Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jan 08, 2015 5:10 pm Hi, I've just joined this forum. My husband and have purchased a large block in metropolitan Adelaide. Its both a large and challenging block and we are not planning to build for a couple of years. However, I want to start planning the build now as I want to get the best possible home for our family. Ideally I would love to have the design (ie layout) worked out and begin filling in the details. At this stage I think its likely we will be getting the house designed rather than building a pre-designed home. This is mostly due to the challenges of the block as well as trying to maximize views and I unfortunately don't think a pre-designed home is likely to fit the bill. I am completely green to the building process as in the past I have only purchased an existing unit, and our current town house which was purchased off plan. With the wealth of experience on here I am hoping to become a lot more informed before we make the decision of going with a builder. I would like to purchase some kind of 'home building process book for dummies' - does anyone know of a good book that I could read to get a feel for the process involved in building and the various choices for building you can have? A quick search on the internet has yielded mostly books on self-builds - and as I have no skills in this area I have no intention of going down that path. Rather I am after something that will inform me enough to have intelligent and focused discussions with a future builder and help me decide on what kind of build I am after. I should say I have no intention of sub-contracting but ideally would like to work with a builder who will allow me to be involved in the choices behind not only finishings but also in the choices over functionality - ie solar panels, enviro cycles, insulation options etc as I plan to do as much research as possible to get the best outcome and value for money I can find. All help and information hugely appreciated! Look forward to joining the discussions. Cheers everyone Megan Re: First build - have the block only and nothing else - HEL 2Jan 08, 2015 6:21 pm This is a good thread to read viewtopic.php?f=1&t=75030 The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: First build - have the block only and nothing else - HEL 3Jan 09, 2015 1:27 pm Hi, congrats on buying land! Exciting times to come! Whilst I'm not aware of any good books, I can offer a bit of advice. We are part way through our first build, and neither of us have trade backgrounds so we were newbies too. We learnt from the various builders we approached, although we built off a plan because our block was pretty standard. Having your ho e designed to maximise views sounds like a great plan. But you will still learn from display homes, talking to the sales consultants and asking what is included even if you don't want to buy off the plan. I found the research we did first helped me understand 'tradies speak' and therefore helped us ask for what we wanted when we finally picked a builder and started going through the contracts. Threads on here really help too, there is an SA build thread, plus many of us building in SA too. Thoroughly read the threads, and PM people for specifics. As for planning, hit up display villages (again, useful even when having your own designed) and start noticing frontages, room layouts, roof colours, flooring etc. display villages have a lot to offer. If you have views, does that mean you have a sloping block? And are you wanting two story? There are lots of threads on here where people have had these same things to contend with too. Good luck! Re: First build - have the block only and nothing else - HEL 4Jan 09, 2015 1:33 pm http://http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=71493&p=1286108&hilit=South+Australia#p1286108 SA builds thread to give you some ideas Re: First build - have the block only and nothing else - HEL 5Jan 10, 2015 1:56 am Hi megan30, it's great you're taking your time planning your home, not rushing in & building a poorly designed house. I'll offer advice that I've probably offered on 50% of my posts, as I'm interested in people building well designed, comfortable, sustainable houses. Have a GOOD read of the government's website, http://yourhome.gov.au I'll call it the dummies guide to building a house that is comfortable, light, & will help heat itself & cool itself, to reduce bills. Ok, maybe it's not a dummies guide, some points aren't that simple. But the concept is very simple. Designing a house that works in your climate. Orientating your house correctly & using passive design, which takes the path of the sun into account. Lower is the northern sky in winter, to help heat you're house, shaded in summer when the sun is higher in the sky. While also taking local breezes into account, to help cool your house in summer. Tonnes more information, from choosing building materials, where to locate rooms (living areas to the north usually), where to locate your glazing (a high proportion facing north, eliminating west facing windows if possible), appropriate eave lengths etc, the list goes on & on. Also, to maximise views, if you're considering a split level or 2 storey, you may consider an "upside down house", with living areas upstairs & bedrooms below. Generally, as heat rises, upstairs living areas will be warmer in winter (bedrooms can be cooler, as you're under blankets), while in summer upstairs is more likely to capture breezes. A survey must’ve completed by a certified surveyor. This form part of every DA requirement 3 223588 hi guys. Please be nice. First time home builder in Qld. I would like some feedback please on whether I should build my granny flat first before my main house at the… 0 4584 So it looks like we finally have some movement on site! Definitely later than expected, but I'll take any progress at this point. I'll drop by over the weekend to get… 5 27185 |