Building your dream home and seeing it come to life from the ground up is exciting. Here’s what to expect before, during and after the building process…
The process at a glance
- Site preparation and setting out floor plan
- Digging and pouring of footings
- Initial plumbing and laying the concrete slab
- Adding frames and roof trusses
- Adding external walls and roof, doors and windows
- Internal plumbing and electrical work
How to read floor and house plans
The floor plan is the blueprint of your dream home and one of the most important things to consider when building. It shows you where windows, doors and electrical appliances are located, as well as storage, so it’s important to know how to read it properly.
In this video, Robert Graham, Co-Head of Design at Stockland, shares his tips for understanding floor and house plans.
Tips for before the build
Carefully consider house size
When drawing up the floor plan of your house, keep in mind that the larger the house, the more expensive it will be to design, maintain and run. It will require more heating/cooling, more lights, more furnishings and, worse, more cleaning!
Ensure the best orientation
The direction of your home will help you determine which rooms need extra attention. Some rooms will receive direct sunshine at different times of the day, while others may not get any – these rooms can make great home offices. Your home orientation will also influence cooling and heating requirements and costs, as well as considerations like the best place to put solar panels to make your home as sustainable as possible. Learn more about sustainable homes here.
Tips for during the build
Think about zoning
You may not have heard of zoning before but it’s a handy consideration throughout the building process. Zoning refers to how we organise and arrange our homes in relation to how we plan to use them. It’s a great way to not only plan the layout of your home, but also help you plan for a clutter-free lifestyle. This can help you avoid that feeling of continually cleaning up and misplacing items that you were “literally just holding”!
Keep liveability in mind
Having a liveable house design will ensure that your house is safer and easier for everyone. Things to consider can range from getting creative with the space by including an indoor-outdoor area, to wider hallways (particularly good for large families and/or lots of entertaining!) and evenly sized bedrooms. Learn more about lifestyle and liveability here.
Tips for after the build
Keep the kitchen in top shape
Simple ways to reduce the need for major maintenance in the kitchen include:
- Daily – wipe down benchtops and taps with disinfectant
- Weekly – soak dishcloths in boiling water for 15 minutes to neutralise bacteria
- Monthly – run your dishwasher on a vinegar cycle, clean over and free fridge and pantries from crumbs.
Keep the bathroom in top shape
Simple ways to reduce the need for major maintenance in the bathroom include:
- Daily – clean basin and vanity surfaces with cloth soaked in vinegar. Tip a little down the basin to remove soap scum build-up
- Weekly – replace and wash all hand towels, face washers and body towels (towels that don’t have the chance to dry properly can increase the risk of mould developing in the bathroom)
- Monthly – clean glass, walls, drains, taps and shower head, bath and shower.