The Task Ahead
While there are certainly many homes for sale in today’s market that could readily accommodate you and your family, we believe that there is absolutely no property that can compare to the one you design and build yourself.
Being in the industry for close to a decade, HEADROOM has a wealth of experience in the design and construction process. So as we seek to make building your first home an enjoyable and pleasant experience, here is some information you might want to consider before taking that big leap ahead.
“Building a home is one of the biggest financial investments you’ll ever make, so building your first home can be both an exciting and daunting journey. “
Consideration #1
Budget
There are many factors to consider when building your first home. The first one is your budget. Having a clear idea of what you want to spend on your home makes it easier to define plans, specify inclusions and allow for additional extras if you wish. Having a clearly defined budget will make it easier for the Architect to fit BOTH your budget and your expectations into the design of your house.
Consideration #2
The Land
When you purchased, or planning to purchase your block, be aware of the following:
- Soil-type
- Slope of the lot (Contours)
- Easements and adjacent roads
- Lot Orientation and Size
- Design guidelines from Developer (for subdivision and condominiums)
Any one of these can affect the budget and design of your property. For example, a weak soil type and a sloping lot will cost much more due to the required foundations and retaining walls.
Consideration #3
The size of your home
Before you hire an architect, it is more practical, if you have already defined what spaces you want to include in your house, ie. the number of bedrooms, kitchen size, number toilets, car parking etc. But based on our experience, this becomes a stumbling block when the size of your lot limits the size of your dream home, which brings you to the next consideration.
Consideration #4
Your lifestyle
Regrets surface months after you’ve moved in. Why? Because quite often, we fall in love with a floor plan, that isn’t practical for the way we actually live. Most of the time, Filipinos pattern their new home in the Western lifestyle, without being honest about how they really live their everyday life. The result, for example, are huge unused granite countertops and bar/nook areas.
Do you entertain often and host overnight guests regularly? Do your relatives frequent your house? Do you want to work-out at home or at the gym? Do you really need a second kitchen? Do you do your laundry yourself? These are some of the questions you might want to ask yourself before approaching an architect.
Most of all, you best know your family and your family’s lifestyle and needs. Professionals like us can make suggestions but we cannot tell you what you do and don’t need. You and only you know what is best for you and your family. So take time to consider and balance your wants and needs in your spaces, you’ll be living in it.
Consideration #5
Your future plans
You should also ask yourself about your future, where does this house fit in my long term plans? Will my family be expanding? Will my children leave the nest? Will this just be a half-way house in the city? A vacation house? Willing I be looking to make a profit in selling this house? These questions are very important because they will dictate the whole tone of the planning and preparation.
Consideration #6
Invest upfront
Hiring a design team of Architects and Engineers is an investment that will pay off in the long run. Aside from providing signed plans & documents for building permit purposes, an architect will provide you with proper space planning, interior layout, and architectural design; building safety; and will help you avoid the usual pitfalls of under-utilized spaces, utility problems, poorly lit rooms, lack of storage areas, etc. You will have professionals who can take your ideas, suggest meaningful changes, and turn your dream home into a reality.
The team for building your dream
When you make the decision to build, you decide upon every detail, creating a home that authentically reflects your unique tastes, your lifestyle, and your personal values.
HEADROOM is one with you in this dream, and we hope that with this information, we have been of help in your task ahead.
