Deciding which floor plan is right for you and your family is a big decision that will affect the day to day running of your life. Getting this vital part of the new home building process right is more important than you might think. With so many options with different numbers of bedrooms, bathrooms and living spaces, there is plenty to consider and compare.
To make the amount of choice helpful and not a hindrance, alongside our friends from ABC Homes, we have compiled some helpful tips to help pick the perfect floor plan for you.
1. Utilise Builders Tools When Comparing Your Floor Plan:
If you haven’t yet had a look at the Home Creator tool developed by Australian Building Company, then you are missing out. This fantastic feature on the ABC Homes website allows you to browse house designs available in your location. Comparing floor plans side by side is a great way to start thinking about which one will best fit your lifestyle.
After you have chosen your favourite floor plan you can even choose your façade, internal and exterior colours and flooring options. This allows your dream home to really come alive! Check out the ABC Homes Home Creator Tool now.
2. Choose Your House Size:
There are both pros and cons depending on whether you choose to build a large home or a smaller home. If you have limitations due to the size of the land you may want to consider a double storey home to utilise the land you have and maximise your living space. However, many single storey homes do a great job of making the most of the space also, with open floor plans and smart ideas like study nooks or versatile rooms.
3. Consider Your Block:
It is pivotal that you keep the size, shape and slope of your block in mind when looking at floor plans and house designs. Many builders have options that can fit tricky blocks, such as narrow or smaller blocks. If you have a sloping block (generally of more than 2 metres) you may have to look at a custom builder or a split-level floor plan. Purchasing a narrow block can save you thousands of dollars in the land, and ABC Homes have some fantastic narrow block house designs to compare such as the Bondi Design
4. Don’t Forget Estate Restrictions:
There are generally some restrictions that may dictate your floor plan or house design choice if you have purchased land in a land estate. A typical covenant or restriction that developers will apply is a percentage of the land the house has to occupy, or how far set back from the nature strip the front of the house must be. Speak to your building sales consultant about what your land estate requirements are.
5. Consider Your Lifestyle:
This is a decision that will affect your life in the long term, therefore choosing a floor plan that suits your lifestyle now as well as into the future is vital when you are comparing your options. If you are planning to have a large family, or enjoy having people visit for the weekend, then extra bedrooms might be important for you. Consider yourself an outdoors person? Maybe you should be looking at floor plans that include an alfresco area or an open planned living, kitchen and dining room that open up to the great outdoors. Making a list of lifestyle wants and needs may help you simplify this process.
6. Check out Virtual Tours:
With builders utilising ever developing technology there are opportunities for you to explore house designs and floor plans from the comfort of your own home with virtual tours. Walk through the house and even change the colours and finishes from room to room. This will help you visualise what a floor plan will really look like as you walk through it.
7. Visit a Display:
If you would rather see your future home in real life, heading to a display home is a great idea. This will allow you to walk through the floor plan and see how the space works. If something feels as though it won’t work for your family or lifestyle, make sure you document it, so that you can gear your search to find floor plans that address the issue. ABC Homes have a number of display homes available which you can see here.
8. Consider Existing Furniture:
After building a new home you may not have the funds to immediately head out and buy all new furniture, or you may plan on making the most of what you already have and are comfortable with. Considering the size and shape of each room and whether your existing furniture will fit could save you a lot of money down the track.
Whatever your floor plan needs are, iBuildNew can help match you with a builder that will help meet them. Speak to one of our phone consultants today to discuss your new home building needs. Call us on 1800 184 284 or book a call online.
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
Zoe Langenberg
Zoe is passionate about coffee and interior design. You can find her most weekends exploring an art gallery or devouring a good book.
1800 184 284
