Single Storey House Plans - Considerations

One of the first things to consider is what your needs are going to be. Families with young children or elderly members should give some thought to the safety concerns that come with stairs. Many home injuries come from falls that occur on stairs.

Design Considerations:
The size of your building lot is something to take into consideration. You need to take into account all of your setbacks so that the footprint of your house (including any garage) will fit within the setbacks. This will be a big factor in determining the overall square meterage of your home.

It is believed that a single storey home is more expensive to build as the foundation and roof footprints are much larger than a multi storey home footprints. This belief is not so true, there are other expenses involved in building a multi storey home such as construction of a stair case and additional scaffolding for all construction use on a multi storey home, these items can be quiet expensive.

A single story plan can be a great way to get the dream home that you've always wanted. Just make sure that you do your homework in terms of your needs, budget, lot, and local regulations.

Idea starter tips for deciding your floor plan

1. Start by ‘deconstructing’ the home you’re currently living in.  What do you like about it, and what frustrates you? Do you have enough storage?  Do you have cupboards so jamb packed you’re not game enough to open them?  Are there times you yearn for a quiet private lounge for yourself, or a separate rumpus area for the kids?  Do you have ‘hot’ rooms because your home is facing the wrong way?  Is there a feeling of light and airiness, or is it dark inside?  What do you like?  What frustrates you?

2. Things to consider when preparing a floor plan.You must imagine yourself living in the home that you are drawing the floor plan for.  Is there enough storage in the kitchen for the Tupperware or the coffee machine?  Could you easily take the groceries from the car to the kitchen?  Are the bathrooms and toilets conveniently located?  Are there toilets located in areas you’re happy for party guests to be going into?  Does the design have little quiet areas as well as family areas?  You must try to imagine YOUR family living in there!

3. Look at your home site and the available service plans. Having a good handle on your building site helps you factor in any special considerations.  For example, will you need to ensure your home design takes into account easy driveway access, captures the breezes, and gives protection from the angle of the sun.

4. Check for space for your existing furniture that you’ll be taking to the new home. Make sure for example, that there’s not only adequate room in the Master Suite for your bed, but for your dressing table.  If you have a couch and chairs, make sure the lounge is wide enough to fit everything as you would put it in that room, with plenty of space to move around the furniture.  Which brings us to traffic  flow.

5. Trace the traffic flow through the home on your sketched design. What may look like ample space in a family room might not seem so big when you family members are taking short cuts through it to get to the kitchen all the time.  So a good think about traffic flow when settling on a plan will overcome years of annoyance later.

How to choose a forever house

• Have a conversation about whether you’re hoping to have children and how many, so your looking at your choice realistically.

• Make sure the house is big enough for the future, or has the potential to be extended.

• Work out weather the location will still suit any changed circumstances. Eg: are there good high schools nearby?

•  Check that the house has access to public transport for your children or yourself if you might not want to drive in the future.

• Try to predict how your needs might change as you age. Eg: Is the house a single storey or double storey.

Don't move, Improve!

Adding an extension to your current home can radically transform your property giving more rooms, extend your living space and will add value to your property and also make it more attractive to buyers.

If adding value to your home, is your main priority, you should first find out the current market value of your home and then get an estimate on its potential value once the extension has been completed. This can be done by explaining your plans to a real estate agent or by looking at similar properties in your area.

With property prices now on the rise there really has never been a better time to extend your home, best of all with a reduction of work in the building industry at the moment, construction companies may well be lowering their prices to compete for work to stay afloat.

This means you get the best of both worlds, a lower investment required to extend your home with the potential for increased property value, so if you plan to extend your current property and move home in a few years, you are wise to act now while costs of building work are still at reasonable expenses.

Selecting a new home builder

When you decide to buy a vacant block or knock down and rebuild a brand-new home, choosing the right builder is as important as choosing your style and plan of your home.

When you purchase a home, you also "buy" the company that will build it. Your satisfaction will depend on their experience, their skills and their commitment to customer service.

An important part of the home building process lies in determining that you are dealing with the builder themselves who has the necessary qualifications and is able to meet your needs and expectations.
There are thousands of builders in Sydney, ranging from small companies building a few houses a year to large building companies constructing hundreds of homes annually.

Whether you live in a large urban area or a smaller community, you will have a number of builders to choose from. Each company may offer a different selection of homes. Some may focus on specific market segments or neighborhoods. Others may specialize in particular types of homes or have certain distinctive expertise, such as adult lifestyle design or energy efficiency. And every company does business in its own unique way.

As you look at your building requirements, also think about the building company behind them. Before choosing a building company, take a close look at each builder you are considering and ask these questions:

• Who are they?
• Do they build a quality home?
• What is their after-sales service like?
• What’s their reputation, what do others say about them?

Defining your vision

How to define your vision

Get everyone in your household involved in discussing what you are looking for in a new home or home renovation. For instance:

• Discuss the type and size of home; number of bedrooms; other space requirements, e.g. garage.
• Discuss the layout: open or divided spaces; flexibility for future changes.
• Discuss any outdoor living areas: space and privacy.
• Discuss desired features for looks or convenience.
• Special considerations, e.g. accessibility for household members with mobility restrictions.
• Distance to work, shopping and medical facilities.
• Public transportation.
• Schools, recreational facilities, places of worship.

It is wise to make a list of everything that’s important to you and your other family members and divide it into things you must have and things you would like to have. Use the list to help you evaluate your desired new home or renovation. It is also a great starting point for discussions with builders because it makes it easier to tell them what you are looking for, which in turn helps them to identify the homes that best match your needs and wants.

Mortgage Pre Approval

Get mortgage pre-approval
Early on in the decision making process of building, extending or renovating, you need to determine the price range that suits you best. If you plan to finance your purchase with a mortgage loan, sit down with your lender or mortgage specialist to discuss your needs and get mortgage pre-approval. That way, you know exactly how much you can spend on your building requirements. If you want to be able to make regular payments to the builder during the construction of the home, talk with your lender about a construction, or re draw mortgage.

Pre-approval means that your lender commits to giving you a mortgage loan up to a specified amount at certain terms and conditions, including the interest rate. This commitment will be valid for a specific period of time. Pre-approval does not lock you into the mortgage. You are still free to pursue other arrangements, including shopping around for better mortgage deals.