Building a new house is a huge investment and an exciting project to get your teeth stuck into. However, it can also be very emotional and stressful. There are so many things to consider and plan that it can be overwhelming. The trick is to be organised from the beginning, do as much research as you can, communicate well with the people who will be working on your house, and get good advice from them wherever possible.
Here we give you 14 things to consider when building your new home:
1. Hire the right people
There are many builders, electricians, plumbers, etc. to choose from in New Zealand. You will be working very closely with all of them so it’s important that as well as having excellent professional skills, they have a personality and work style you feel comfortable working with.
2. Use good quality materials
If you have a tight budget, put money into things that are impossible or hard to change later, such as framing, tiles, flooring, etc.
3. Build around your living requirements
Think about where you spend most of your time and how. Build your house to fit YOU and your family and not vice versa (otherwise what’s the point of getting to design and build your own house?!).
4. Plan indoor/outdoor flow
Decide on this in the beginning. Visualise your day-to-day routine and activities and how you like to entertain. Think about the direction of the sun – will you want afternoon sun on your back deck or your front patio? Where will you have shaded outdoor areas? These are things that you have to get right the first time as they’re almost impossible to change!
5. Think about indoor and outdoor lighting
Get these installed from the beginning or make provisions early so easier and cheaper later on.
6. Increase natural light
Add more windows than you think necessary! You can never have too much natural light but you will regret it if you don’t have enough once you move into your long-awaited dream home.
7. Decide on Smart features
If you are considering getting Smart home features now or in the future, it’s important to incorporate them (or provisions for them) into the initial design and build of your new home. It will cost a lot more to plan and add these later down the line.
8. Avoid the latest fads and fashions
Try not to follow new or current home trends as these are likely to change and quickly make your new home outdated. Think more classic finishes which will stand the test of time.
9. Plan, decide, and organise BEFORE you start your build
Once you start building, time costs money. Some things you think are smaller details could hold up the project. For example, if you don’t decide on the kitchen cabinets before the builder is ready to install them, he will have to wait, delaying the project and costing you more money. Get these kinds of things decided, ordered, and ready and waiting for when your team is ready to install them.
10. Get your site levelled
Think about this in the planning stages as it’s cheaper to do this before you’ve built anything than deciding to do it a few years down the line!
11. Finalise your furniture plan before you finalise your floorplan
Think about how you want to use each room and how many people or how much furniture it needs to fit. For example, if you make the floorplan for your dining room without taking into account how many people you want sitting comfortably around the table with space to get in and out of their seats and space for any other furniture, it will be too late to change it once you’ve already started the framing of your house. However, in the planning stages, it’s still possible to add more space to one room and take some space from another room as needed.
12. Make a non-negotiable list
Make sure these are priority and you set aside budget for them. Bear in mind it may mean you have to compromise in other areas.
13. Listen to the professionals
There will be so many things in the building process that you won’t understand or be familiar with. It is important you communicate your vision, wants, and needs, but make sure you give the experts credit where it’s due – often they know better when it comes to their specialities. This doesn’t mean you can’t stand your ground for particular things on your non-negotiable list. However, a professional designer, for example, may know a better way of making your vision come alive that you hadn’t thought of.
14. Be flexible
Building a new home involves a lot of people and activities. Be aware that things may not work out exactly as you’d hoped and you may go over budget in one area and need to make up for it in another. Preparing mentally and financially for this in advance will save a lot of stress and disappointment as your project progresses.
Why Choose Ambient Construction For Your New House Build?
Ambient Construction are a reliable and trustworthy building contractor in Auckland. We have a solid reputation and fully guarantee all our work. We are industry experts with a dedicated team of fully licensed specialists and we are committed to our customers; always listening and delivering according to your needs. We work to the highest standards, using quality materials and artistry and we don’t cut corners.
Contact our team of specialists today for free advice and a quote on 09 529 5000 or complete the form below.
