You’re going to build your new home and you’ve thought it all through – or so you’ve thought.
You know exactly what you need and want to have in your home, but have you thought about what you don’t want and what you don’t need?
You have given much thought and consideration to what will work for you, but have you taken the time to think about what won’t work?
These 7 design mistakes should be avoided when designing your new home
Poor planning and budgets that are too small can lead way to some wayward, inconvenient and disastrous mistakes.
When you plan on building a new home, you must look at the home from many angles. You must consider your current and future lifestyles.
You need to take family planning into consideration – Will your family be expanding? Or will your children be leaving the nest?
Do you entertain often and host overnight guests regularly?
Take your time and do your research both online and in person. Be sure to take the time to meet with professionals in the industry.
Poor design choices can make your home not only uncomfortable but downright unhealthy.
Architects, engineers and builders are all trained to help you make effective decisions. They will help guide you as to where you can save a few dollars and where you absolutely should not cut corners.
The process of building a house can be intimidating.
There are numerous decisions to make, from massive (deciding where to erect walls) to the minuscule (picking light fixtures).
This overload of choices can short-circuit some buyers' brains so they become paralyzed, unable to make any decision at all.
To avoid facing 100 overwhelming questions about bathtubs and windows in one sitting, ask your builder to set up a personalized website, allowing decisions to be made at your leisure. No website? Simply create a binder with your architect and/or builder where choices are organized room by room, step by step.
Compartmentalizing the building process will help you keep moving forward.
One of the most common design mistakes is poor or short-term space planning.
If you’re designing a custom home, you’re likely to live in it for a while. That means the spaces you need now may change over the next few years.
Consider how long you’ll stay in this home and what types of spaces you’ll need during that time.
When looking at your space requirements, make sure to include bedrooms, closets, storage areas and living spaces.
The addition of a playroom, game room or multipurpose room sounds exciting but only plan to build a room that will actually get used. What good is a wasted home gym where the treadmill is used to hold clothes from last season?
The unused room becomes a dumping ground to place those things that never get used.
If you plan on adding a spare room, make sure that it is a room that can transition well from one type to the next. A sewing room may never get used, but a sewing room or office that also doubles as a guest room could indeed get used often.
These questions will help you think and plan your space requirements:
How many bedrooms do you need?
Where do you spend most of your time at home?
Do you cook regularly, or are you rarely in the kitchen?
Do you work at home? Do you need a home office?
How often do you entertain?
Do you have family or friends who visit regularly?
Do you need space for a guest room?
Do you have or plan to have children and need bedrooms for them?
Do you have older children who will be moving out?
If you’re building a playroom or game room, what will it be used for in a few years?
Do you have hobbies and activities that need extensive storage?
Good space planning can help keep your home useful throughout your time in it.
If you anticipate lots of changes, it can help to design multi-purpose rooms. Consider whether a guest room can be converted to an office, or whether you’ll need two different rooms.
It’s common to make a few changes to a custom floor plan. You may find that you want to change the materials you use for flooring or cabinetry.
You might also realize that you want to make larger changes like adding a room or changing the layout.
Remember that changes during the construction process are more expensive than changes during the Design Phase — and that cost isn’t just financial.
There may also be delays in acquiring the supplies needed, and your timeline might be slowed down by these delays. Additionally, the extra construction may add to the total cost.
You’ll reduce the number and size of the changes you make by considering your needs early in the process.
If you know what you need early, your architect and building designer can help you to incorporate these features into your initial design.
You can also cut back on changes by taking the time to view similar homes. Many people love the look of a home on paper, but they have trouble visualizing what that home will look like once built.
If you’re considering using an existing floor plan then visit a home that has the same floor plan. This will give you a sense of what the finished house will look like.
Many homeowners get several bids before they begin the construction process.
Be sure to research the potential builders ahead of time to make sure your bids are coming from reliable, reputable companies.
Questions to ask potential builders include:
How long has the builder been in business?
Has the builder worked on similar types of homes before?
Can they provide referrals from previous customers?
Does the builder have a financing plan available?
Can you add options to an existing floor plan?
How much can you customize an existing building plan?
Can the builder work with you to create a custom floor plan?
Does the builder include a home warranty?
Can the builder leave some rooms — like a garage — unfinished?
Is landscaping included in the cost of the building?
You can also ask about subdivisions that the builder has worked on and then drive through these subdivisions.
You’ll be able to see whether the homes are visually appealing, and you may even be able to ask residents whether they like their homes or have had problems.
All of these questions can help you to find the right builder for your home.
The master bedroom needs to be as far away from the noise and traffic as possible.
The master bedroom should not be near or above the garage if members of your family are likely to be coming and going while you are asleep or resting.
It would be advisable to keep the master bedroom away from the central living areas as well. If your home is to be on one level, the master bedroom should ideally be at the far end of the house, the end furthest away from the garage.
The master bedroom, ideally, should not share a wall with the central living area.
One of the major benefits of building a home is that your contractor can, well, build things into it.
Everything from shelves to entertainment centres.
These will blend in seamlessly with the walls and floor. But since many homeowners are accustomed to buying this kind of furniture when they move into a used home, this option often gets overlooked.
Not using an expert architect and builder to build their home and thinking you can do it all yourself.
The experts have the knowledge and experience to guide you through the building process.
They understand the delays and pitfalls of building a new home, and they know what to do if a problem arises.
Your new home is a wonderful thing. take the time to plan and think about your new home as it will bring you many years of enjoyment.
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