Where are you building? Which city/council? Are you in Australia?

Whitehorse Council in VIC Australia

Building inspector - ask to use your recommended one. But this can cause delays. The review all plans and structural design before works start. They inspect from foundation holes to check reinforcement placement. Get a lawyer to review schedules. Building a house is a big investment

This may be useful…https://www.rodadevelopments.com.au/do-i-need-a-private-building-inspector/

I’m in WA, but this information may still be a helpful guide. https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/atoms/files/building_your_new_home_a_checklist_0.pdf

If you decide to get a lawyer to look over contract documents, because you need extra help, then a Building and Construction Lawyer is what you need to google.

We went through something very similar not long ago, also with a volume builder, and had a lot of the same questions at the start.

For the contract, we had a property lawyer look over it rather than just a conveyancer. It helped clarify things like variations, site costs and how delays are handled. You could Google something like “construction contract lawyer Victoria” or “HIA contract review solicitor” and see who comes up locally.

As for building inspections, yes, you can definitely arrange your own independent inspector. Builders don’t always promote the idea, but it is quite common now, especially for people building for the first time. It might be worth flagging it early so it is included in the contract wording. We used a private inspector from Building Inspection Mornington and had them do stage inspections at slab, frame, lock-up and final. You can also do pre-handover if needed.

Ours was a registered builder with years of experience, which made the whole process much less stressful. They picked up a few framing and waterproofing issues early, and the builder was fine correcting them once flagged.

Best of luck with the build. It can feel like a lot at first, but having a few professionals in your corner makes a huge difference.

I am circling back even though this thread is from last year with an update that might help anyone who finds it via Google. I had a lawyer review the HIA contract before signing and it saved me from some nasty clauses on timeframes and price variations. For the legal side I used conveyancing-solicitor.co.uk and they explained what is normal to have in the contract and what to negotiate. For inspectors, I asked the builder to allow a private inspector of my choice at the key stages (slab, frame, pre-plaster, waterproofing, practical completion).