You will spend more of your life at home than anywhere else. In your bedroom alone, you will spend one-third of your life. Because of how important your home is, not only as a place for you to unwind, but a symbol of your existence, it needs to be perfect.
Your home reflects who you are–your tastes, habits, and hobbies.
Transforming your property into the perfect home means combining all your passions with functionality. This post explains how you can do that, and offers insight into planning and designing the perfect space for relaxation and reflection.Hire an Architect
If you are able to, why not build your dream home from the ground up? Building a house from scratch can be stressful, but rewarding. You will need to partner with a team of professional residential architects to help you to effectively plan your project. You will also need a construction company or builder’s support.
Work Out Your Plans
What specifically do you want done to your home? If you are just going to undertake renovations, you need to have a clear idea of what you want done in mind. Failing to effectively plan can lead to you making changes to your home that either don’t conform to your ideals of perfection, or bring its value down.
Come Up with a Budget
In order to plan and design the perfect home, you are going to need to budget. How much can you realistically afford to spend on renovations or redesign work? Effectively budgeting isn’t something the average person is very good at, but you can always use free online budgeting apps.
These apps calculate your incomings, outgoings, and disposable income.Choose the Right Location
If you are building your home from scratch, you need to choose the perfect location. There are likely many different places you want to build a house, but some of them might not be practical. Get in touch with a realtor if you need statistics for specific areas, and always contact a surveyor before you buy land, so you can be sure it is going to be suitable for your project. Surveyors are affordable, supportive, and highly knowledgeable.
Select an Architectural Style
There are many different architectural styles for you to choose from, from Japanese-inspired bungalows to European townhouses. The most important thing to consider when choosing an architectural style is availability of materials and budget. If you live in an area with a lot of cheap timber, an architectural style that makes use of wood is probably your best option.
Plan the Layout Efficiently
Efficiency of design is always important. The last thing you want is to plan a house with an inefficient layout that consumes too much energy and doesn’t deliver comfort. In truth, unless you are an architect, you shouldn’t be planning your home’s layout anyway—a professional should. A professional architect can effectively design your home for you and make sure it meets all of your needs.
Think About Home Security
Home security is another important consideration. The last thing you want is for your home to be vulnerable to theft. A good way to secure your home is to build a fence or gate around it, and invest in a smart home security system. Building a perimeter fence or gate will also give you a lot more privacy.
Ask Your Loved Ones for Advice
Ask your loved ones for advice, if you think it’s necessary to. Sometimes your loved ones can give you insights into home development and redesign that you might not be able to find anywhere else, especially since they probably know you better than anyone else.
Think About Other People’s Needs
If you have dependents or family members that live with you, think about their needs, too. If you have children, for example, you might want to consider buying an outdoor play area. You also need to make sure that their rooms suit their lifestyles, needs, and hobbies.
Save Money for Furniture
When you are renovating, redesigning, or even building a house, you need to save money for furniture. The last thing you want to do is spend all of your money on renovations or building, and have nothing left to decorate. You can always buy used furniture if your budget does not extend to brand new furniture.
Prioritize Energy Efficiency
If you are building a house, prioritize energy efficiency. The cost of energy is higher than it has ever been. By building a fully efficient home, you will save yourself a small fortune each year. The easiest way to ensure energy efficiency is to fully insulate your home using natural materials, and install solar panels. Solar panels are widely available and great for long-term savings.
Consider Waste Cleanup
After you have finished building or renovating a house, there will be a lot of waste lying around. It’s important that you properly clean all of it up, otherwise it could pose a threat to you and your loved ones. A professional waste management company will be able to clear it away for you.
Obtain Planning Permission
Obtain planning permission if you want to undertake major renovations. You cannot legally build or modify a house if you do not have the permission of your local planning office. Undertaking construction projects without a permit can lead to them ordering you to tear down all of the work you have done and pay fines.
Understand the Process
Educate yourself about what the home renovation process entails, so you are prepared for all of the various hurdles you are going to encounter. Make sure you have emergency funds lying around, too. Projects of this nature very rarely stay within budget–you need some extra cash to pay unexpected costs.
Have Some Patience
Remember that building a house or renovating one can take some time. You need to have patience. The more patient you are, the easier the process will be for you to navigate. Most people are not patient, however, which means that they end up getting stressed out. Be sure to have alternative accommodation arranged, so you have somewhere to live while your old home is being renovated, or your new one built.
Planning and designing your dream home can be very stressful, but also rewarding, as stated above. If you do not effectively plan your project, however, things are bound to go wrong. Make sure you use the guidance given above to plan every single stage of your project. Ensure you enlist professional support, and prioritize working with contractors that have good reviews and lots of experience.