Selecting and optimising your home design

The most important things to consider when choosing a home design come down to your lifestyle needs, but also what we’ve got to work with in terms of your block, from size, orientation  to soil quality.

You can download our Complete Guide to Building a New Home right here but in the meantime, let’s take a look at some key factors that can influence how your build will look and feel – and how we can help you overcome issues that might crop up so you can start on the front foot when it comes to being happy in your new home.

Working with the land you’ve got.

There are certain attributes that can affect how much room you have for building and how we can position your home on the block, so it’s important to be aware of these limitations prior to commencing your build. Things like Fall and Fill [the slope on your land and how much soil is required to level it out] and any easements and covenants applied to the land can affect the space we have to work with.

Get it right from the start. 

If you’ve got your heart set on a particular design, we’ll take a look at it at the sales stage [that is, BEFORE you make a deposit] and make some suggestions around how to optimise it for your selected site to take advantage of any natural features [like sunlight] as well as accounting for land features like easements and soil quality that might impact or restrict the design features we can reasonably include in your build.  If your chosen design really doesn’t work for the land that you’ve chosen, we’ll guide you towards one that will – and give you advice on any additional optimisations we can make for you.

We’ll complete a siting of your selected design and make you aware of any tweaks or adjustments you’ll need to make right at the very start of your build process, so you’ll avoid any unpleasant surprises during your build.

Orientation matters. 

Orientation is a big factor when designing a home. North-facing is an ideal position for rooms that are regularly used, like living rooms, as they get sunlight for the longest part of the day. As well as contributing to that light and bright feeling that we all want in our homes, taking advantage of available sunlight will also maximise the energy efficiency of your home. Think about your garden and outdoor living placements with regard to natural light too – nobody wants to drink their Friday Margaritas in a gloomy garden at 5pm!

If the front of your block faces south, living areas work well at the rear of the home. If the front of your block faces east or west, living areas also work well at the rear of the home as they face onto the north side of your block. If the front of your block faces north, you could have the living areas at the front of your home and increase the setback from the street to create a private and spacious front outdoor area. 

If the standard house design you choose doesn’t maximise natural light, we’ll look at how we can flip or rotate the floor plan or make minor alterations so the high-use areas or your new home are positioned to your best advantage. In the event we can’t take advantage of optimal placement [for example high fences or high buildings next door] we can introduce skylights and highlight windows to let more light in.

We’re committed to taking maximum advantage of the site that you’ve chosen, and optimising your design to build you a home you’ll love. Our New Home Consultants are experts at helping you select a home design that will work with the block of land you’ve selected, so don’t hesitate to get in touch!