There is a perception out there that custom designing is an expensive way to build a house, and yes for sure, there are things that can be done with a custom design that adds to costs, such as architectural features like a cathedral ceiling or by adding high end inclusions. However, custom designing can be as simple as making design choices to suit your circumstances or your block that don’t always add to construction costs. In fact, there are situations where custom designing can save money, such as getting the orientation of the rooms right, saving on the additional measures required to meet the energy efficiency requirements for a new home.
We often have people visit our Elsey display home at Googong and ask for the construction price, only for them to then form an assumption that custom designing is expensive or that DJ Homes do not offer the value for money they require to deliver their home. There is a lot that goes into delivering a home like the Elsey, creating the cathedral ceiling with the highlight windows takes a lot of engineering and structural steel to pull off and the detail and amount of joinery all contribute to the build cost that many expect with a home that is as customised as it is, but does not mean that all aspects of custom designing comes at that price.
Some will see an advertised price for a project home with an expectation that they can build their new home at that cost. The reality is that a lot of builders advertise a price for a home, with the knowledge that they can’t deliver the build without a lot of additional costs to cover requirements for engineering, to meet the minimum energy requirements or with an inclusion list to allow for a final occupation certificate to be obtained.
Comparing prices between builders can be very difficult to do, with different builders having a different approach to how they advertise their business and the pricing of their homes. At DJ Homes, we pride ourselves on having a comprehensive inclusion list, with items such as double glazed windows (now essential to meet minimum energy standard), blinds, laundry joinery, floor to ceiling wet area tiling and floor coverings throughout, all standard with us. On the other hand, many builders don’t and some do not even include items such as a concrete driveway, a dishwasher, wardrobe shelving or reverse cycle air-con as part of the advertised price for their homes. This means that the difference in price between a set project home design and a custom designed home, may not be down to the fact that it is customised, but purely because of the level of inclusion that is part of the price.
So many of the benefits of custom designing do not necessarily come with an added construction cost. As mentioned earlier, getting the orientation right can go a long way to ensuring the minimum energy requirements are met without additional measures that do come with costs and means that your home is going to enjoy lots of natural light. Different rooms contribute more to the overall energy performance of a home, living areas are the most important parts of the home to get the right orientation for and then bedrooms are more important to consider than wet areas or other non-habitable spaces.
Another key benefit of custom designing is the option to add a split level to the home to work with a sloping site. A split means that the home will sit so much better on the block, so often you will see homes have such steep driveways, either up or down, because the builder either hasn’t considered or doesn’t offer split level homes. By not putting in a split, it leads to additional site costs (which are not generally included in a standard inclusions list and are not priced for the client prior to contract signing) and means that retaining walls (again that aren’t included) will be required on the site after the site works have been done.
Custom designing also allows for the change to a design to suit your particular situation and requirements. When working with a project builder, making a simple request such as moving an internal wall a minimal amount can come with a substantial cost that means you have to compromise on what you are looking for in your new home or pay the money that means that you don’t get the value you might expect when going with a project builder. When working with DJ Homes, we will understand what your priorities are and where you are willing to compromise on your design to ensure that we get the right outcome for you and provide you great value for money.
No matter what budget you are working with, considering a custom design home is something that should certainly be part of your planning and as Canberra’s leading custom design new home builder, DJ Homes would love to discuss your upcoming build with you.
Does Your Builder…include pricing for engineering and energy reports?
