Good questions, straight answers.

Almost every residential block can take one - the real question is which approval path yours uses. A block of 450 m² or more with at least 12 m of street frontage and clear of complications typically qualifies for the fast-track path: approval through a private certifier, usually a matter of weeks. Under 450 m²? Your block isn't ineligible - there's no legal minimum lot size. The approval simply runs through your local council as a development application (DA) instead, assessed case by case, and we prepare, lodge and manage it the same way. Heritage listings, flood zones or extreme bushfire ratings (BAL-40+) similarly shift a block onto the council path rather than ruling it out. The only way to know for sure is a check of your specific address - we do that for free.

It depends on your pathway. The fast-track path (a complying development certificate through a private certifier) typically runs a matter of weeks. A council DA - used when a block is under 450 m² or has complications like heritage or flood overlays - is assessed case by case and usually takes longer, often a few months. We check your block first, confirm the pathway and expected timeline in writing before you commit, then manage the whole process and keep you updated.

We check your block upfront. If anything complicates the approval, we tell you before you commit - what it means, what the path is, and whether it changes the price or timeline. You're never surprised mid-process.

The OC is the legal sign-off that your home is built to standard and can be occupied. Without it you can't legally rent the home, add it to your insurance, or include it in a property valuation. We manage the whole process through to the OC being issued - it's part of our service (the certifier and council fees are quoted separately, at cost).

We'll give you a written schedule before you sign anything - timing depends on your block, council, and production scheduling. Once approval is granted, site prep and component production run at the same time so nothing waits unnecessarily.

The home - structure, walls, cladding, roof, windows, internal fit-out - is precision-engineered off-site as open panels and components. On your block, our builders prepare the foundation (engineered footings as standard, or a permanent concrete slab if you choose that upgrade), run waterproofing and all services (plumbing, electrical, drainage), then build the home on it. The home is fixed permanently to its foundation.

No - you don't need to be present. We coordinate everything directly with the site and keep you updated. If something does require your input we'll reach out with a clear question rather than a surprise.

As standard, your home sits on engineered footings. On the Studio and Granny Flat you can also upgrade to a permanent poured concrete slab, the same type of foundation as a standard house. A slab is worth considering if you're building for the long term: it matters for bank valuations, insurance, and durability. Most competitors don't offer the choice.

The starting price is the supply and build of the home: the complete home package (structure, walls, roof, windows, internal fit-out, kitchen, bathroom), engineered footings, installation, waterproofing and standard service connections. A permanent concrete slab foundation is an available upgrade. Two things sit outside the starting price and are quoted separately in writing before you sign: your approval costs - we manage the whole approval end to end for you, but the certifier or council fees and any engineering or design certificates are billed at cost and vary by your site and council - and site works like long service runs, difficult access or significant slope.

Yes - two ways. The standard designs can be adapted within their footprint. Beyond that, we offer custom sizing: the same engineered component system, manufactured to your dimensions instead of a standard plan - same materials, same process, priced to your drawings. Fully bespoke one-off builds are also possible, designed by Rivela and constructed by a licensed builder, priced individually at a premium. See Custom for how both work.

NSW secondary dwellings cap out at 60 m². Our Granny flat model is built to exactly that limit. The Studio is 30 m² and the Cabana is 20 m² (non-habitable).

Our first homes are being built now. Once completed, we can arrange site visits to finished homes with the owner's permission. In the meantime we can walk you through detailed plans, renders and the full specification - and we're happy to answer any questions on a call.

NSW statutory warranties apply: six years structural, two years non-structural. The build is backed by our structural engineering sign-off and all mandatory inspections through to Occupation Certificate.

The starting price covers the home itself - its supply and build. Two things are assessed and quoted in writing before you sign: your approval costs (we manage the approval end to end, but the certifier, council and any engineering or design certificates are billed at cost and vary by site and council) and site-specific variables like unusually long service runs, challenging access or significant slope. You won't be surprised after you commit.

We handle the entire approval for you end to end - preparing, lodging and managing it through to your Occupation Certificate - and that management is part of our service, not a separate fee. The approval costs themselves, though, aren't included in the starting price: the certifier or council fees, engineering and design certificates, and an architect where a bespoke design needs one all depend on your design, area, site and council, so they're quoted separately in writing. It's the same principle as site works - we take the work off your plate, and you see every number before you commit.

A standard site is a typical suburban backyard - reasonably flat, with normal soil, services near where the new bathroom goes, and room to get materials in. There's no fixed checklist, because what adds cost is specific to your block: significant slope needing retaining work, reactive soil needing an engineered slab, an unusually long sewer run, or tight access. We check all of it and show you the numbers before you commit. Site conditions and approval costs are assessed per site and quoted in writing before you sign.

Payment is staged against clear build milestones, and the full schedule is set out in your contract before you sign - so there are no surprises. We walk you through the exact terms when we prepare your quote.

Yes - a secondary dwelling can be rented independently once it has its Occupation Certificate. In a good Sydney area a two-bedroom secondary dwelling typically rents for $550-650 a week, location-dependent - a gross yield of around 18-21% on the purchase price, versus about 2.6% for a standard Sydney house. Check current local listings and your own tax situation.

Because a Rivela home is built on your block by a licensed builder in normal inspected stages, standard construction lending applies - you don't need a specialist prefab lender. We don't do finance and we don't give finance advice, but we can introduce you to a broker who has done these before.