Building a new custom home will probably be your biggest investment so its important you get it right. With some careful planning and consideration, building your new home will be a breeze and you will enjoy the process. If you have a clear picture of what you want, you will be able to tell your builder what your vision is for your new home.
Here are our top tips for building a custom home –
1. Create a Pinterest board.
Forget taking clippings from magazines, that is the old school way. The best way keep all your inspiration photos and ideas is to create a Pinterest board. You can create one board for all your ideas or create different boards for room of the house. Once you have a collection of photo’s, take a step back and have a really good look at them. You will probably notice that there will be a similar style running through all your photo’s. You can use these photos to start planning the details of your new home. When designing your kitchen and bathroom, it is much easier to be able to show your cabinet maker how you vision your kitchen and bathroom to look. Download the Pinterest all onto your phone and then you will always have your inspiration boards with you to show tradesmen.
2. Determine your budget.
Before you get to far into planning your new home, you really need to decide on a budget. Consult with a financial adviser who will be able to crunch some numbers and let you know what you can and can’t afford.
3. Make a list non negotiable items.
Unfortunately for most of us, we don’t have unlimited funds… would be nice though! You need to write a list of things that must be included in the house. So for some it might be a butlers pantry and a huge walk in robe, for others it might be your floor selections and tiles. Once you have a list of non negotiable items, you can give that to your builder to include in the quote.
4. Plan. Plan. Plan!!
Spend time going over your plan. And then do it again. Make sure all the doors swing the correct way, will the plan suit your home as your children grow? Check the sizes of all the rooms and make sure you are happy with the sizes. Think about how you will use the kitchen – does the layout suit? Is there enough storage? Show your plans to all your friends and family, they might have some ideas and see errors that you have missed.
The Maxwell Plan – deJong Homes
5. Add more power points.
Most builders will add just enough power points. However you really need to think about layout of your home and how you are going to use the space. Do you have a long hallway? If so you will need a power point in there for your vacuum and maybe a hall table and lamp. What about your Christmas tree? Where is that going to go? Grouping power points together in the study or walk in pantry could be a good idea to create a charging station for all of your devices. Don’t forget where your TV’s will go as they will need TV points and possibly data points as well. It is much easier to add these extras in now. Once the build is complete, it will be much harder as there is insulation in the roof and walls.
6. Think of resale.
Even though you are building your home and it should reflect your personality and taste, try to be mindful of resale. Whilst you may love a green kitchen, chances are the next person to buy your home won’t and it may be harder to sell. Keep your colour selections neutral so they don’t date as quickly.
7. Keep to the same fittings through out the house.
Create a sense of continuity through out your new home. To create a sense of a larger space, use the same flooring through out the home. Use the same sinks, tap ware and door handles. Use the same tiles in the bathroom and laundry.
8. Read that contract over and over before you sign.
You need to ensure that the contract includes everything you have discussed. Check that it includes things like your clothes line, garden taps and out door lights. Once you sign, you may not be able to make changes. So it is important that you double check everything. Also keep in mind that some costs may vary. Site cuts and excavation costs can’t always be determined before work starts, so check this with your builder.
Thinking of building a house and land package in Wagga? Contact us today.