Saving Money in my Home Design and Build

Building a new home is a huge step, both financially and emotionally. One of the most important elements in your planning process is ensuring you have a clearly defined budget. Most people will know how much they can spend on building a new home, but do not have an in-depth knowledge about the individual costs involved. This is where your home builder should spend quality time with you thoroughly explaining not only where your money will be spent, but also the most cost-effective solutions suitable for your build.

One thing that is important to remember when trying to save money and make cost-effective decisions when building a home: Cheaper isn’t always better and cutting corners will almost always lead to a costly out-come. This article looks at smart, legitimate and safe ways to save money in your home design and build.

The two main choices you have when deciding to build your new home are through a custom home builder on pre-purchased land, or through a volume builder as a house and land package.

Purchasing a house and land package is becoming an increasingly popular choice for people wanting a newly built home in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, due to the scarcity of new land and the convenience such projects present. Most volume builders will offer a fixed collection of plans for you to choose from, with a limited selection of modifications and upgrades. In the instance of buying a house and land package, you can save money by choosing to build to the standard design, without adding any upgrades. Avoiding modifications to elements such as the cladding and façade alone can significantly impact your budget in a positive way. Flashy add-ons and upgrades can prove to be very tempting, but usually end up being unnecessary and expensive. Making conscientious decisions about which areas of your home you really want to splash some cash will help you look past all the other unnecessary add-ons and ultimately save you money on your build.

Those who choose to buy land and build a custom home are allowed a lot more flexibility with their budget. Working with a custom home builder provides you with the opportunity to plan every element of your home design in a money-conscious way that is specific to your budget. You will have at your disposal all the skill and experience of both your custom builder and the architect or draftsman involved in designing your new home.

Finding an all-inclusive custom home builder to take on your project is an ideal way to not only save you money, but also time. Working with a company that has a draftsman, designer and town planner all under the one roof can be greatly convenient. It also has the added insurance that these people, who are essential to the success of your new home build, will collaborate well and have a good work relationship.

Plenty of discussion during the planning and design process between yourself, your builder and your architect or draftsman will establish a strong frame-work for the design of your new home, based on what you want from your new home and the most cost-effective way to achieve these goals.

Some of the things that your builder should discuss with you in relation to saving money in your home design and build are:

• House Orientation. House orientation refers to a design that is meant to harness the natural elements with seasonal variations in mind. Building a house with the right orientation will optimize the homes energy efficiency by being naturally cooler in summer and warmer in winter. A house with a North-facing orientation will have the greatest success.

• A design to suit your block. By creating a design that flows naturally with the landscape it is being created for is an innovative way to save money on your build. The least amount of site disturbance required for your house design, the more cost-effective your build will be. Site preparation costs can end up being a huge expense if the wrong design is chosen for your site. By using a builder who has knowledge and experience in building on challenging blocks, you will get a beautifully unique home designed in harmony with its natural surroundings that harnesses the existing attributes of the land, and is built to last.

• Using energy efficient materials. Employing the use of materials with a high energy efficiency rating is a fantastic way to save money on future energy costs of your home. This passive approach to building homes is increasingly popular and has the added advantage of a lighter carbon footprint too.

• A simple roof-line and building envelope. Working within the natural conditions of your block where possible, aim for a simple roof-line and building envelope. A stream-lined design means less surface space requiring cladding and roofing materials.

• Product price-compare. Do your research when it comes to selecting products such as floor coverings, kitchen and bathroom fittings and fixtures. There is a diverse range of products to choose from, for everything from tapware to light fittings. Chances are the style you want can be found for cheaper, with reasonably comparable quality.

These money saving tips can really go a long way to ensuring your dream home design does not break the build budget. When you work with an experienced, knowledgeable team of building experts, you can create a house design that is savings-driven from the ground up; one that doesn’t skimp on quality or design innovation.

If you are looking for a highly experienced, trustworthy custom home builder for your upcoming project, or for any other home building enquiries, contact Premier Homes and Granny Flats and speak with one of our friendly team members to discover what we can do for you.

Ph. 97616699

Email: info@premierhomesvic.com.au

Or visit our display village located at 110 Canterbury Rd, Bayswater North.