House Design

The design you choose for your new home must not only suit your budget but your lifestyle. When deciding on a design for your house consider the:

• Influences of finance,
• How to access designs,
• Positioning the house on your land, and
• Specifications and options.

Influences of finance

Before you set your heart on a particular design, work out exactly how much you can afford to spend building your new home. Sit down and calculate your savings. Have you saved enough money to pay a deposit on a home? Keep in mind that most lending institutions will require at least 5% deposit.

When working out how much you need to save, don't forget to account for the ?hidden? costs of buying a home. These costs include:

• loan application/establishment fees
• government charges (stamp duty on the land, registration and land transfers)
• insurance
• legal expenses
• inspection expenses

When determining your financial situation it is also a good idea to calculate the repayments you could expect to pay when borrowing. Use our our mortgage calculator to estimate repayment amounts.

Once you have determined the periodic repayment amounts that will be due, work out your income and expenditure (using our income and expenditure worksheet) and check that you will be able to make all the repayments. This is exactly what the lending institution tries to deduce when processing a loan application - the applicant's ability to repay.

The next step is to visit sales offices and show homes. Talk with builders and salespeople to research the price of homes with varying designs. Learn what builders typically include in the base price of a home and what would cost extra. For example, you may desire a double garage, or wool floor coverings etc., so keep the costs of these extras in mind when determining your budget.

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How to access designs

There are several avenues open to you when researching designs. One way is to approach several display home firms. Builders themselves will also have folios of many, many designs that you can inspect and choose from, as will design services and architects.

You will not, however, be able to take a design from one company to an independent builder and request that they build your house from the design. This could place the builder in breach of copyright. If you do like the design of a particular house but do no want to use their associated building services, the only way you can use the design is to negotiate permission.

When selecting an architect, ensure that they are registered with the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and that they specialise in building design. Architects can also manage the construction process, including the selection and supervision of a builder. As a guide, the cost of using an architect will range from between 5 and 20 per cent of the overall value of the house to be built.

Using a draftsperson to draw up your plans will be cheaper. This option is only suitable, however, if you are confident you know what you want in the design, as a draftsperson will only be able to give limited advice on the house design.

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Positioning the house on your land

When planning the position of you house within your land boundaries, attempt to:

• Position rooms for winter as well as summer sunlight,
• Have the house protected from prevailing winds by trees, a garage, etc.
• Make the most of your immediate scenery,
• Have enough privacy from the street, neighbours and other buildings,
• Ensure the house fits within the local boundary clearance limits,
• Leave space for a garage or carport, and
• Also leave room for extensions if this may be an option in the future.

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Specifications and options

Whenever you visit model homes, keep in mind that many of these homes have been improved with options and decorations for the purpose of presentation.

When selecting a design, ask the builder or salesperson whether the following features are included as standard or upgrades:

Inside

• Windows - double glazing, material and locks,
• Paint - colours, type and quality,
• Trim around windows, door and baseboards - plain or colonial, natural or painted,
• Carpet - material, quality, colours, backing and manufacturer's warranty,
• Vinyl flooring - colours, patterns and quality,
• Tiles - colours, patterns and finish (e.g. non-slip),
• Bathroom fixtures - colour and quality, mirrors, towel bars, whirlpool baths, etc.,
• Kitchen fixtures - counter top material, dividers, pot drawers, sinks, faucets, etc.,
• Electrical fixtures - where and what kind (e.g. dishwasher, power points),
• Fireplace - type, doors, trim, hearth.

Outside

• Patio - size, material and finish
• Shutters - trim, size, material, colour
• Cladding - brick front, two-tone brick
• Driveway and paths - gravel, paving, brick, etc.,
• Landscaping - garden, trees, turf, etc.
• Exterior lights,
• Mail box.

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