Did you miss Part 1? Read it here. Owning a block of land is one of the great Australian dreams but finding the right block can seem like a daunting job, especially if you have never done anything like this before. Here, we’ve shared a few tips to help you buy the right block of land for your new home. It is a good idea to invest a bit of time into learning what you need to consider when looking for the best block to suit you and how you live.
How important is orientation?
Have you heard about orientation? Not sure what it all means? Which direction does your block face? This is one of the great advantages of building a new home. Being able to consider the orientation when designing the floorplan will help you design a home that feels comfortable all year round. If you have a floor plan in mind already, make sure you check where the main living areas will be? Ideally, you need to consider having these areas facing North, so you can gain a maximum amount winter sun and warmth, plenty of natural light whilst keeping away the hot summer sun and most of all, have a comfortable home to live in. This can also affect your home’s energy performance in relation to heating and cooling requirements. You could save a lot of money on your energy bills whilst benefiting your lifestyle and not to mention, the environment. At Alatalo Bros we put a lot of thought into this at the design stage and all our designs can be modified to suit the block the best possible way.
Is there a slope? How steep is too steep?
We all love great views, but the slope of the block has a considerable impact on the design and building cost of your house. A block with a lot of slope will often be well priced but will, in turn, require cutting and filling the land, removing the soil, as well as building retaining walls, which all add to the cost of your build. A sloping block that is cheaper initially could work out to be more expensive in the long run given the constructions costs. The flatter the block is, the more economical it is to build on. Can’t go past a house with amazing views? On a positive note, you could end up with a unique custom designed split -level home created to suit the slope of the block! Our building designers have ideas available for all types of blocks and budgets and they specialise in creating an option that works best for you and what you want.
What is the soil type on my block?
Find out the soil type on your block as this can vary a lot from site to site and affect how the foundations of your home need to be built. The soil type is a measurement of how reactive the soil is and how much it is likely to move over time. This will affect the cost of your home as it will need to be considered at the design and building stages. You will also need to find out if there has been any fill used on the block? engineering can be costly if you need to drill through fill into natural soil to gain a solid enough foundation to build on.
What about your budget?
Is the block and the house you want within your budget? Is everything you need included in the pricing? Have you considered stamp duty and site costs? As developers and builders, we have already done a lot of groundwork for you with our local connections, tests and reports saving you time and money. At Alatalo Bros we have a team of professionals to help you with land sales and they will go through everything you need to know and help you plan ahead.
What else can be helpful?
Find out what types of discounts your builder can offer you? Alatalo has a track record of making it easy and affordable to buy high-quality land directly from the developer and we also have house and land packages with discounts available at various estates. There are usually several financial grants available as well ranging from first home owners grant to downsizers grant etc– Solicitors and many banks are usually up to date with what’s currently available.
So how do you find the perfect home design for your new block?
Whether you’re looking for just a block of land, house and land packages or already have a block of your own we can help you with your vision and guide you the right way to achieve your dream home. Start by looking through our range of award -winning home designs that you can modify how you like, or if you prefer a fully custom designed home, our complimentary custom home design service makes it easy to build a home that’s perfect for you and the block you have selected. We have a team of building designers, interior designers and cabinet designers at hand to guide you through the whole process as part of the Alatalo service. All you need to do, is bring your list of ideas, must- haves and wishes to us and our designers will sit with you and put it into a customised floorplan created just the way you want it – and we will take care of all the rest whilst you sit back and relax.