Three Key Areas Of Building A Home On A Small Block That Make A Building Designer Essential
When you're building your dream home, using the services of a professional building designer is a highly recommended idea. If your home is being built on a small block, then a building designer should be considered essential. Building on small blocks presents a unique set of challenges that relate to the limited amount of space you have available. Here are three key areas a building designer will address when helping you plan your dream home on a small block.
1. Maximising the available space
A small block doesn't mean that you have to settle for a small home. A good building designer can ensure that you have enough living space and the right number of rooms to suit your lifestyle. Options such as second floors or excavation for basement rooms are ways that your home can effectively double the amount of square metreage your home provides.
Clever building design can also capitalise on the use of light and implement open plan living and multi-function rooms to increase the feeling of space in your home. Features such as sliding partitions, bi-fold doors and hidden storage can all help to create a more streamlined and well thought out home that doesn't require an expansive floor space to feel light and airy.
2. Getting the right balance between indoor and outdoor living space
It's all too common for homes built on small blocks to end up being all house and no garden. This isn't an ideal situation, particularly if you're building a home for a family or will potentially put your home on the market at some point in the future. Most Australians value outdoor living space, and having next to none will make your home an unattractive option for many buyers.
While you won't ever achieve a massive outdoor living space on a small block, it's still very important to ensure that your desire for a big home still leaves you with a comfortable space to spend time outdoors. A building designer can help you to create a flow and continuity between your indoor and outdoor living space that maximises the space available for both.
3. Ensuring your home has adequate privacy
Building on a small block generally means that you'll be extending the construction as close to the boundaries of the property as you're legally able to. While this is a good use of a limited amount of space, it can also put your home within a few short metres of your neighbours on all sides. A good building designer can help you maintain your privacy and that of your neighbours.
Visual privacy is an important consideration, and the right design will mean that you can enjoy your home's indoor and outdoor spaces without being overlooked, or overlooking, your neighbours. Soundproofing is also important if you'd prefer not to hear your neighbour's TV, late night discussions or nightly bathroom routine, and vice versa.