Picking the right plan for your family and needs can feel like navigating a minefield of details that you’re not sure you’ve thought of or fully understood. It’s a big investment and one that you’ll want to enjoy and be proud of as your new dream home! Here are some of my top tips for what to check and look out for when considering build plans:
Make a grand entrance! Consider the flow of entry
Let’s face it – most days your house interior won’t be up to ‘gracing the cover of a magazine’. Especially if you insert school holidays. And having to guide guests past the chaotic family bathroom, laundry, or rumpus room saying “don’t mind the mess” gets old fast. Your future self will be grateful you designed your entry with these things in mind:
- Ensure that there’s an easy, direct flow from the entry to key entertaining spaces
- Check that clutter-prone spaces (& doorways) are out of sight
- Consider if there is space to store coats and shoes.
Optimise natural light ‘Embrace the sunshine’
Make sure to think about where your main outdoor entertaining and open plan will be. You’re likely to spend majority of your time here – so make sure it is oriented to receive the best natural light during the day. And always ask to see a schedule of the windows and doors specified, as these can often be shorter/smaller than you were expecting.
- Ensure the important rooms are North-facing for the best light. e.g. your living / alfresco
- Consider rooms that will be South-facing (poorer light). The garage may be more suitable
- Check the intended size and placements for windows and doors.
Kitchen design – plan this early
Your kitchen is the hub of the home, and often sets the scene for the style of the rest of the house. Start working on the design and layout of this as soon as possible, as this can often influence the rest of the layout, as well as budget. It’s always better to know what you can and can’t afford right at the start!
- Discuss your kitchen dreams with your builder early on so everyone is on the same page
- Pay attention to your storage needs like pantry & fridge size, space for large pots etc
- Don’t sign off on any plans until you’re 100% happy with them.
Bathrooms: luxury or standard?
Believe it or not bathrooms can often cost more than kitchens! And they’re especially expensive to change later on. The wastewater pipework for your bath, shower, toilet, and vanity are all gravity fed down through your floor and are quite costly to relocate (especially if your subfloor is a concrete slab). Many standard new build plans specify entry level / budget fixtures to try and offset costs – so make sure you’re aware of what you’re getting.
- Plumbing is expensive to change! Make sure you’re happy with the layout
- Review the quality of specified shower, bath, and vanity fixtures.
Check the inclusions
It could be a surprise to know that most new build packages don’t include curtains and blinds. Bear in mind that even basic window treatments will set you back several thousand $ for a whole house, so make sure you check this and allow enough budget for what you want. I also recommend you ask what standard of flooring and kitchen appliances are being allowed for and go and view the options/samples in store to make sure you’re happy with them.
- Understand what appliances are included in the price
- Check what type and quality of flooring is allowed for
- Ask if there is a budget for window treatments.
Windows and doors
You’d be surprised how much door type and placement can affect the functionality of your floorplan! Standard doors require a blank wall/space to open against, whereas a pocket/cavity slider will slide inside the wall – allowing either side of the door frame to be useable. These are more expensive, but very practical for small bathrooms, walk in robes, & hallways. Also consider your windows as there are lots of opening styles like slider, awning, bifold etc. So, it pays to have a think about the best fit for purpose (especially with indoor/outdoor flow).
- Consider room layout and how windows and doors may effect the use of space.
- Think about how placements will effect adjacent rooms – does it work well for both rooms?
- Pocket doors may be a better solution for some spaces.
Ceiling and stud heights
Standard ceiling height in AU/NZ is 2.4 metres. This is fine, but if you are already investing in other higher end specifications for your ‘dream’ home you may want to consider a higher stud than this (e.g. 2.55 or 2.7). It’s a good idea to visit a few show homes with different ceiling heights to understand the difference. Also make sure to communicate with your builder if you’re hoping to have a raked ceiling or exposed rafters as these are non-standard and cost more. It’s handy to know that raked ceilings also won’t have any ceiling cavity for retrospective electrical wiring – so pay attention to the amount and style of lighting that will be added during construction of your build.
- Standard ceiling height is 2.4 metres – do you want higher?
- Be clear if you want raked ceilings or exposed rafters – don’t assume these are factored in
- Consider your ceiling construction alongside lighting / electrical plans – lighting is difficult to add later if you don’t have any ceiling cavity.
Electrical plan
Electricals and lighting can seem a bit tedious when you’re working through 2D plans. But it’s a real bummer when you move in and don’t have a power outlet in the garage where your deep freezer is going! Or an outlet in the kitchen in the right spot for your coffee machine. Consider the frustration of not enough light switches for your hallways or stairs at nighttime! Take your time to go over the electrical plan and ask for help if you’re not sure what is what on the plans.
- Ask for recessed outlets for your tvs
- Scrutinise where and how many outlets, downlights, and switches there are for each space
- Be sure you’re happy with where the service panels will go. These often get put in the garage, but check that they don’t end up on a wall you plan on adding storage or a second refrigerator.
Visualise it
Looking at all this detail in 2D can be pretty confusing. And even for the most experienced of us it’s very easy to overlook or miss problems or mistakes. If possible, it’s a good idea to get 3D renders done of your plans so you can clearly see how everything will look together. If this is your ‘forever dream’ home it’s not worth the risk that things might end up wrong. Here’s some of the benefits of working with 3D renders:
If possible get a 3D render done of your plans so you can clearly see how everything will look.
- Space plan each room and consider how important things are going to fit
- Pick up on opportunities and problems you would miss in 2D
- Review selections and make changes virtually
- Communicate super easily with your builder and other trades
- Have great clarity & communication, less stress, and enjoy your project!
