That old saying buy the worst house in the best street is great in theory.. ..BUT what we have found out almost 18 months after doing this is that it is EASIER SAID THAN DONE!
Like many people we bought an older house on a biggish block in our dream location. It is definitely a great investment plus the lifestyle our location affords us is worth every cent.
However, 5 people living in a postage stamp has quickly worn thin and throw in COVID and we have a tsumani of disasters on the home front. Hence we have moved swiftly to the renovation phase and I thought it would be worth sharing with you my Draftsman s advice when it came to designing our family home as I am sure there are many of you considering doing what we have done.
Michael from Sandtracks Design s top 5 tips to consider are as follows:
Tip 1: Light / Natural Light Access
Consider your house s orientation, and how you may look to gain natural light into your spaces, and especially direct natural light access for Passive Solar Heat Gains. This may be in the form of a combination of raking ceilings and high level windows.
Tip 2: Natural Ventilation
Consider where your prevailing cooling breezes will come (obviously here in Perth, the South-West) and where you can place some windows to capture this breeze, but also, almost more importantly having windows on the leeward side of these windows, to help draw the fresh and cooling air into your house, flushing the hot air out at the same time.
Tip 3: Practicality / Functionality
Consider how you or your family like to use the various spaces in your house, so your designer can take that on board to develop the space to be the most practical and functional for you.
Tip 4: Resale / Future Value
Semi-related to the point above, also consider future potential resale there will be a fine line between something that suits how you want your spaces in form, function, and aesthetic and something that would attract a future potential buyer. If unsure, speak to a good local real-estate agent about what kind of features tend to sell well or attract the most buyers, as a guide.
Tip 5: Builder Selection
When selecting your builder from a handful of tenderers, aside from considering prices, also consider which builder which builder you feel like you get on with, or are on the same wavelength and would be able to have a smooth working relationship with. This will eliminate a large chunk of risk of a stressful building process.
As always, I have a vast network of trusted and skilled trades at competitive prices, so if you are interested in doing something on your house feel free to reach out to me on 0422 406 199.