Building a new home can be one of the biggest, most overwhelming experiences of your life, but with a little bit of help and some planning, you walk away with your dream home. Not a bad trade-off! So get organised, find some help where you need it, and start creating your dream home.
What can you do alone, and where do you need help?
This is probably the most important question you can ask before you start planning anything. This will help you scope out the project in its entirety, and you can begin to outsource, delegate and step up where needed. You might be an expert painter, but that doesn’t mean you’re a great plumber, so think through the different stages and projects for what you can do. Don’t be afraid to give things a go if you feel they are manageable, but also don’t be so proud that you don’t ask for help when you need it. This is, after all, your dream home – no point messing it up because you didn’t want to chat with a professional. Companies like AdaptIt can help you with both big and little projects, and you will gain a lot of help by speaking with professionals in the industry.
How big is your family now, and how big will it be in 10 years?
Perhaps you’re in your early 20s, and have just moved in with your partner. A two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with a killer sound system might seem like the perfect home for you. But are if there’s any possibility that you’ll be having children in the next decade, maybe you should include the possibility of having a slightly larger house with a more family-orientated design. Perhaps you’re in your mid-40s, with three teenagers, two dogs, and bedrooms full of sports equipment and musical instruments. But in ten years, are your children, dogs and all of their belongings likely to still be there? If the answer is no, perhaps you don’t need to build that five-bedroom, three-bathroom two-story house. Really think long-term, and plan accordingly.
Will you always love that pop-culture specific design reference?
Interior design is a big part of building a new home – it is the icing on the cake, as it were. So while you spend a significant amount of time looking at the structure and practicality of the house, you should also spend some time thinking about the design. You might be tempted to go for strikingly bold colours and patterns, with kitsch artwork and artfully mis-matched furniture. But have a quick think about what you thought looked good three years ago, and then think if you’ll like these bold decisions in another three years’ time. Tastes change pretty rapidly, so try to opt for timeless looks, rather than bold statements. Or if you don’t, maybe don’t make it exceptionally permanent so it’s easy to redecorate.
There are a few key points to consider when building your new home. What was the biggest consideration you had to make?
