Designing your dream home - Where to start?

ianvestor

ianvestor

Hi everyone,

I was browsing some massive homes on re.com today (as I do occasionally) and started wondering, if I were to design my dream home and have it built from scratch, where would I start?!

I have never designed/built any home, let alone my dream home and I was reminded that of the few people I know who have built a house, they always seem to regret one thing or another (eg, kitchen too wide, kitchen not wide enough, or one I've heard is "if I could do it all again, I'd make the living room slightly longer and decrease the back patio", etc).

If you had the opportunity to build your dream home, would you practice first by building some to sell/rent or just dive in and try to get things right the first time on your PPoR? :)

I thought I'd start by brain-storming a written list of everything I'd like included.

Oh, and the reason I'm starting now instead of waiting until I can actually afford it, is because I suspect it will take 1 or 2 years to refine it and know what I really want it to be like.

-Ian
 
I agree with Raddles. I did heaps of research on the internet and books from libraries on housing and sustainable living. I ended up purchasing an established house but it has all the correct orientation so very comfortable to live in. The house was built by a company with a good reputation so I think that helps also. The only thing I would change is my neighbours. ;) Oh, there is one thing - I'd go for a triple garage.
 
Take very good note of the sun position I have designed two townhouses with the sun shining in through the living areas and they are a joy to live in. Although thats in Melbourne in winter, so where you live would have to be taken into account. They were built to appeal to a wide market, so 2 living areas, 1 master bedroom downstairs, (for older age, also that the bathroom door could be widened to take a wheelchair at a later stage), smallish kitchen (the big old kitchens of yesterday just arent needed anymore) but definitely open plan so the kitchen is the hub and whoever is preparing the meal can talk to everyone else and not feel isolated, and outdoor living area off this. I would have one of those lovely enclosed outdoor living rooms with hotplates and a sink, and clear pull down plastic blinds (Bunnings have them quite cheap) Two car garage is a must. Definitely instantaneous hws, loads of insulation, tanks and solar system
 
ianvestor said:
If you had the opportunity to build your dream home, would you practice first by building some to sell/rent or just dive in and try to get things right the first time on your PPoR? :)
Click to expand...

Go through tons of display homes and open inspections on houses that might appeal to you.

Cheers,

The Y-man
 
celica said:
Take very good note of the sun position I have designed two townhouses with the sun shining in through the living areas and they are a joy to live in. Although thats in Melbourne in winter, so where you live would have to be taken into account. They were built to appeal to a wide market, so 2 living areas, 1 master bedroom downstairs, (for older age, also that the bathroom door could be widened to take a wheelchair at a later stage), smallish kitchen (the big old kitchens of yesterday just arent needed anymore) but definitely open plan so the kitchen is the hub and whoever is preparing the meal can talk to everyone else and not feel isolated, and outdoor living area off this. I would have one of those lovely enclosed outdoor living rooms with hotplates and a sink, and clear pull down plastic blinds (Bunnings have them quite cheap) Two car garage is a must. Definitely instantaneous hws, loads of insulation, tanks and solar system
Click to expand...

Celica's point is interesting in terms of this article. Whilst you are building your dream home, you may at one point sell, probably well into the future.

The issue of energy efficient homes will undoubtedly be far more 'front of mind' in 20 years.
 
It may sound obvious, but if your current home, or friends' homes, have rooms that seem the perfect size, measure them! We think we know how big they are, but they're quite often larger or smaller than we estimate.

And for ideas on aesthetics and great products/design, you just can't go past Houses, IMHO.
 
Hiya,

You may have to atleast spend an afternoon visiting Home Ideas centre in your city...all the modcons that you can buy these days will blow your mind away...
(I was)

The way I would go...(if I had the money i.e....)...go to try www.homeideas.com.au..rework all your wishlists...and then go to the best project builder and get him to build one according to your wishlist...

Nice and easy.....(Hope so..))
 
I owned my block for a few years before building but during that time I spent a lot of time standing on it, trying to figure out how to take advantage of it's features. Knew where the cold wind and cool breezes came from, eg.

But when building in the tropics the patio is important so I figured where that should be first, WRT privacy, cool in the afternoon etc. (big block, plenty of options) Then I got lucky and saw the home I wanted (but could not "picture") on the cover of a house design mag. It was build on a budget 8 yrs ago so doesn't have today's "eco" features but was suitable for the tropics and is quite cool.

That's the way I did it anyway. :)
 
Hi Ian,

Where to start?

In my experience, I would suggest that you gather some preliminary thoughts, cut up a few magazines and then visit an architect or building designer.

You don't need to spend big dollars on this; most architects I know offer design advice on an hourly rate. I think it's money well spent and it may save you a few afternoons of trawling through project homes. Not only this, but they may approach the problem from a different perspective than you have.

Someone mentioned "Houses"...a great magazine. There's another series known as New Home Trends, Kitchen Trends, Interior Trends and Bathroom Trends...among others. All essential reading if you're designing your dream home.

Celica mentioned solar orientation. Such an important factor when designing in Australia. I cannot stress this enough.

Hope that this helps.

JJ
 
I am currently building my dream home. I saw an architect, told him what I wanted and he did drawings until I was satisfied. The build is almost over now and at 27 I can def see myself building another dream home down the track with my partner. He is a carpenter/builder so he sees new ideas all the time. The one thing that I have realised is that your dream home costs $$$$ as yes, I did want the best of the best.
 
ianvestor said:
Thanks everyone.

I know there'll be some people that would absolutely baulk at the thought of living here, but this is the place that got me thinking.

(INVSTOR, Celica: It has a 7-car garage)
Click to expand...

I don't know about anyone else but I don't see a problem with that house. I mean there are quite a few of those where I grew up. It all comes down to affordability. If you can afford it why not??!!

I mean my next dream house will be in Kew or Camberwell so not much further than where I am building now. I do want a basement garage. I do know it'll cost over 300k for that alone but when you think about it. My car, partners ute, partners trailer containing probably 50k worth of tools, partners project car from when he was a teenager, partners motorbike, my motorbike, kids cars etc.

Some people may be like WTF why??!! But I suppose as that is one of our business building, you kinda do want to have a nice place. Most people here would probably say oh my imagine how many IP's you can buy with that??!! I personally don't see it like that, I don't know I suppose my parents taught me no point slaving away and making money and not enjoying it.
 
Hi all,

My thoughts on a place that size go straight to who is going to clean it.

Vacuuming takes time, OK if you get someone else in to do it. I suppose with a house that size you can afford a cleaner or 2.

bye
 
The very beginning of the process is as simple as keeping a file (or a shoe box) of cut outs from magazines or plans from display homes. Take notes of colours you love, finishes you like. If you walk through a display and adore that particular kitchen and love the layout of the courtyard but nothing else in the building, you keep details of those features (with relevent measurements and subtle changes). You have to remember that the builders display homes designs are copyrighted so you can't do exact copies.

Many an enjoyable weekend is spent touring the display homes. :)Then when you are fairly sure that you have a bunch of clear ideas in your head you start the search for someone to draw you some plans. Get them drawn yourself, don't give them to a builder and get them to draw them, because they then own them! It's important that you own the design.

After you've got your plans in your hot little hand (I've assumed you already know the block they will be built on), then you can take them around from one builder to another and start comparing the prices.

....I think I've been "designing my perfect house" now for 15 years :eek:
 
Flippin heck Ian!! I just took a look at that link (note to self: read thread properly before responding).

If you are thinking about something in that league, then you won't need to get inspiration from display homes, just go and look at 5 star hotels around the world and upmarket magagines. I think you'd get fed up with it though. That scale is fine for a hotel for a weekend but it isn't a home is it?

Maybe I'm getting old, but it would also be absolutely freezing right now if it was in WA given the current gas crisis!
 
Passive solar is a must. My house is backwards (verandah on the south, bathroom on the north) and it is REALLY hard to get it above 13 degrees in winter, although this is more of a climate issue, I just happen to live somewhere cold. Its quite nice in the house in summer.

For my next house I want a castleish kind of thing on small acreage somewhere it actually rains and stays above freezing. Lots of smaller rooms to hide weird things in as well as a largish living area, definately a library in a keep, must have a dungeon, and an 'interesting' floorplan you can get lost in. Totally inappropriate for old or decrepid people, so it'll need the guest bedroom, kitchen, lounge etc on the lower level and all on the flat for visiting infirm relatives even if the rest of the house has stairs. I'll pass on a moat, those things are a bit too dangerous with kiddies around, and there might be issues with mosquitoes, crocodile keeping fees and council regulations. Really don't care about the resale value, when you build yourself something really weird it immediately appeals to a much smaller portion of the general population.

Can't see myself building this for several years at least, and it won't be until our business takes off. And yes, our business involves castles, dungeons, whips, chains and ... er .... hrm ... :eek:
 
RE,

I'm pretty sure that this place in Ballarat was up for sale a while ago............:)


As to building the dream home, well we've done it once(still finishing it actually). The problem now, is that it's in Melbourne and we'll be living in Perth..........pretty much forever.

Mrs Nor did ask if we could pick it up and move it over here, however the 120cubic metres of concrete in the slab will make it just a tad difficult.........:rolleyes:

So we are developing Dream Home Mark II. You would be surprised how many things you would change if you had a second go at it.......:(

I would use an architect. It worked well for us in converting the ideas into reality........and also gave the place in Melbourne an edge, which it will retain for many years into the future.

ciao

Nor
 
Bill.L said:
My thoughts on a place that size go straight to who is going to clean it.
Click to expand...

Aren't you married Bill? (Just kidding, ladies)

Yeah, you'd have to set aside quite a few thousand $$ per week for cleaning/maintenence/gardening/electricity. That's on top of the $20k per week mortgage if you only put in 20% deposit.

As I said, definitely can't afford it (yet) but I don't want to wait until I can afford it and then realise I have no idea what I want included.

-Ian
 
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