Why would you want to compromise on the biggest asset and the place that houses you and your family? Why settle for ordinary, when you can have extraordinary? If you want to build your own extraordinary home go with our Tailored Approach, allowing you to build a completely custom home on your land.

If you want full flexibility with the design of your new home then you can work with our experienced in-house designers to craft a design that is perfect for your lifestyle and block.

Where do I start when designing my dream home?

Our designers will work with you and your family to make your vision for your new home come to life.

Here are a few things to think about before you meet with us, and to guide our discussions:

Start simple

You don’t need to have fancy software or even be good at drawing to get started on your dream home plans. Brainstorm with your family members and start compiling a list of features you want in your ideal home. Sketch your ideas in whatever form works for you. The idea is to get your ideas out of your head onto paper to begin the process. Even rough sketches can help our home design team get started.

Think about your future needs

Think about how many people you want to accommodate in your home straight away but also what the future may bring. Will you need to have a separate area for teenagers, or ageing parents? Perhaps a separate ‘granny flat’ could be included to accommodate different generations over time.

And while no one could have predicted the ‘working from home’ revolution brought on by the COVID pandemic, perhaps you should factor in a future home office, or a dedicated area for a home gym.

Showcase and maximise your block of land

There will be some rules and regulations from your local council and government that state where you can build on your block, but there will also be some flexibility.

Think about the outlook and views you might enjoy, or the aspects you don’t want to see from within your home. Think about the aspect of your block, like what rooms will face in which direction, and how the different seasons will affect the temperatures within your home.

You also need to consider the slope of your land, and any easements or other obstacles. At ZAC Homes we can assist with all these aspects.

Prioritise features

Most people do not have an endless budget when designing their dream home so think about the most important features and prioritise them. It will be easier to work out what to leave out when you get to the design, and then the costing phase. Once your ideas are recorded in rough form, begin prioritising features for your new house. Various family members may also have different priorities so discuss it with them before you get too far down the track.

Consider function and flow

As you start to consider where various rooms will be located, think about how you and your family will live within the home. Consider aspects like noise levels when you’re deciding where bedrooms will be located in relation to living areas. If your family tends to gather around the kitchen, an open floor plan with easy flow between the living room, kitchen, dining and outdoor area will suit you best.

Set a budget

Even if you’re unsure about how much your dream home could cost, it’s important to look at your financial situation and decide a cost range, or at least a maximum you can afford. You may also need to borrow money to build your new home so you’ll need to understand how much you could be approved for a loan.

Build a new home with ZAC Homes

Once you’ve gone through these preliminary steps, the designers at ZAC Homes will work with you and your family to make your vision for your new home come to life.

Having complete flexibility allows you to include sustainability as a key design element. There are many ways a home can be sustainable including the materials used, the design, the inclusions, and more.

Going with our Tailored Approach option will take longer, you’ll have more decisions to make, and it will generally be more expensive, but you’ll have a one-off home to suit your needs.

Our designers can work with almost any site, although an undulating site will require careful and considered design, suitable construction techniques and most likely increased costs.

ZAC Homes builds with trust, respect, integrity and pride, which we work hard to deliver to every client. Call us on 1300 350 793 or send us an online enquiry and our team will work with you to design and build your dream home.