Renovating or extending your home isn’t quite as simple as having plans drawn up and finding someone to bring those plans to life.

And you definitely want to make sure that creating your dream home doesn’t turn into a money pit along the way through poor planning and misinformation.

Here’s our step-by-step guide to finding the right people for the job.

Know what you want

Being really sure about what you like about your existing home and what you’d like to add or change is a fundamental step and more important than all those that will follow. Chances are you’ll live in the home for many years to come, so don’t rush and make sure you’ve considered all the options.

It can help to make a list of your aims, which may include creating more space for an entertaining area, or a bigger kitchen or bathroom.

Call in the professionals

When you know what you want, it’s time to call in a designer, draftsperson or architect.

Want to know the difference between an architect and a draftsman? Read our article, here.

They will help bring your ideas to life. Again, don’t rush – take time sit with the plans to be sure about pros and cons of the design. You’ll also need to check with your local authority about planning permits and what’s required.

Do your research

Finding the right builder is crucial when extending or renovating. If you built your existing home and were happy with the builder you used, that’s a good place to start. That builder may be able to recommend someone if they are not available to work on your renovation. Asking friends or people in your local area who have recently renovated can also give you a really great snapshot of the work of local builders. Most people are happy to share this information, particularly if the builder did a great job. When you get a few names of potential builders, the first thing you must do is make sure they are licensed. You can run a licence check on the builder to make sure you’re satisfied they have current and correct credentials. Check the Consumer Affairs or Office of Fair Trading in your state.

You can also check out their website to see their examples of their work, and if they have a testimonial section. Don’t be afraid to ask for the contact details of those people if you’d like to talk with them further. You can also check to see if the builder has a Google+ or Facebook page that may contain reviews.

Time to make contact

When you have all that information, you can go ahead and contact each potential builder and ask for a quote. Try to get at least three, and don’t be seduced by a quote that’s much lower than the others. If it’s too good to be true, there’s probably a reason – such as hidden costs. Make sure the quotes cost every element of the building process – keep an eye out for notes such as “cost TBA”. Hiring a local builder also has benefits – they know the area and the style of housing. Being local also means they won’t charge you for their travel time if they live a long way away. Tell them when you’d like the project completed and ask how many other projects they’ll be working on at the same time as yours. No one wants to play second, third or fourth fiddle to a pushy and demanding client across town.

Narrow it down

When you’re happy with the quotes, ask the prospective builders if they can issue you with some form of insurance or indemnity. This covers you if something happens to the builder, or their business and they can’t finish the job.

It’s also worth checking to see who is going to manage your project – if it’s the builder, they will organise all other necessary tradespeople. But if that’s not a service they offer, you’ll also need to find a project manager. Also ask how many people they’ll have working in your home at any one time, and what hours they plan to work so you can make allowances.

When you’ve chosen the right builder for the job, get them to give you a realistic completion date, based on what other work they have pending – then add a week or two! Unexpected dramas can crop up during the building process, so don’t panic if something comes up. Be patient and flexible when it comes to overcoming issues and difficulties. Soon enough you’ll be able to enjoy your new-look home for many years to come.

Time to find the perfect builder? Check out the Yellow Pages for a complete list of building contractors in your neighbourhood.