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With over 48 fabulous house designs in the Fairhaven Homes range, there’s one to suit every price range, life stage and lifestyle. The only problem is… with so many great house designs available, how do you choose the perfect one for your family? Here are eight considerations to help you make the right choice.
The size of your block is a big factor in which house designs you might consider (or rule out). There are a range of designs tailored to block widths from 10m up to 16m, and block lengths from 17m to 32m. Use our home designs comparison tool to work out the best options for your block size.
Your Plan of subdivision, engineering, developers’ guidelines, or site survey will highlight any constraints that may affect the type of design you can choose. For example, your design may need to accommodate Guidelines, building envelopes, existing structures (such as sheds), trees, boundary fences or walls, and adjoining buildings, which may impact which designs you can consider.
The ‘aspect’ of your block (the direction it faces) can greatly influence the design you choose. Matching your design to your aspect can enhance your enjoyment of the home and boost its future value.
North or north-east facing properties naturally maximise the available sunlight; but with the right design, you can make the most of any aspect.
To make the most of available light, choose a design that faces your main living spaces (lounge, dining room, kitchen, and backyard) towards the north. Also consider adding more windows or extending existing ones on the north side. If you can’t avoid facing south, think about installing north-oriented skylights and choosing light-coloured wall paint and light-enhancing carpet to keep things bright.
Pictured is the Tathra 350 at Minta Estate
The location of your block can also guide your choice of house design. If you’re in a warmer climate, you may choose a design that will minimise heat during the warmer months – for example, with fewer north-facing windows. You’ll also be inclined to prioritise a large outdoor living area to maximise your enjoyment of the warmer weather.
Pictured is the Ballina 250 at Waterford Rise Estate
If you’re in the cooler southern areas, then maximising warmth during winter will be an important factor. You might also want to cover outside entertaining areas to prolong their use throughout the year. You might also aim to ‘bring the outside indoors’ by positioning internal living spaces next to outdoor areas and using windows to give the feeling of being outdoors.
One of the many benefits of building your dream home is the ability to create your dream lifestyle!
Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing or doing a knock-down rebuild, your reasons for building will often dictate the type of design you choose – but so will a host of other factors. Consider your current situation, but also aim to accommodate your future lifestyle needs (such as when the kids leave home).
Pictured is the Shoreham 425 at Minta Estate
Entertainers (or lovers of the outdoors) will prioritise outdoor entertaining areas. Movie buffs might consider a theatre room a must-have. Downsizers might no longer need bedrooms for all the kids, but may still want spare bedrooms for visits and big family gatherings. And having the flexibility of a dedicated office space can boost work productivity as well as your home’s resale value.
Whether you have kids, are planning them, or have more on the way, there are many family-related considerations that will influence your home design choice.
Apart from bedrooms, there are living space options to consider. Do you want a dedicated rumpus room for the kids? Will you opt for ‘parents’ and ‘kids’ zones, with kids bedrooms and play areas kept separate from grown-up areas? Do younger kids mean you prefer an open plan living arrangement so you can keep an eye on them? Do your older kids need more privacy? Whatever your needs, there’s a design option to suit you.
The dramatic shift in work-from-home opportunities means it’s no longer an option to permanently work from the kitchen table or a spare room – these days, many home owners (as well as renters and potential future buyers) are demanding a dedicated office space that is separated from bedrooms and noisy living areas.
Pictured is the Lonsdale 409 at Canopy Estate
Of course, a key consideration will be how much you can afford to spend on your new home. Your budget needs to be balanced against your lifestyle and family must-haves. As a guide, double storey designs start at $239,900* while single storey designs start at $154,900* The more features you add, the higher the price – so you’ll need to marry how you want to live with what you can afford.
Pictured is the Shoal 265 at Waterford Rise Estate
Find the perfect design for your dream home
Our expert Fairhaven Homes consultants are standing by to help you choose the perfect design to fit your current and future needs, and your budget. We’ve helped hundreds of families (or families-to-be) just like yours evaluate the many considerations and make the right design choice. We’d love to help you too.
You can also start the evaluation process yourself. Use our handy home design comparison tool to find the perfect design for your block size, budget and lifestyle needs.
*Double Storey base price based on the Villa 211 & single storey base price based on the City 130. Prices quoted are GST inclusive.
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