takes 5-7 months from building consent to handover. Add 6-8 weeks before that for design, quoting, and council consent.
Do I need to have my own land?
No. We have house-and-land packages available in Prebbleton and Wigram. If you’d prefer to build on your own section, we’ll visit the site and assess it during the design phase.
Can I buy with a 5% deposit?
Yes — new builds are exempt from LVR restrictions, so most banks will consider a 5% deposit. Read our full guide.
What does “fixed price” actually mean?
The price in your contract is the price you pay. We don’t use provisional sums or allowances that blow out during the build. If we quote it, we stand behind it.
What areas do you build in?
We build across greater Christchurch and the Selwyn District — including Halswell, Prebbleton, Wigram, Rolleston, Lincoln, Hornby, St Albans, and the CBD.
What warranty do I get?
Every Tailored Home comes with a 10-year Master Build Guarantee covering structural defects, plus a 2-year maintenance warranty. After 12 months we do a service visit.
What’s the difference between a custom builder and a group builder?
A group builder (think GJ Gardner, Mike Greer, Generation) sells from a catalogue of plans you select and modify within set limits. A custom builder starts from your wishlist and budget and designs the home from scratch. Group builds are usually faster to quote and slightly cheaper per square metre; custom builds give you full control over layout, materials, and how the home sits on the section. We do both — pick whichever fits the brief.
Do I need architectural plans before I approach a custom builder?
No. Most of our buyers come to us with no plans at all — just a section (or no section yet), a budget, and a rough idea of what they want. We design from there. If you already have plans drawn up by an architect, that works too; we’ll review them, quote, and either build to those plans or suggest changes that improve cost or buildability.
Will I be tied to your suppliers and finishes, or can I bring my own?
You can bring your own. Many buyers want a specific kitchen brand, tile range, or bathroom fitting they’ve already chosen — we’ll work it into the contract. Our standard specification covers solid mid-to-high-end choices that most clients are happy with, but nothing is locked in until you sign off on the schedule of finishes.
Can I build a custom home on a small or sloping section?
Yes. A lot of Christchurch’s nicer sections — Cashmere foothills, parts of Halswell, infill lots in Riccarton — are sloping or under 500 m². We design around the contours and the council setback rules. The cost premium for a sloping site is usually $20,000 to $80,000 depending on cut-and-fill or pile foundations. We’ll quote that as a line item, not bury it in the price.
What’s included in a typical “design and build” service?
Site assessment, concept design (usually 2-3 iterations), engineering, council consent, the build itself, all subcontracted trades, council inspections, and the final code-of-compliance certificate. You get one contract, one project manager, and one fixed price. Things outside the contract: landscaping beyond the basic site finish, fencing, driveways past the garage, and your conveyancing lawyer.
Can a custom builder work with my own architect?
Yes. We regularly tender on architect-drawn plans — Tony Boyle, AsBuilt, and several Christchurch firms have repeat clients with us. The architect stays involved through the design intent and finishes; we handle the consenting, build, and the trades. The contract is between you and us; the architect is your design representative.
Get Started
Ready to Build Your Home?
Tell us what you’re looking for. We’ll have a no-obligation conversation about your vision, your budget, and whether a custom build is the right fit.
Or call us: 021 983 309