TOP FIVE TIPS FOR BUILDING

TOP 5 REASONS FOR BUILDING NEW

There are a lot of reasons why you might decide to build a brand new home, rather than buying an established one. Here is a list of the top 5 reasons to build new:

1 BUILD TO SUIT YOU

When you build new, you can design your home specifically to meet your requirements and suit your family and lifestyle.

2 ENERGY EFFICIENCY

New homes must meet a 6-star energy efficiency rating, which may reduce your energy consumption and lower your costs of heating and cooling.

3 PAY LESS STAMP DUTY

There may be stamp duty savings when you build new rather than buying an established home. You should look at the ACT Revenue Office stamp duty calculator to compare the difference.

4 LESS MAINTENANCE

New homes ordinarily require less ongoing maintenance when compared to older, established homes.

5 STATUTORY WARRANTIES

You will have the peace of mind that your home is covered by a home warranty insurance policy or fidelity fund certificate (for five years), as well as warranties from your builder for structural defects (for six years) and non-structural defects for two years. IF YOUR PREFERENCE IS TO MOVE AND BUILD A NEW HOME, MAKE SURE THAT THE SUBURB YOU CHOOSE HAS THE AMENITIES AND CONVENIENCES THAT YOU WANT AND NEED. YOU SHOULD ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT NEWER SUBURBS GENERALLY HAVE SMALLER BLOCK SIZES THAN THE EXISTING AND MORE ESTABLISHED SUBURBS.

TOP 5 REASONS FOR RENOVATING OR EXTENDING

There are also good reasons to renovate your existing home, or to think about an extension. It might be worth considering the following:

1 SAVE MONEY ON SELLING AND MOVING

If you decide to stay in your home and renovate, you will save money on conveyancing fees, real estate agent’s commission, advertising or marketing fees, removalists costs, and stamp duty on a new block of land.

2 IMPROVE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME

Extending or renovating your home will likely add more value to your home.

3 LOCATION

Renovating or extending is a great idea if you enjoy living in the suburb and local community you are currently in.

4 NO NEED TO FIND A BLOCK OF LAND

Choosing to renovate means that you won’t need to look for a block of land (plus you save money on the cost of needing to buy a new block).

5 ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Renovating an existing house can be a sustainable alternative to building a new home. The majority of the existing home can usually be retained or improved, a number of materials can also be recycled. Plus, your garden will be retained.

Living Design Projects & Turco and Associates, Greenway

IF YOU DECIDE TO RENOVATE YOUR HOME, ALWAYS ENGAGE A QUALIFIED BUILDING DESIGNER, DESIGN AND BUILDING COMPANY, OR ARCHITECT. A GOOD DESIGNER WILL WORK WITH YOU TO ENSURE THAT YOUR PROJECT IS FUNCTIONAL AND BLENDS IN WITH YOUR EXISTING HOME. IF YOU CHOOSE TO ENGAGE AN ARCHITECT, MAKE SURE YOU ALSO SELECT AND SPEAK WITH YOUR BUILDER EARLY IN THE DESIGN PROCESS. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU, YOUR ARCHITECT AND YOUR BUILDER COLLABORATE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID PROBLEMS DOWN THE TRACK.