Home renovations and rebuilds present remarkable opportunities to turn your living space into your dream space. Most of us can look at our current homes and see areas we would like to improve, and the reno or rebuild is your chance to do that.
Though there are plenty of ways to help minimise costs, it’s still a big financial investment, so it pays (literally) to get it right. The importance of proper planning and design in home renovations and rebuilds cannot be overstated. So, join us, as we explore the design mistakes to avoid to save you money and build the house you’ve always wanted.
1. Poor Space Planning
Space! Couldn’t we all use a bit more space in our lives? Wasted space is a wasted opportunity. Poor wall placement or unusable corners or alcoves can look out of place and prevent you from making the most of your interior. So too can not optimising the way you use the space available to you. Here are a few ways to make the most of your space.
Fit storage wherever you can to avoid clutter. This is especially true for kitchens and bedrooms. Consider opening up living and leisure spaces. Open-plan living can help bring the family together and create a sense of connection and shared living too. Move entertainment space outdoors, if possible, to really open up your usable space.
Don’t overestimate the value of vertical space either. High ceilings can make rooms feel more spacious and airy, especially if combined with the right lighting.
2. Ignoring Lighting Design
Lighting is everything in the home. Poor lighting can make spaces feel dark and uninviting, while warm lighting makes a room feel cosy. If you are working from a display home build, visit the site and get a feel for where additional lighting could help improve the interior feel.
Remember, we don’t want it too dark, but we also don’t want it too bright.
Use clerestory windows or skylights to increase the availability of natural light while maintaining your privacy. The added ventilation of an open glass door can also freshen up a room, while glass insets can provide convenient natural light in hallways or other dark places.
3. Choosing Trendy Over Timeless Designs
Trends come and go all the time, but timeless is forever. Short-lived trends may look great now, but what about next year and the year after that? The risks of choosing trends over timeless designs can hit your wallet twofold.
First, you may find that you grow tired of the trend that looked amazing yesteryear. Second, when it comes time to sell, trendy designers may make finding a buyer harder. Additionally, you may have to drop the asking price as the buyer may be setting aside extra funds for their own redesign.
Durable, timeless design choices are always the way to go to maintain long-term appeal. Avoid overcomplicating the design by choosing natural tones, classic furniture and fittings, and consider antiques and pieces that display natural, organic materials.
4. Overlooking Storage Needs
However much storage you think you need, add more. Storage has a funny way of filling up quicker than you think it will, so making sure you have enough for the years ahead is crucial.
Adequate storage means your surfaces don’t get cluttered, your corners aren’t filled up, and your kitchenware and linens are organised. Again, don’t be afraid to take advantage of vertical space with additional shelves. Consider walk-in wardrobes for bedrooms, display shelving in alcoves, or hanging hooks for your pots and pans.
5. Skipping Proper Ventilation
A well-ventilated home is a healthy home. Fresh air helps stop dust settling, reduce moisture, and prevent the presence of bacteria or fungi growing indoors.
Ventilation also feels good, reducing musty smells, stubborn cooking smells, and scents from cleaning products.
Increase your home’s ventilation by adding louvres to windows to help direct airflow, put screens on windows so that you can keep them open longer (without pesky bugs), and ensure your design has paths where the air can flow from one part of the house to another, rather than just circulating in one room or area.
Good ventilation can also reduce your energy bills (lessening your fan or air-conditioning use) and can be part of a climate-friendly building strategy.
6. Neglecting Outdoor Spaces
Here in Australia, we’re blessed with some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the world. So, why not take advantage of them?
Outdoor areas can provide entertaining or living space with fantastic natural light and great ventilation. The outdoors is no longer just the outdoors—it’s another room of the house. Even a small space can be turned into an effective entertainment area.
Use glass doors and large windows to help connect the outdoor and indoor spaces, especially as people come and go between them. Don’t neglect your landscaping either, as a few well-placed plants and a water feature can turn an empty patch of grass into a place of calm and relaxation.
7. Underestimating the Budget
Underestimating your build or renovation budget can be a dream-killer. Go through your initial budget carefully with your builder, then add a healthy financial pad on top of that to guard against unexpected costs.
Unfortunately, it is a factor of building that prices increase, unforeseen things happen, suppliers change, and what we were prepared to pay at the beginning is different to the final cost.
But don’t let that dampen your excitement. Be prepared for it, and you won’t have to forgo the dream design elements that you picked out. Financial preparation is one of the main pillars of a successful building project.
8. Not Future Proofing
Energy efficiency is the name of the modern building game. Particularly for those building in hot or cold climates, optimising your home design so that it is comfortable year-round can save you a fortune on energy costs. Ensure you get the right insulation for your local climate needs, consider double-glazed windows for noise reduction and temperature control, and cut down on water use with a rainwater tank.
These features are not only good for your wallet, but the sustainability aspects make them very attractive to potential buyers in the years ahead.
9. Underestimating Timelines and Schedules
A building timeline can be a nebulous thing as suppliers change, new contractors need to be scheduled, and the weather causes unexpected delays. To get the job done and avoid stress, find yourself a good building site manager who can take the pressure off.
Organising a job site can be (and often is) a full-time job in itself, so to get the best outcome, outsource site management to a local expert.
The timeline and size of the job will also impact your living situation. Depending on the scale of your job, you could be looking at a few weeks for a minor renovation to 6–12 months for a full house rebuild. Not to mention the additional time spent if you require a knockdown of the old house before you rebuild. Small renovations can often be done while you’re living there, but for larger builds, you will have to have somewhere to relocate for the build’s duration.
10. Skipping Professional Consultation or Help
You might be set on your style and aesthetics, but there’s far more than the appearance of the house to consider in a rebuild or renovation. Between permits, zoning, safety laws, the dangers of electrical and plumbing work, ensuring the quality of fittings, the durability of fixtures, and the longevity of finishes, it’s more than often best (and safest) to talk to an accredited contractor.
A professional can make a huge difference to your home build budget, timeline, and final result. They can provide advice on functionality and layout, accessibility in, out and through the house, have experience with project management, likely construction issues, and how to optimise the building process when plans change.
Ready to Rebuild? Get in touch today
Feeling ready to rebuild in Newcastle? Ready to ditch the trends and go for timeless, maximise your space, future-proof your design and get the most out of natural light and airflow? Then, call the builders who know the local area inside and out. It’s always best to seek expert advice or services for your renovation or rebuild.
Avoid common design pitfalls and start your journey with a trusted builder. Explore our wide range of thoughtfully crafted home designs to find the perfect fit for your lifestyle.