Building your dream home

It’s time to move, so you’re looking at houses. 

​Every weekend. 

You are driving relentlessly between open homes weekend after weekend, and honestly, it's getting beyond boring. 

Nothing is exactly what you want, so you have eventually come to the conclusion that building your dream home will be the best way to go, and then you can choose the location yourself. 

For many, buying some land and building your dream home is extremely appealing, and it’s fast becoming a reality for thousands of Australians every year. 

This journey can be exciting and bring out your creative flare, but for some first-time home builders, it can be a little time consuming and very stressful. (Tip: get an experienced, compassionate, understanding Building Designer firm on board to start with – that will make it SO much easier!) 

To save you some of your precious time, we’ve put together some steps to make sure this experience is as stress-free as possible. 

1. Permits, Building Codes & Restrictions 
Before you start anything, you must check with your local council with any building regulations that they have in place, and if there are any contracts or approvals you need before commencing your project.  Regulations and codes vary from city to city. As long as your project meets specific standards and land requirements, generally, no planning approval is needed.  

2. Establish Your Budget 
Speak to your financier about what you can and can’t afford.  Staying within a budget when building a home will form the baseline for all decisions you will make during the build process.  Remember to check the Australian Government website for any rebates or grants to which you may be entitled.  

3. Research the Area 
There are many aspects to research before choosing a community to build in. Is the area prone to flooding?  What are the crime rates in the area?  Other considerations include access to public transport and the proximity from schools, work, family and friends.  

​4. Choosing Land 
After finding out what land is available in the area you wish to build, you must make sure the lot is suitable for the project.  Cheaper isn’t necessarily better.  Irregular land shapes and lot orientation can all affect the build, especially if there is an uneven terrain that needs to be filled.  You may also need a geotechnical report to access the soil type which will tell you whether the land is suitable for construction or not.  

​5. Designing your Home 
A common mistake for many is designing the home with rooms facing the wrong direction.  This can result in a very hot house in summer and a very cold house in winter.  Remember to choose passive design elements such as floor tiles, double-glazed windows and high ceilings to also help eradicate this potential problem.  Consider energy saving; when choosing appliances such as washing machines, fridges and taps always pick those with a five-star energy rating. It will make a huge difference in the bills.  

​It’s always best to call in the professional building designers when it comes to designing the house itself, as there are many project elements that need to be factored in, not just for comfort but practical purposes too. 

We’ve covered the basics to consider before you build your dream home.  But it’s important to remember that it’s important to get a professional opinion wherever you can during your build to have as much of a stress-free project as possible and to achieve the outcome you originally planned.  Researching your Builder’s or Contractors background is also extremely important to make sure they have plenty of experience and positive feedback from clients. 

If you’re looking for more information on building your dream home, from building designers with experience, please contact us today for a no-obligation conversation.