For many, the lifelong dream is to build their own dream home! No more buying old houses designed and decorated by someone else, no more compromising on little parts of houses you’re not 100% keen on. Sounds amazing to us, but how do you do it? Are you considering building a home for yourself and already have grand plans? Or maybe you’re just dipping your toe into the idea of building your dream home. Either way, below we will discuss some of the key things to keep in mind when building a house, so read on to find out everything you should consider when building your dream home!
Your Design
You’ll want to spend plenty of time researching designs from all around the world to see what you like and don’t like before starting to design your own home. For example, this website shows just how many different things are possible with new home builds. Use these resources and start to think up your grand design. Begin to consider how you would like your dream home to look (not function – more on that later!) Do you want a huge classic mansion-like look? Do you want a discreet hobbit hole? Either way, research what other people have done before. You could even reach out to people who have built their own dream homes to ask for design tips, or watch interviews and television programs on the subject! Finally, get designing! Simple sketches and notes can be a great starting point before you reach out to architects and designers to polish off your idea.
Materials
Before more recent times, homes were almost all exclusively made out of a few limited materials; timber, brick, and plaster. These days, however, there are so many varying options. If you want a steel frame, glass walls, and concrete floors, you can! If you want a home fronted with limestone or polished granite, you can! Obviously, some will cost far more than others, but you can use your imagination when it comes to materials.
Nowadays you can also consider using green, environmentally friendly materials. You can use reclaimed and re-treated materials to save on production emissions. You could incorporate triple-glazed glass and solar panels for energy production and retention. These things may cost you money to start with, but your money spent now can save you a huge amount in the future in energy savings.
The Location
Part of the dream home has to be the dream location. If you came up with your perfect design and then placed it in a city you hated, that would be a real shame! So, you really must consider where you want to place these foundations. Consider your family, your job, and what might happen if you uproot any of that. Different areas will of course have different prices. For example, a spot overlooking the ocean will cost far more than an old farm 25 miles outside a city. Think about where you want to wake up every morning, then start planning your location scouting!
Your Family / Housemates
Who is going to be living with you in this home, and how long for? Do you have children who are young and may remain with you for another decade? Or are you moving into retirement and will be sharing this home with only your partner? All of these things are important considerations. For example, if you have young children you need to consider the impact of moving, how much space they may need over the coming years, practical family home features, and whether they are in a good location for schools, etc. If you are moving with your partner in later life, you may want to consider extra rooms for family visitors, fewer stairs, or more luxury features!
Your Team
Finally, consider the size of this project and how you need to work with a great team from start to finish, else it will simply not be successful. During the course of this project, you will likely work with designers, architects, project managers, builders, plumbers, plasterers, and more! You may hire all individually or entrust it all to a lead builder or project manager. Either way, you must choose wisely. It is easy to find trusted reviews of construction teams online, and ask for information from others who have worked with them before. Get quotes, estimates, and opinions from various teams and compare them. Remember that a yes-man who loves every idea and offers to do it cheapest probably isn’t the one to trust. Someone who is honest and challenges your ideas, and presents valid, reasonable ideas themselves is the man to trust.
Think about all these points raised, and start to develop and plan your dream home. Find your perfect spot and start building! We wish you all the success and happiness in your home whilst building and when it is complete.
