Why Some Folk Prefer A Newly Built Home
Every year people think about moving house or entering the property market. Some like to move into an existing house while others prefer to buy one of the new homes that have just been built by one of the many building companies in the Auckland area. Within the new homes category there are two sub-groups. There are those who like to buy from a pre-planned design which is usually part of a major sub-division development. The second group is those people who want a house custom built to their own design and specifications. Each family has its own point of view about which option is better but this post looks at some of the reasons why people buy custom-designed new homes.
One obvious advantage of a purpose-built home is that you get to say what goes in it. You dictate the size, shape and the configuration of the rooms. For many people this is their ultimate dream; crating a home exactly as they want it. For many people, we imagine that this is an option only available to the very rich but that is not the case. Plenty of people find a section of land, even within a sub-division. They then work with a house designer or an architect to come up with the plan that includes all of the features they want. Often the designer will temper some of the initial requests for various reasons such as cost, whether that feature will be easy to sell in future years, or because of space constraints. Whatever the reason, people’s original desires sometimes do not translate very well into a finished house.
This can also be your opportunity to incorporate the best eco-friendly design and appliances in your home. This may require a specialist designer but this is a great chance to make your contribution and also to future proof your home.
A brand new home is going to be having a more efficient use of energy than existing homes simply because of the materials and construction techniques that are used these days. A simple example is the use of insulating materials built within the timber framing of the house. In years gone by, this was not a standard but today, almost every house will have some insulation material incorporated during the build process. Also, designers these days will use better ventilation systems. These not only keep a house cool in summer but also keep them warmer in the cold winter months.
While you are in the design stage, you can also consider the modern conveniences and entertainment systems that are available. Many women do not like to see cables trailing around a room. So if you are building from scratch, you can make sure that the sound and power cables are in-built and that there are plenty of jack-points placed around the rooms. You can also have the home-theatre constructed from the start rather than having to adapt the living room as most people do.
After the design has been agreed the next step is to get building consent from the local authority. This process can vary depending on the design, size and location. For example, a five bedroom or a four-storey house might not be appropriate in the locality. Also if you are building in a sub-division, there may be covenants regarding the minimum or maximum size of the proposed house.
Assuming that the consent is forthcoming, obviously you will need a house builder. People often think it is difficult to find a reliable building company but in fact most are good businesses. However, as in all walks of life, some are better than others. The easiest and most reliable way to find these is to look at what other people say about the different home builders Auckland has to offer.
These days the best place to do that is on Google. If you search for house builders you can create a short-list of potential companies to contact. Then you can search for reviews about them or for videos, testimonials, and rating sites like Yelp.co.nz.
New homes in Auckland – image Simon Howden
Another advantage with having a custom designed house is that you can plan for the future. For example, if you are approaching your “golden years” or you are anticipating having an elderly parent coming to live in your house, then you may want to think about having access ramps built in.
As we can see, there are plenty of good reasons why people like to have a purpose built new home rather buying one from a fixed plan. If you are one of these people and are looking for a building company in Auckland, then Repair and Restore Ltd is certainly one to look at. Their reputation is impeccable as this video shows.