Designing a new home is not just a process, it’s a journey. In this journey, you have to make many important decisions if you want to end up with your dream home.
Designing your living space by yourself can be complex; there are many aspects to consider, like the time and money that will go into the project, what kind of home style you prefer, your property’s site conditions and so much more.
Not everyone has the technical knowledge and skill, or the vision, for coming up with home designs that work. That is where a building designer comes in. A good designer is someone who can provide you with the guidance you need to make your dream home a reality.
Ensuring your home is a space you love, are proud of and one you can grow in, all comes down to how good your designer is. Choosing the right one is the first step to an easier journey ahead.
Here are a few things to consider when you’re choosing a building designer for your home.
Are they skilled at sustainable home designs?
Sustainable residential and commercial spaces have become very popular in Australia, with over 600 Green Star-certified buildings in the country. Sustainable homes are eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and create an energising and healthy indoor environment for their occupants.
If this is important to you (and it should be), your designer should be able to give your home a sustainable design that can add to its overall value and lower its carbon footprint. They need to be able to integrate your home with the natural environment outside, maximise passive heating and cooling, enhance ventilation and much more.
A sustainable design is not just about functionality, however; it also needs to give your home that all-important curb appeal. The designer you choose should be able to make your home’s design both sustainable and attractive.
How extensive are their services?
Designing a home is not just about converting your ideas and vision onto a piece of paper; the process may require other skills and services that enhance the value of your design.
Your design partner should be able to offer you other value-added services that can support your design project. These include town planning application support, site evaluation and feasibility studies that inform the design of your new home.
In most cases, you may have to seek other service providers for these value-added services. When you work with a design agency that can offer all these services under one roof, you save both time and money.
Take a look at their qualifications and experience
For your new home design project, you are going to need a designer you can trust and one who understands your vision.
Design projects can be expensive and even a small mistake could compromise the style and value of your home. Before choosing a designer, you need to see if they’re as skilled and experienced as you want them to be.
For an idea of the quality of their work, check if they are part of associations like the BDDA (Building Designers Association of Australia) and if they can offer professional indemnity insurance in the event they make a mistake during the design phase. It’s also a good idea to check out their completed projects and client testimonials.
Aside from their qualifications, you should also consider how many years of experience they have under their belt. While qualifications are important, an experienced designer should also have skills and exposure across different types of residential projects.
Make sure their vision matches yours
Before you start the design process, you may already have a design in mind for your home. A good designer will always take your ideas and needs into consideration and work with you to achieve them in line with general best practices and trends.
They will also take on a very collaborative role in this process, working with you to make tweaks to their drawings and 3D models according to your feedback.
That said, part of this process is also taking their expert advice and suggestions into consideration, all of which can enhance the design appeal and the utility of your home.
The right building designer will help you make your dream home a reality
Designing the space, you plan on living in is an undertaking that requires plenty of commitment, time and money. A good designer will give you the support you need to go on to create a sanctuary that reflects who you are and what you want from life. Choose the right team of professionals to reduce the stress, hassle, and costs associated with this process
