The sky’s the limit when you’re working with custom home builders Brisbane wide. While designing your own home can be an incredibly rewarding experience, it’s often difficult to get the finishes just right. Luckily, it’s easy to get involved in the design process, and you’ll be able to lean on your builder’s experience to iron out the details later. In this article we’re going to go over 6 simple steps to designing a custom home that suits your lifestyle perfectly!

1. Decide On a Budget

It might not be the most exciting part of the custom home process, but budgeting is the most important step. Designing a custom home means that you’re free to let your imagination run wild. The downside is that it can be easy for your wish list to get away from you. Setting a budget at the outset ensures the finished product is affordable and realistic. A budget is also a useful tool for deciding what you do and don’t want to include in the build, and which features you can add at a later date.

This is also a good time to look at some custom home builders’ websites and check their inclusions. Some builders consider features like decks, landscaping and driveways to be add-ons, so you’ll need to budget for those expenses too.

2. Think About the Orientation

The orientation and layout of your custom home is the best tool you have for managing your budget. It’s also the best way to take advantage of features like sloped blocks, natural light or stunning views. For example, you can change which direction your home faces to make better use of natural sunlight for passive heating and cooling purposes.

Choosing the right orientation is something of a challenge. Visit your block of land and try to select the location that matches your vision for the home. Just remember that the cost of your build will increase if you choose to build far from the street or on a significant slope.

3. Consider Your Lifestyle

Do you have young children who need plenty of yard space? Do you spend your free time entertaining friends? Do you need additional living areas for your in-laws? Designing a custom home is your chance to craft a space that’s perfectly suited to your lifestyle. Think about how you live now and your goals for the future, then design your home to meet those needs.

There are lots of things to think about when designing a custom home. As a guide, you’ll need to consider things like:
  • The size of the home
  • How many bedrooms and bathrooms you need
  • Whether you need separate living spaces
  • Luxury features like butler’s pantries and theatre rooms
  • The number and size of additional living rooms
  • Garage and workshop spaces
  • Outdoor living areas
  • Utility spaces such as cupboards and laundries
  • How your family’s needs will grow and change over time

4. Choose a Design Aesthetic

This is your chance to create a home that really speaks to your design tastes. Homes come in hundreds of different styles - all you have to do is narrow down what you want and choose an aesthetic you love. Keep in mind that different styles can affect the layout of your home. If you need help sorting out how your favourite styles look in real life, don’t be afraid to check online and see what others have done with their properties.

5. Collect some Inspiration

By now you’ve probably figured out that designing a custom home is no simple task. There are hundreds of things to consider, and it’s not always easy to translate your ideas into an effective design. The good news is that it’s easy to collect inspiration from professional builders! Most custom home builders have examples of their work online. Check out some builders you like and borrow ideas from the designs and floorplans on their websites. Their homes don’t have to match up with your vision perfectly, but they’re a good place to start if you’re struggling to get your own ideas onto paper.

6. Sketch Your Floorplan

It’s time to have a go at drawing some floorplans of your own! This step is optional but it’s a great way to help custom home builders Brisbane turn your vision into reality. Your floorplans don’t need to be professional quality - even a rough sketch of your main ideas will be enough for your builder to work with. Once you’ve got the broad strokes of your design in place, your builder will be able to refine the details and make adjustments to suit your lifestyle, needs and budget!