7 top tips for designing a home to meet your budget

It’s the great Australian dream – building your own home on your very own slice of land. And of course, building a home that’s been designed especially to suit your family is a big part of that dream. But if you thought that designing the ideal home for your lifestyle is something you can’t afford, think again! With a little planning and research – and some help from GW Homes – you’ll find that either building your own custom home or modifying a home design really can be affordable and enjoyable. We asked the GW Homes design team to share some simple, practical ways for designing a home that not only fulfils your dreams, but also meets your budget.

1. Know and understand your home building budget

It might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people try designing a home without a clear understanding of their budget for the project. GW Homes’ Principal Design Consultant Jody Armstrong says, “Having a solid understanding of your finances and your budget, before we start your home design, means we can help you meet that budget.” The very first step in designing a home that meets your budget is to do your sums, talk to your financial institution, and find out how much you can comfortably afford to borrow. With this information, GW Homes can help you build an affordable home.

How do you choose the right block of land for your new home? Find out how here.

2. Whether your home building budget’s big or small, we have a solution

You might think that a customised home design is something just for Mr Packer or Mr Clooney to enjoy. But that’s not the case! Whether you have $200K or $800K to spend on building your ideal home, GW Homes have the know-how and experience to meet your budget. The beauty of customised home designs is their endless flexibility. GW Homes can build a house from the ground up, to suit your family and your budget. Or, if you’re looking for a more cost-conscious solution, we can customise one of our existing house designs to better suit your needs.

3. Think about how you want to live in your new home

Every Aussie family is different – from the way you live day-to-day, to the number of kids you have (or not!), your weekend priorities, hobbies, and interests. So it’s important that the way you live (and want to live) should be reflected in your new home design. Whatever your priorities are, with GW Homes you can design a home that’s perfect for your needs. Want walk-in pantries? Need a home study? Desperate for a parents’ retreat? With clever house design and a bit of “give and take” to fit in with your budget, we can incorporate these sorts of features into your customised home design to give you a more efficient design.

4. Plan your new home’s exterior & streetscape

The outside of your home says a lot about you. After all, it’s the first thing people see when they arrive – and before they even enter your house, they’re getting a feel for what to expect from the rest of your home design. That’s why your new house’s exterior look should be pivotal to designing your home. Think about the message your home’s exterior is sending – will it be a warm welcome? A display of class and sophistication? A quirky communication? Of course, all these different types of building façades have different costs, which should be taken into account at the design stage to make sure you don’t blow your budget.

5. Do your research and see what home designs you like

One of the most important stages in designing your ideal home is getting a feel for your options. So it’s a great idea to start by looking around for examples of your “must haves” and your “no ways”. “The more we know about what you like and what you dislike, the closer we can get to what you’re looking for,” says Jody. “Bring us in your photos of home designs, interior fittings, exterior facades, kitchens, bathrooms – it all helps.” You’ll find many home design inspiration sites online, such as our favourite, houzz.com.au. It can even be a lot of fun to put together a “Style File” of features that you love and... don’t love so much.

6. Uncover all your block of land’s secrets

It’s a fundamental part of your home design – the actual block of land your house will sit on! So even before you buy a block of land, it’s important to make sure you fully understand your site to make sure it’s suitable for the type of house you want. For example, if it’s a sloping site, will you need retaining walls? Are there any drainage issues? Could a clever home design help you make the most of any available view? Are there council manholes or drains on the block to consider? A great way to discover all the “good, bad, and ugly” features of your block is with a free site inspection. GW Homes will be more than happy to visit your home site, walk the block with you, and help you really get an understanding of the design challenges. Find out more about our complimentary site inspections here.

7. You don’t have to design your home from scratch

Designing a home that's perfect for your needs doesn’t necessarily have to mean starting from scratch. Unlike some project home builders, at GW Homes we’re very flexible – so you’re welcome to customise one of our existing house designs. Jody Armstrong says, “If something’s not quite the way you want it, it’s no problem for us to change our house designs to suit you.” For example, if you’ve bought a block of land that’s slightly too small for an “off-the-shelf” home design, we can customise a design so that it works with your block. Whether you’d like a small design change or a large one, the GW Homes team will work with you to make sure your home design is just how you want it. To find out how the GW Homes design team can help you create your dream home within your budget, call 3393 1399 or fill out the contact form here.