A complete guide to designing your new home

1. Research
 

There are many cost saving and general design ideas that can be gained through research. We recommend that you dig deep when determining material, labour and other general costs. Research will not only help you build a better home, but it will also help you create a budget. Any oversight in the research phase can cost you later down the track.  

You should keep in mind the weather and climate conditions that surround your new home as it may influence the type of materials required to build your house. We recommend researching the area to find out about possible flooding, bushfires and slopes. You might want to ask the locals who have been living in the area for years to get a better understanding of the site in question.

2. The Right Architect
 

You want your house to be in good hands, therefore, you need an architect or building designer who knows what they are doing. Always hire someone who involves you in the entire design process and adds value to your home. You don’t want to hire someone who will rush over the design without letting you contribute to the process. Comprising on an architect or designer to save money can be counter intuitive. Here’s a more in depth look into hiring the right architect.

3. Draft Design
 

When you have done all of your homework, it is time to put pen to paper and draft a design with your designer. You should spend as much time with the designer as possible and ask questions about the layout at every stage of the process. The more involved both parties are, the better the design. Doing this will also ensure that the final result meets your expectations.

4. Brief Development
 

When everything has fallen into place, it’s time to get a brief of your development. You should go through the brief thoroughly to keep everything in check for the final stages.

5. Final Design
 

You should finalise the design a couple of times and always pay attention to small details that you might have missed originally. Be careful not to go overboard as small changes might require you to change a significant part of the design.

6. Council Approval
 

The final step is to get your local building authority to approve your design. Make sure that you cover all of the legal aspects that are required and involved throughout the building process. Although, if you’ve hired an architect for your project they will be able to gain council approval on your behalf.

Once you have been approved it’s time to start building your dream home!

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