How it works

How Your Build
Mentor works.

Sign up. Tell us about your build. Get stage-aware guidance from day one. We meet you where you are, whether you're pre-contract or already at frame stage.

Getting started

3 steps to taking control of your build

01

Sign up & set up your build

Tell us about your build. Where it is, who's building, what stage you're at, and what your contract says. It takes about two minutes.

02

Meet Your Build Mentor

Your build, your stage, your timeline. We greet you with where you are and what's next. Tools and guidance update as you progress through each stage.

03

Get guidance when it matters

Stage-by-stage checklists and an AI mentor that knows your build, plus file clarification and monthly 1:1 calls on Build Mentor when you need a real person in your corner.

All 8 stages

Your build, one stage at a time

A residential build isn't one big decision. It's about forty small ones, spread over a year, mostly made under time pressure. Here is every stage, and what you should be able to say before you move on.

Stage 01

Before Building

Working out what you can actually spend, what a build costs beyond the quoted price, and what to look for in land before you commit. Site costs, allowances, provisional sums and the buffer nobody budgets for.

You'll be able to say“We know our real number, including the costs that aren't in the quote.”
Stage 02

Pre-Site

This is where you choose your builder and sign. No two quotes include the same things, so we show you how to compare them properly, then go through the contract with you before you commit. Inclusions versus allowances, the variation clause, progress payments and delay provisions.

You'll be able to say“We know exactly what we're signing, and what we asked to be changed first.”
Stage 03

Pre-Slab

Working drawings, engineering, permits, soil and site works, plus your colour and electrical selections. This is where most of your remaining decisions get locked in, and where selections quietly drift off budget.

You'll be able to say“Our selections are locked in, on budget, and documented.”
Stage 04

Frame

The frame goes up and your home stops being a drawing. What should be happening on site, roughly when, and exactly what to photograph and question each time you visit.

You'll be able to say“We know what we're looking at on site, and we've got it documented.”
Stage 05

Lock-up

Roof, windows, external doors and cladding go on. Once the walls are lined, everything behind them is hidden, so anything you don't pick up at this point is far harder to find later and far more expensive to put right.

You'll be able to say“We checked what mattered while it was still visible.”
Stage 06

Fixing

Internal linings, cabinetry, tiling, fixtures and fit-off. Where quality issues usually appear, how to raise them without blowing up the relationship on site, and how to keep variations under control.

You'll be able to say“We know how to raise an issue and still have a good working relationship.”
Stage 07

Handover

The final inspection done properly, a defect list that gets taken seriously, and what to confirm before you make the final payment. Once you've paid, your leverage drops sharply.

You'll be able to say“We didn't sign off until it was right.”
Stage 08

Post Handover

Living in it. Your warranty periods, what's still covered and by whom, how to lodge a defect months later, and the records worth keeping for the years ahead.

You'll be able to say“We know what's still covered, and how to get it fixed.”
Wherever you are

Start from your stage, not stage one

Already signed? Already at frame? Most members join partway through. Your dashboard opens at your current stage and carries everything forward from there.

Sign up

Why YBM beats going alone

Independent inspectors are $800 a visit. Consultants are $300 an hour.

YBM gives you all of it for one monthly fee, plus access to us when you need to talk.

 
YBM Build Mentor
Going alone
Stage-by-stage guidance
All 8 stages
Figure it out yourself
Personalised AI mentor
Knows your build
Generic Google searches
File clarification
Plans cross referenced to your contract
Hope nothing was left out
1:1 monthly call
With Daniel, a licensed builder
No one to call
Tools & calculators
50+ available, new ones monthly
Build your own spreadsheets
Builder pushback help
We draft the emails
You work it out as you go

Straight up

What we do, and what we don't

You should know exactly what you're getting before you pay for anything.

What we do

  • Break down every single stage of construction, from Pre-Site right through to Handover
  • Take you through what to expect, what to check, what to ask and what to avoid at every stage
  • Cross reference your plans against your contract, variations and colour selections
  • Tell you when legal action, or an external party such as a private inspector, becomes necessary

What we don't

  • Replace your solicitor, building inspector or broker
  • Provide legal, financial or certification advice
  • Inspect or certify your build, or sign anything off
  • Take a cent from any builder, broker or supplier

Our job is to make sure nothing gets past you. The decisions stay yours.

Questions

Fair enough to ask

Who is the mentor, and what do they actually do?

Daniel is a licensed builder, site manager and A-Grade Electrician who has delivered 130+ homes. On Build Mentor, he runs a 1:1 call with you once every month, for as long as you're a member. You bring whatever is in front of you that month: a quote you can't make sense of, a variation that feels steep, something on site that doesn't look right. He works through it with you and tells you what he'd do. Steph handles the paperwork side, cross referencing your plans against your contract, variations and colour selections so nothing you've paid for goes missing.

How is this different from a checklist or template pack?

Templates organise your questions. They can't answer them. You get 50+ tools and templates as a member. The difference is there's a licensed builder and a contracts specialist behind them, an AI mentor that knows your actual build, and someone who'll go through your contract before you sign it.

I've already signed a contract. Is it too late?

Not at all. Most members join partway through. You'll start from your current stage, and we'll help you get across what's already been agreed so there are no surprises from here on.

What does the AI mentor actually know?

Your build. Your builder, your stage, your contract dates and the documents you've uploaded. It's trained on our guidance rather than the open internet, so you get an answer about your situation instead of a generic search result, whenever you need it.

Are you connected to any builders?

No. We take no commissions, referral fees or kickbacks from builders, brokers or suppliers. That independence is the entire point. You're paying us, so we work for you.

Does this work outside Victoria?

Yes. The build process, the sequence and the things that go wrong are broadly consistent across Australia. Where contracts and warranty schemes differ by state, we flag it so you know what applies where you are.

What if I'm renovating rather than building new?

A lot of it still applies. Contracts, variations, site checks and handover all work similarly. The guides are written around a new residential build, so sign up and tell us you're renovating. It helps us decide what to build next.

Get started

Choose your plan

Set up your build in about two minutes and start from the stage you're actually at. Cancel anytime, no lock-in contracts.