If you are fortunate enough to be in the position to build your dream home, there is, of course, much to consider. Rather than buying an existing property and trying to design your lifestyle around the building, designing the home from the ground up allows you to create living space that is ideally suited to your lifestyle. Here are a few tips to help you make all the right choices when designing and building your dream home.
- Clean & Renewable Energy – Building a new home give you a great opportunity to utilise clean and renewable energy, which comes in the form of a state-of-the-art solar panel system. Australia has so many sunshine hours in a year that it would be strange if you did not take advantage of the super-efficient solar energy systems that are available today, and you might even get some government help with the installation, by way of a grant or an interest-free loan. You could choose between a system that provides all or some of your power needs, and you can still be connected to the national grid if you prefer.
- Sourcing the Right Builder – There are a few award-winning new home builders in Sydney, and a consultation can be arranged via their website. Your choice of builder could be the difference between an outstanding job and an average build, so look for a firm that is both well-established and has won a few home design awards. Any reputable builder would be happy to spend as much time as it takes to come up with the perfect design, so don’t rush through the all-important design stage.
- Think of the Future – When designing a home, it makes sense to take the future into consideration, and if you are thinking of extending at a later date, make sure you have the room for this. If you think the future might bring some changes to your life, bear this in mind when designing the home, and if you have the space, you could prepare a concrete base for a modular stand-alone building that you could install at a later date.
- Composite Materials – By using composites, you are minimising maintenance, which can be both costly and time-consuming, and composite materials are usually light, inexpensive and very strong. Faux timber finishes, for example, really do look like the real thing, so you might want to consider vinyl flooring rather than solid timber.
- Insist on Using Quality Materials – You might be tempted to cut corners, yet opting for inferior materials will end up costing you money in the long run. Slate is the ideal material for your roof, and rather than spending a fortune on solid timber flooring, you could choose luxury vinyl or engineered flooring, which looks like solid wood, but is much cheaper.
The key to a successful build lies with your choice of builder, so it is essential that you choose one that has a good reputation for new builds to order, plus having the resources to complete the project according to the timeline.
A Guide to Designing Your Dream Home was last modified: November 5th, 2019 by
