In our humble opinion, there is nothing more exciting than kicking off a custom home design. If you’re finally leaning into that new house build you’ve been dreaming of, then so many possibilities lie before you. From the shape of the home you’ll be living in to the finishing details, you get to decide on every single aspect of this brand-new build. Most property owners will never experience that joy; it’s once-in-a-lifetime.
With all of that excitement can also come a bit of pressure. After all, there are many moving parts to a custom home design, and if this is your first time tackling one, then you might feel a bit daunted at the prospect.
Not to worry, we’re here to help. Read on for a simplified guide to a new house build, with some tips and tricks from our custom home design crew to help you carry it off without a hitch.
We don’t believe in rushing into the blueprint phase. All great custom home designs begin with a thorough discovery process, so this is where we start. You and your team will sit down to discuss your lifestyle, your overall budget, and your must-haves. While this will include a reference to tangible aspects like the ideal number of bedrooms in your property, we also want to get you thinking about how you want to feel when you wake up in the morning.
Our tip: Investigate your life as it stands today. Before you sit down with us for a discovery, consider keeping a “friction log” of your current home. What annoys you? We are often best at finding these things first. Do you hate the way the sun hits the TV at 4pm, or is the walk from your car to your pantry too long for a grocery haul? Identifying these small paint points allows us to design a layout that is completely optimised for how you live, not a cookie-cutter version of a homeowner.
Once we understand your vision, we move into the true design phase. This is the stage where your ideas start to take physical shape through architectural concepts. We focus on creating a home that “speaks” to your specific site. All specifications will take into account the direction of the sun on your land, the prevailing winds, and the unique topography of your section.
Our job at this point in the process is to translate your vision and help you to refine your selections, so that the consent process is easy to navigate, and our builders know exactly which specifications to meet. By the end of this phase, we will have produced detailed costings, structural engineering breakdowns, and all required documents to secure building consents. In short, we are bridging the gap between you and your architect’s vision, and the execution of our building team.
Our tip: It’s very easy to get caught up in the ‘shiny’ details like a grand master entrance! While these are important, we believe homeowners should always define their most functional spaces first. How comfortable these utility spaces are (such as your kitchen or bathrooms) will define how it feels to live in your home. So, where possible, we encourage you to begin here and design outward.
This is when the dirt starts moving, and your vision begins to rise from the foundations. One of the unique aspects of the QBS process is our commitment to communication; we provide you with access to our project management software, so you can see daily updates and track your new house build progress from your smartphone.
Our tip: As the new home build progresses, stay in open communication with your team. Small decisions, uncontrollable supply shortages, and other issues can arise during new home builds. It’s vital to be available to your team and choose a team that will be available in return, as this ensures we all reach move-in day smoothly.
Before you can move into your home, there will be a few final inspections by your local authorities and our own build team. This is a vital step in the process, as it ensures that everything is safe and sound before you set foot over the threshold.
When you pick the right team, this is often little more than a formality, because the build quality is unparalleled. If you have a sub-par team, you might encounter more than one nasty surprise come inspection time.
To that end, our tip for this stage is simple…
Our tip: Pick the right team to work with on your new house build. The right custom home design team will furnish you with everything you need, from connections to skilled architects all the way to experienced on-site project management. It is always worth investing time in finding a team you gel with, as this is a long-term project with many moving parts. Communication and trust are key!
We are an award-winning custom home design company with years of experience transforming ideas into living, breathing homes. At QBS IT, we’re proud to be the designers, builders, and project managers of some of Auckland’s most stunning properties (including yours, very soon!).
To begin your new house build, reach out to our design team with your vision today.
