The average size of a block of land in Australia is rapidly decreasing. Houses are becoming closer together, backyards are becoming smaller, and we are running out of room for our family activities. Building or renovating a home is an incredible achievement, but can quickly become stressful and overwhelming when you can’t find the right designer and/or right builder to work with. As property prices continue to rise and land sizes drop, here are some points to consider when building or renovating on a smaller block.
Have a vision in mind
Think about how you’re likely to live in the future and the kind of lifestyle you’ll be sporting. How many people will be in the home? Do you have a vision for what you’d like to do on your property? Maybe you’re looking forward to entertaining or frequenting the pool. Or perhaps you’re just looking for something low-maintenance to enjoy.
Clearly define your goal and end-game. If you're looking to create a family environment, you’ll have different needs to someone wanting to incorporate a home office space. Ensure your objectives are clearly set out before starting the design and build process, and make sure you’re on the same page as those who will be designing it for you, ensuring they have experience in desigining homes on smaller blocks. Re-evaluate and reconsider what you want and what you thought you wanted, as you go along the journey. Additionally, make sure you consider the possible directions you want your life to take, and be sure to incorporate all of those into your design and planning stages (just in case).
Pro tip: Breaking your goals down into smaller, more manageable sections is a great way to keep you on track and on budget. Perhaps you can do the build in stages to keep you within budget?
Extending out or going up?
Can't decide whether to sacrifice yard space for some extra floor space? Consider building adding a storey, (or even two!) to your home to ease the burden and allow for that much-needed room to move. This way, you’ll also get to keep your backyard.
However, there are many factors to consider here. For starters, budgets will need to extend, and zoning and council permissions will have to be sought out. Research is essential, and knowledge is power when it comes to these two aspects, so knowing what you can and can't do on your block is critical.
Another option to consider is developing one room above the garage. This small renovation can have a significant impact on the flow of your household, opening up possibilities for a home office, self-contained studio or additional bedroom. This is an affordable and accessible way to increase the space in your design, without having to go for the entire second level approach.
Trust the experts
While your design is important, choosing a professional and experienced builder is even more so, ensuring you have a specialist team who understands the challenges of smaller blocks i.e difficult access, adjoining walls, boundary issues (i.e in Terrace houses). Going through the process of completing adequate research and budgeting will significantly impact the end-result when building your dream home. But beyond that, having an expert team on hand to turn the vision into a reality, is ultimately where it all shines.
Contact the professionals at HMA now on 0411 116 969 to find out how we can help you create the perfect residence for you and your family.