Building and Renovating in 2024
In 2024, the journey of building or renovating a home presents new challenges and opportunities. One thing remains constant: preparation is crucial for a successful project.
Are you on the cusp of your next project? Been thinking about embarking on a build or a renovation in 2024? Good for you! We’re excited for you!
So what do you need to know about building or renovating in 2024? One thing’s for sure, the construction landscape is very different to what it used to be just a couple of short years ago, so being prepared and organised is a wise move.
Here are our tips to prepare for your construction project, ensuring you are well-informed, on track, and within budget, whether you are building a new home or renovating your existing one.
BEFORE : The Gable House New Build
AFTER : The Gable House New Build
1. Be Budget Ready
Before you even call a builder, it's essential to create a comprehensive budget. Your budget should not only cover construction costs but also account for design, planning permits, third party consultant fees such as surveyors, landscaping, rental costs, moving expenses and any unexpected costs that may arise.
It's vital to be realistic and flexible with your budget. Consider consulting with a financial advisor or chatting to your mortgage provider to ensure your budget aligns with your financial capabilities and the scope of your project.
2. Determine Your Style
We suggest thinking about the style and aesthetics you want for your home very early on in your project. This includes shortlisting exterior materials, colour schemes and roof colours. Often these elements must be provided with the development application, so considering the look and feel of your home early on will help you be prepared for those decisions when they come.
Likewise, the type of interiors and the features throughout the home and the atmosphere you want to create within it are an important early consideration.
In 2024, sustainable and eco-friendly design is going to be more popular than ever. Take time to research design trends you're drawn to and consider how you can incorporate them into your project. Finding inspiration from magazines, websites, and social media can help you articulate your vision. Your Interior Designer will be invaluable in this process too.
3. Formulate Your Floor Plan Wishlist
Your floor plan is the blueprint of your project, so take time to really think about what you need your home to achieve functionally, how you want it to flow from front to back. Consider your family's needs, lifestyle, and any future considerations. Think about room sizes, placement, and functionality. If you're renovating, this step may involve reconfiguring existing spaces to better suit your requirements. Collaborating with your Interior Designer will help you create a functional layout that optimises the home’s dimensions and orientation.
4. Assess the Site
Before you go full throttle down a path towards a certain design and concept, understanding your property, the site and its limitations is vital for a smooth construction process.
Check in with your local council and look for easements on your land, height restrictions, and any local building codes that may apply to your project. If you haven’t already, engage a land surveyor to conduct a survey on your block (you will need this before your design commences), or book a meeting with your local zoning department to discuss your vision and its compliance.
BEFORE : Gloucester St Renovation
AFTER : Gloucester St Renovation
5. Revisit the Budget Again!
Site limitations and changes in the floor plan can significantly impact your costs, and it’s often when we think about the floor plan that we realise that if we’re going to do this, we should do it right! The scope can often grow quite quickly before too long as our wish list expands!
Ensure your budget reflects any adjustments or additions made during the floor planning phase. It's essential to stay within your financial boundaries to avoid surprises later on, so regular sanity checks are really useful. A quantity surveyor can help you assess costs with a per square metre estimate, or if you have a builder in mind, asking them to discuss your plans early on is a great idea.
6. Determine Required Approvals
In Australia, different regions and municipalities have varying requirements for building permits and approvals. Research the necessary permits and approvals specific to your location and project.
Some projects may require development applications, environmental impact assessments, or heritage considerations. Your home may be in a bushfire or flooding zone, and may have development restrictions that apply. Understanding these early means that the design of your project can work within the planning framework that applies to your address.
7. Form your team
We’ve listed this as the last point, but really it should probably be the first. If you haven’t already, begin conversations with interior designers, architects or drafting professionals and builders. Forming your team and collaborating with experts who you trust and resonate with, is crucial to your projects success. So much so, we wrote a blog about the importance of forming your team.
The right combination of experts is going to deliver valuable insights and help you navigate the complexities of the construction process, particularly in the ever-evolving landscape of building and renovating in 2024.
Need help?
If a project is on the horizon for you in 2024, get in touch with us now as our schedule can fill quickly! We’d love to help you get organised so book in for a free 15 minute consultation now.