1. Your Site
This will have one of the biggest impacts on the design of your home. Understanding a site’s location, orientation and topography are fundamental to a successful design. Gathering as much detail as possible is essential. Information on the sun’s path, location of any trees and the direction of views will help shape the internal layout and general window positions; maximising the enjoyment of your new home. Positioning your house correctly on the site will not only allow natural light to flood in, but will also increase the amount of heat generated via solar gain, reducing your heating bills. It is also important to find out about access to the site, location of nearby utilities and existing ground conditions as these will all have a large impact on the initial site costs and overall budget.
2. The Size of Your Living Space
Deciding on a list of rooms is a great place to start, but trying to work out what size you need is more difficult. With open-plan living and clever design, you can actually fit plentiful accommodation into minimal space. Base your ideas on what you currently have by measuring your existing rooms and then deciding how much bigger you would like to go.
3. Your Budget
Before approaching an architect, it’s always good to speak to a mortgage/financial advisor to work out your budget. Site costs, services, laneways and fees all have to be considered and subtracted from the final amount for the actual build. Speaking to a local estate agent for a valuation is also a wise move. Although you may plan to live in the house for many years, financially, it is not advisable to spend more than its actual value.
4. Collate Your Ideas
Although your architect will pick different designs and options for your project, it is good to have an idea of the style of home you would like to live in. Creating a digital scrapbook or mood board of houses or interiors you love, is a fantastic place to start and will help illustrate your ideas and tastes to the designer. There are many online websites that can give you inspiration for different areas of your home, materials and decor. This will greatly aid your architect in speeding up the initial design process.
5. Consider Your Timeline
If one of your main priorities is working to a deadline it is definitely something your architect needs to know. Complex or unusual design features not only add time and money to your build, but may also make your design more difficult to get approved by local planning authorities, making it a longer process. Having a realistic timeline with a set contingency will see you through a comfortable build.
