Most people building or planning to build a luxury home Perth are looking for the latest trends and modern designs. Whether that is in colours, type of furniture, technology, or even building materials, there are always trends. Building your home with a company like Great Living homes allows you the access to modern ideas and also the ability to adjust your design to suit your design needs. So what are some of the design trends showing up this year for new homes? We have put together a small list below.

Green Is a Go
Green is a go both in the flora sense and also the environmental sense. Firstly flora, it is no secret that if you walk into a café or a funky restaurant you will see nice artificial plants that make the room seem both comforting and natural. Greenery or even the colour green adds depth and warmth to your home. We recommend jumping on the artificial plant bandwagon and making your house that little bit more fresh. Going green also refers to the popular trend of making your home more sustainable and environmentally friendly. This can be done through the use of solar panels, rainwater tanks and even steel framing. Go green for your new home.

Creating space where technology cannot go
Technology has gotten fast and invasive very quickly. Its advancement has caused many people to look for places where they can be tech free. In your new home why not create one of those spaces; it’s called broken plan spaces. You can custom design your house with cosy little offset rooms that can be made into tech free nooks. You can use these rooms for reading, doing a hobby or just socialising. Adding features like a hammock or day bed can also help within these spaces.

Embracing New home technology
On the flip side to the above trend is the trend to make your home a lot more tech savvy. Making the most of the technologies that are available is something that can create an ease to your home environment. In recent years technology has advanced to allow a streamlined and functional operation within your home, it’s referred to as a smart home. Basically allowing you to control almost everything from your mobile or tablet device. There are many luxury home builders Perth who can help you with new home technology.

Flexible Rooms
Flexibility and versatility is a great feature popping up in homes today. With a growing amount of smaller houses being built on narrow lots there is more of a need for rooms that can serve two purposes. These dual rooms for example could have a fold out sofa in them, a television and a desk, therefore creating a bedroom if necessary but otherwise a nice little entertainment room. Dual rooms are a definite trend for anyone building a smaller home, or just looking to maximise space.

When mentioning building an underground home many people do not like the idea but this is not a new idea. In times past settlers live in underground homes called soddys but today’s underground homes are much more modern. Once you look at the pros and cons, you may find yourself changing your mind and considering custom built homes underground. There are several types of underground homes, which include:

• Artificial dugouts/cave houses-these are built by drilling a cavity into the earth
• Culver -these are made of concrete pipes, which are prefabricated, before they are placed into an excavated pit.
• Earth berm-this underground home are covered from three sides by earth being placed on them
• Elevational-this type is built on the side of a hill.

Pros of custom built homes underground

• An underground home has the potential to tap into the Earth’s cooling and heating power so you do not need artificial cooling or heating techniques.
• Gives you a safe refuge from extreme weather conditions like tornados, hailstorms, or hurricanes
• The home has a nice quite living space with privacy due to the natural soundproofing from the Earth that surrounds it.
• Soil is a natural insulator so it will be cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
• The energy costs can be reduced because of the constant temperature of the home. It can cost 80-95% less to cool and heat.
• They are environmentally friendly
• It gives you a feeling of being close to nature.
• Very fireproof since 90% is made from concrete
• Well protected from earthquakes
• Construction is faster and the costs to built it are reduce since you do not have to lay a foundation
• Easier to get insurance at a cheaper rate
• Requires little to no exterior maintenance
• The custom built homes underground are built from strong materials like concrete making them durable and strong.
• Due to fewer openings into the home it offers less opportunities for insects to enter
• Safer from thieves and robbers because there is only one side to protect

Cons of custom built homes underground

• May be a psychological adjustment when moving from an aboveground to an underground home
• Require careful planning because they are unconventional
• They cannot be built in an area that is flood-prone.
• You may have trouble selling them if you decide to relocate
• It is a challenge to fit square appliances and furniture that was designed for straight walls
• Construction requires complex ventilation procedures
• It can be a challenge to get a mortgage to have custom built homes underground constructed
• They can be quite dark inside since they are underground

Building construction can be a tedious process which could go on for months or years depending on one’s budget. Construction of a building typically starts with planning and designs by the architect through the client’s requirements then it continues to financing the project until its built and ready for use. Most clients want to build a house that would reflect their personality but within an affordable budget and yet fit their personal aesthetic requirement, this could be a difficult task to achieve without taking measures to cut costs where necessary, this is why we have assembled a few tips to get you started.

Compare Proposals and Choose Wisely

Knowledge they say is power so therefore being informed before making any decision be it materials, styles and most especially the execution is very important to choose wisely. To properly do this you should get several proposals and quotas from different contractors and subcontractors which states their requirements for labour, supervision and materials with the price attached, this will enable you compare and contrast between them and choose wisely the one that fits into your budget and also get references to be sure that whomever you choose can deliver to the standard you require and to get a well-rounded picture of the person you are working with, this will help you avoid additional expenses to correct mistakes which might be incurred as a result of poor management by the contractor.

Improvise During Construction

There are several requirements and expectations that goes into a building among which include kitchen cabinets and wardrobes, these can cost you a lot if you are building them off-site then before installing them. However you can save a lot of money by building them on site yourself, with just minimal masonry and labour you could build a more sustainable kitchen cabinets and wardrobe then finish it with marble tiles or stones which looks amazing and would last longer than the wooden one made off-site.

Adapt Sustainable Execution

Sustainability is a term which saves you money in the long run, this is to say that sometimes its better to go spend money on quality material than save money on low quality materials that would require you spending subsequently on maintenance. To consider one must avoid anything that would incur unnecessary problems in the future since it not only reduces the quality of the building it also affects your investment.

The execution of stages like plumbing and electrical fittings could generate faults afterwards if not handled properly, for example we have noticed that conduit system of installation of plumbing fittings can be hard to maintain if need arises since breaking of the walls and patching it up destroys the aesthetic value of the building as well as the structural value. To avoid this however it is best to adapt the duct system during planning so that provision can be made for the plumbing within the building where the pipes could pass through then later can be covered with aluminum louvers, that way it is neat and sustainable.

Seek Advice on Materials

Building materials today are of different types and from different companies, the market is filled with substandard products due to the fact that many companies reproduce materials made by other companies for a cheaper price but for lesser quality, so it would benefit you to make proper enquiries for professional advice on materials from contractors so they can recommend quality materials for good prices. In some cases these contractors or subcontractors can get you a better deal on bulk items such as lumber, paint and fittings since they may have a close relationship with the dealers.

Reuse Materials

In building construction materials can be salvaged and reused however possible, often materials that could be reused are wasted during stages of construction. Materials like lumber which serve several purpose in construction like formwork, scaffoldings, bracing etc can still be reused, for example planks used as formwork for floor slab could also be refused for lintels and beams thereby saving you extra cost on purchasing extra wood. The important thing to note is to be careful while removing the formwork so as not to damage them too badly.

Provide Your Own Water

A typical building construction site needs constant water for almost every activity so if you provide your own source of water without having to buy you will save a lot, you can do this by either digging a temporal well or digging a borehole. This source of water can also benefit you if you decide to mould your own masonry blocks on site, eventually it could be retained for use after the project is completed.

Security for Materials

Theft and vandalism is a common thing in construction industry so it would be wise to seek to secure your materials beforehand, most people build a temporal storage room with either a container or built with roofing material. This will be used to store your materials till you finish the project, if however the storage is not serving its purpose perhaps you could hire a security personnel to guard the place.

Pods are very sensitive and they have to meet ones set standards within the market. It is important to choose a manufacturer that is able to meet all the needs to come with the best-prefabricated bathroom and kitchen pods.

Why choose the best

By choosing the best provider, then you will end up with turnkey bathrooms and kitchens. This is a great advantage especially for people who want to be in step with the current requirements in this area. If you want to be relevant, then you have to work with the best.

The best providers also concentrate on designing what the clients require. It is true that every client has got their own needs, tastes, and preferences. The best providers need to be able to appreciate this fact. As such, they should be able to design the structures according to the needs of the clients. They should be fully furnished and fitted to remain only with the installation phase.

It is also important to settle for a provider that is innovative. This is because the world is dynamic and things keep on changing. It is always important to change with the times and make the necessary adjustments as time passes. It is very important to understand the new trends and fashions so as to create up to date structures.

Trademarks are also important. Sometimes a trademark can tell you whether the product is a high quality one or not. It is important to ensure that the trademark is successful in the market. The best providers have manufactured and then installed lots of pods before and thus should be able to tell you whether they will be able to handle your project or not.

The best producers can also offer great advice and they can adapt to the different needs and requests of the clients. Such people understand the importance of delivery dates and schedules. As such, they deliver on time.

Where pods can be used

There are many sectors that these can be used and they include business sector, Hospitals, residential buildings and even hotels. If you are building or if you have a cabin, then it is a great idea to include this within. When you choose the best players in the market, then you will enjoy the experience they have in the field. This is what allows them to offer the very best.

Why the prefabricated option is ideal

When you go for this, then the onsite building time will be reduced as compared to the building of the transitional option. This is what makes the option so attractive to many.

You can enjoy great savings once you have defined the budget and approved the estimate. After you make an estimate, the best producers do not change it. This is what allows you to actually optimize the investment.

Since the product is turn-key, it comes ready for installation. It is only one supplier that will handle the design, the production, the delivery, the installation, and the after-sales services. This makes it even more convenient for you.