Building a new home can be a very exciting time but is also an emotional investment, as the homeowner is involved in every step of the process – from the roof and the floorboards, all the way down to the faucets and door handles. However, the ability to personalise a space to suit your wants and needs is worth the hard work and can result in a home that won’t need costly maintenance ten years down the track. To help you with your new home, our North Brisbane builders have put together our top home building tips below.
Our Top 4 Home Building tips
Home building tips #1: Know what you want
Before commencing a build, it’s important to have a clear idea of exactly what you want. Though this may seem like a no brainer, many people don’t factor in their current lifestyle or what they may want in five to ten years down the track. This may include having enough rooms if children are in the plan or including an outdoor entertainment area if you have a social home. Style-wise, compiling boards on Pinterest is a good way to figure out what type of home design you like and gives your designer source material to work with. It’s also worth listing your non-negotiables (whether that’s yours or you have a spouse) to work out where you can compromise, if need be.
Home building tips #2: Hire a designer to help with decisions
One thing every custom home builder will tell you is just how tiring making constant decisions. Whether it’s the colour of the benchtop, style of cabinets, type of floorboard, faucets, handles, carpets and more, the decisions with a custom build are endless. If you’re concerned you may experience decision fatigue, a designer will be able to help streamline the process and call the shots under your direction. Often, a homeowner may love a particular style of home but isn’t sure how to break that idea down for every room of the house. A designer can look at all the inspiration you’ve collected and piece everything together for you to sign off.
Designing a house tips #3: Be prepared to stick to a budget
Sticking to a budget when building a home can be difficult, especially if your builder is suggesting upgrades or top of the range fittings. If you’re looking to build a family home, square footage is going to be a top priority, which means less money could be devoted to fixtures and fittings instead of more space. This might mean sacrificing expensive cabinetry doors or getting lower end appliances. Of course, going too far to the extreme can also result in you having a kitchen or bathroom that you don’t like, and will have to renovate in a few years. Aim to prioritise but don’t compromise to the point where you’re not happy with your build.
Designing a house tips #4: Choose a builder with a good reputation – and don’t always go for the lowest bid
When it comes to choosing a builder, it’s important to do your research and find a builder that not only has a good reputation but has experience building homes similar to what you’re looking for. This might include looking for a builder that specialises in Hampton style homes or one that can create home designs for difficult blocks of land. Along with reputation, a price point is undoubtedly one of the biggest factors’ homeowners consider when choosing a builder. It’s worth shopping around for different quotes before making a decision and avoid builders who swing too heavily either way. Often, a building company that comes in with a low ball bid can end up adding on features further down the track, resulting in a final fee a lot higher than expected.
Interested to find out more?
Looking for home builders Brisbane locals trust to deliver dependable service and quality workmanship? Contact Award Winning Group for a consultation or to ask any questions about home design tips by calling 0423 296 698 or request a quote online today to get started.