Custom Home Builders Melbourne
Custom new homes designed and built across Melbourne, from first idea to handover.
Building in Melbourne since 2013
Featured on Channel 9's Dream Homes Revealed ·
Houzz Best of Design 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026 ·
APB 2025 Business Partner of the Year ·
Master Builders Victoria Excellence in Housing Awards Nominee 2026
Custom home builders in Melbourne
A custom home is designed for one site and one way of living, rather than adapted from a standard plan. A well-resolved design is the starting point. Building it well takes a custom home builder who understands the design intent, anticipates construction challenges and builds it as intended, right down to the details.
Demardi builds custom new homes across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, on vacant blocks and as knockdown rebuilds. Some clients come to us with plans ready to build. Others engage us from the outset through our Design and Build service, where we manage the design process alongside our design team.
Whichever stage you're at, our work begins well before construction. We review the drawings in detail, resolve how each element will be built and plan the sequence of works so every trade builds on the last. Our in-house carpenters and long-standing trade partners then carry that through, from structural connections to custom joinery and finishes, while our team coordinates every stage from permits and site preparation to handover. The result is a home that looks and performs as it was designed to.
Why homeowners build with Demardi
A custom home involves hundreds of decisions, from window placement and ceiling heights to the finish on a joinery panel. Our clients choose Demardi because they want a builder who cares about those details as much as they do, and who makes the process feel calm and well managed. Regular site meetings, direct contact with our team and the Demardi client portal keep you across every stage, so the decisions that shape your home are made with you, not for you.
Demardi has been building across Melbourne since 2013, from Hawthorn and Canterbury to Eltham, Donvale and beyond. We take on a limited number of projects each year, so our directors stay closely involved and our team can give every home the attention it deserves.
About Demardi →Let's talk about your new home
Book a Discovery CallDesign and Build
You know you want to build, and you may already have the site. What you don't have yet is a design, or a clear sense of where to start, who to engage first and what your investment will realistically achieve.
Design and Build solves that by bringing Demardi in before any plans are drawn. Instead of engaging a designer, waiting for the plans and only then finding out what they'll cost to build, you have a builder involved from the first conversation.
We start by helping you work through your aspirations, priorities, site and intended investment, and shape them into a clear brief. We then introduce you to the right design team from our network, whether that's an architect, a building designer, an interior designer or a combination.
As the design develops, we manage the process alongside them, assessing buildability, advising on scope and specifications and giving you realistic cost guidance, so the design and the costs stay aligned.
Because decisions are made with both the design intent and the build in mind, your design is ready to price and build when it's finished, and you have one team.
"We have just finished the design phase and we didn't want to wait to put in a review, this team is amazing… they have left nothing to chance, made the process easy to understand and been so patient with us."
Already have plans? We can build from your existing design, reviewing the documentation closely and pricing it in detail before you commit. If your design is still being developed, get in touch to talk through how our input on buildability and cost could help before your plans are finalised.
What you can count on
- Directors who stay involved. Anthony brings an engineering background to working with your design team, planning and estimating. Michael, a carpenter turned registered builder, oversees construction and workmanship. Both stay closely involved in every project.
- An in-house carpentry team. Several of our carpenters started with us as apprentices, and they work alongside trade partners who've been with us since our earliest projects.
- Realistic numbers from the outset. We don't price a project down to win the contract. You get a detailed fixed price quote with clear inclusions, Prime Cost (PC) and Provisional Sum (PS) allowances that reflect real costs. We'd rather give you the real number than the lowest one.
- Always know what's happening with your build. Regular site meetings, direct contact with our team and a client portal with progress photos, milestones and key decisions, so you can follow your home's progress at every stage.
- Selective by design. We limit the number of projects we build at once, so your home never competes for our attention.
Our custom home building process
Discovery.
We start with a conversation about what you'd like from your home, where your project stands, what matters most, what you're unsure about and the investment you have in mind. You'll come away with a realistic view of what's achievable and a clear next step.
Concept and design development.
Starting with an idea? We introduce you to the right design team and bring cost guidance into the design as it develops. Already have plans? We review them closely and identify what's needed to build. Either way, we can assist with approvals and permits.
Documentation and approvals.
Detailed drawings, engineering, interior design and selections are finalised with our input on buildability and cost, and we can assist with building permit approvals, so your project is ready to price and build.
Fixed price quote and contract.
A detailed building quote is prepared with clear inclusions and realistic PC and PS allowances, so you know what your investment covers before you sign.
Construction.
Our in-house carpenters and trusted trade partners work on site under a dedicated site supervisor, with our project coordinator managing the schedule and a director overseeing every stage. Regular site meetings and your client portal keep you informed.
Handover and aftercare.
We walk through the finished home with you, provide a comprehensive handover pack and stay available through our aftercare process once you've moved in.
Let's talk about your new home
Book a Discovery CallOur work
Since 2013, our work has centred on complex renovations and extensions, many of them restoring an original home and extending it. Building into an existing structure means resolving levels, structural connections and the join between old and new. That experience is what we bring to every new home we build.
In our clients' words
"Right from the word go we were impressed with the level of professionalism, level of advice, quality of workmanship, patience with our requests and how easy it was to work with the team as well as all the other tradesmen they organised for us. Nothing was too much trouble."
"They were competitively priced and clearly stated what was and was not included in the very thorough quote, they worked with us on design ideas and concepts and we built a good, honest working relationship with them quickly."
"Our experience with Demardi has been amazing, everyone especially Michael and Anthony have just gone above and beyond, they're always there for us whenever we have questions or to clarify and have just had time for us."
Let's talk about your new home
Book a Discovery Call
Recognition
Recognised for the work
Our homes and team have been recognised by industry bodies and featured in leading design media.
Awards
Master Builders Victoria Excellence in Housing Awards, Nominee 2026Houzz Best of Design 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026APB Business Partner of the Year 2025Three APB Awards, 2026As featured on
Is Demardi the right builder for your home?
- You're planning a significant investment in a new home in Melbourne or on the Mornington Peninsula and want it in experienced hands.
- You value good architecture and design and want it built properly, without compromises along the way.
- You'd like us involved from the early design stages, or have plans ready to build and want to know the real cost before you commit.
- You care about the finish and want to be kept in the loop, without having to manage the build yourself.
Tell us about your project
We'll be in touch within 24 hours.
The Ultimate Guide to Custom Home Design
What you need to know before you start designing your dream home.
Custom home FAQs
What affects the cost of building a custom home in Melbourne?
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Size is only part of it. The block, design complexity, finishes, joinery, outdoor works and how detailed your plans are all play a part. When we're involved during design, cost guidance is part of the process early, so decisions about materials and specifications are made before the scope is finalised.
How do you make sure your quote is accurate?
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We invest significant time upfront in detailed pricing, clearly defined inclusions and realistic allowances. Variations can still come from changes you choose to make or site conditions that couldn't reasonably be foreseen. If they do, we address them transparently and explain what they mean for your project.
Do I need an architect?
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No. Through Design and Build, we guide your custom home design with an architect, building designer or interior designer suited to your project. If you already have an architect or completed plans, we can build from your existing design.
What's the difference between a custom builder and a volume builder?
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A volume builder typically offers a set range of designs, standard specifications and a construction process designed for efficiency at scale. A custom builder takes a more individual approach, building a home designed for your site, your brief and the way you want to live.
With fewer projects underway, each custom-built home receives more hands-on supervision and closer attention to the details that shape how it looks, feels and performs over time. You're also working with the same experienced team from start to finish, people who know your project, understand the thinking behind the design and take responsibility for how it's executed on site.
Do I need to own a property before building a custom home?
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No. Because a custom home is designed around its site, most properties can work, whether it's a vacant block or one with an existing home to be demolished. What varies is the cost and complexity. If you're considering a property, we can help you understand how its slope, orientation, access, planning overlays, existing structures and site conditions are likely to affect your design and investment before you buy.
Do you build on the Mornington Peninsula?
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Yes. We build custom homes across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.
Can you build an energy efficient home?
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Yes. Energy efficiency, passive design, electrification and materials are part of the brief from the start.
Follow your build from anywhere
Progress photos, milestones, key decisions and messages with our team, all in one place.
Let's talk about your new home
Whether you're exploring what's possible or have plans ready to build, you don't need all the answers before getting in touch. Tell us what you're hoping to achieve, and we'll help you work out the best way forward.
Registered Builder DB-U 42818 / CDB-U 56465