Looking to own a home minus the hefty price tag?
This article introduces one of your best options – a narrow block home. This type of property can be as small as 10 metres in width and, in major cities in Australia, they are fast becoming a trend.
These ‘skinny’ blocks are often the result of small parcels of land and the subdivisions of an existing lot created by developers and adjustments to planning rules. In the new suburbs in Sydney, only around 20 percent of blocks will measure over 12.5 metres. The rest are reduced to make the house and lot more affordable to potential buyers.
The Advantages of Narrow Block Houses
Affordability is the biggest advantage of narrow blocks. Often, high prices and costs are the most common obstacles in achieving the Australian dream of owning a house. It only makes sense that the smaller the lot, the smaller the amount you have to pay.
Alternatively, if you have a generous budget, you can opt to buy a narrow block to free up funds for other expenses and luxuries. Aside from getting more value out of your property, other benefits of getting a narrow block include:
Image: Pinterest
Easy access to the city
Most narrow blocks are located in urban areas. Thus, an inner city lifestyle can be yours by opting for a smaller lot when large blocks are hard to come by. This is ideal if your career opportunities are in major cities, and if you are looking for a home that has quick access to many businesses, services, recreational facilities, and amenities.
Eco-friendly
Narrow lot homes don’t have large, grassy yards. Instead, they have balconies, porches, patios, and other alfresco areas (more on that later). Also, they tend to use natural light to make small rooms appear bigger. This means that narrow block homes have the potential to be environmentally friendly as you spend less water (for gardening) and consumes less energy to heat and cool a home.
Interesting, space-maximising designs
Don’t be fooled by the cute sizes; just because they’re slimmer than most, it doesn’t mean they have to be cramped. Due to the limited width, building houses on narrow blocks requires ingenious designs that can make the best out of the available square metres. To make your narrow lot home appear more spacious, home builders often incorporate these elements into the house plan:
- Raised ceilings
Ceilings that measure 2.7 metres or higher can make small rooms appear bigger due to the resulting vertical space. If you are planning to build a two storey house, voids can lend your home an amazing, airy feel. - Indoor to outdoor living space
The absence of walls between your living and dining room allow more sunlight to enter your house, giving it a bright and spacious look. Open plans are perfect for narrow block designs because they don’t only give you extra room for your and your family’s entertainment and social gatherings; they also provide a stylish, alfresco living space – more so if you love the outdoors and are planning to have some plants. - Floor to ceiling windows and skylights
Natural light gives the illusion of space. By adding skylights, and windows that stretch from floor to ceilings, rooms can instantly become brighter and larger during the daytime, especially when they’re placed on the side of your home that faces north. Should privacy be a concern, you can always get translucent curtains or draperies. - Elimination of Dead Space
Optimising every inch of space means no dead space. Hallways, for example, are avoided when it comes to a narrow lot home. Creating bookshelves under the stairs, on the other hand, is a good idea. It’s all about making effective use of available space.
There are many other design elements that you can use on a narrow block home. With the right builder and construction team, you can achieve the look you want for your house without compromising space.
If narrow blocks appeal to you, iBuildNew can help you select a suitable builder and design to create the best house plan for your needs and preferences. Contact us on 1800 184 284 today for more information. Our phone consultants will be more than happy to answer all your queries about narrow blocks and to point you in the right direction.
Let us do the legwork for you.
- We’ll ask the right questions to better understand your needs
- We’ll create a recommended shortlist ideally matched to you
- We’ll answer specific questions or concerns related to home building, land purchasing or financing
1800 184 284
