Building Your First Home? Use This Simple Budget Plan

Are you an aspiring homeowner, planning to build your first home and wondering how to start the journey of implementing this important milestone? In this article, you will learn:

  1. The first steps to take.
  2. How to prepare a simple budget plan.
  3. The available financial schemes.
  4. How to keep track of your costs.


(Image created by the author with MS PowerPoint)

First Steps to Take


When you finally decide to make your dreams of owning your first home come true, here are a few points to ponder:

  • Determine how much you can (comfortably) afford. This requires a simple budget plan.
  • Do you have saved funds or money raised from selling existing assets?
  • If you answer no to the above, you will need funding from financial lenders (or others).

Preparing a simple budget plan is crucial for a first-time home builder/homeowner because you need to assess the entire project and the costs you may incur. It doesn’t have to be a complex formation, but rather, a simple breakdown on an Excel or preformatted sheet.

Preparing a Budget


Preparing a budget plan for building a house is easy to work out if you break down all costs into categories:

Land Purchase (where you intend to build).

Architectural Design (hire a professional to design your home and get all necessary government approvals).

Building Permits

Foundation and Structure (construction, building materials, etc.).

Roofing (tiles, zinc, woodwork, etc.).

Plumbing and Electrical (install water pipes, drainage, and electrical wiring).

Interior Finishing (flooring, painting, tiling, ceilings, doors, etc.).

Fixtures and Fittings (doors, windows, kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, bathroom fittings, light fixtures, etc.).

Furnishings (beds, chairs, rugs, sofas, and other furniture).

Landscaping (gazebo, garden, fence, driveway, etc.).

Professional Fees (architect, engineer, interior designer, etc.).

Skilled Labour (builder, carpenter, plumber, electrician, tiler, etc.)

Insurance

10% Contingency (money set aside for unexpected costs)

To go deeper, each category can eventually split into sub-categories. This shall come at the time before actual construction begins. See the two examples below:

Materials:
  • Timber
  • Engineered wood
  • Masonry materials.
  • Roofing materials.
  • Plumbing materials.
  • Etc...
Insurance
  • General liability.
  • Workers’ compensation.
  • Home building compensation.
  • General liability.
  • Etc...

Building Financial Schemes


Depending on the region you reside in, or where you plan to build a residential structure, if you don't have money stashed away somewhere, or are expecting a windfall inheritance, you need to talk to lenders offering financial schemes and know what they offer. Ask for:

  • Lending arrangement.
  • How much will they lend?
  • For how long (tenure)?
  • The fine-print details you don't want to miss.

When you know what you can raise for your project, you will see what you can afford. You can now proceed with preparing a much more detailed budget plan.

As a First-Time Builder, Make Things Simple


Budgeting in this manner makes it easier to account for immediate and long-term building costs. It helps to stay focused and organised, and it will keep you on track. You will know the immediate, short, and long-term costs you will incur.

(Images created/compiled by the author)

Avoid accumulating too many separate sheets of paper; it can muddle things up and get you confused. You can download and print out a simple form to use (for free). Better still, you can purchase this  organiser workbook, Project Daily Record Keeping Logbook, to methodically record details of your building projects. It is a must-have tool for such laudable ventures.

A meticulous plan on how to expend your money will go a long way in ensuring the success of your building project.

Free: Download and Print Budget Planner and Tracker


Use this free download, Simple Home-Building Budget Tracker, to draw up a breakdown of what you may need. It is a simple summation of what you initially require. It will help you stay focused, organised, and keep you on track from inception through to the completion of the building project.

How to Decorate Small Spaces Like Niches, Alcoves, and Recessed Walls

Decorating small spaces in a room can become a delightful venture and one of the easiest ways to introduce a pleasant and functional interior design feature into an otherwise neglected space. Wall recesses, blind corners, nooks, under staircases, dead ends, and niches are examples of dead space that can become a designer’s delight. Many homes have these pockets of space. While some are pre-determined interior design features, others came about because of construction flaws.

There are so many possibilities and design ideas for decorating small spaces. With creative flair, an eye for detail, and a sense of proportion, you can develop something simple or grand from small spaces.


Decorating cubby-holes with beautiful ceramic pottery.

Alcoves


An alcove or nook is a partially enclosed section of an interior space. It is cave-like in appearance and is separated from the room space by walls or arches, like a cut-in space without a door.

Alcoves were known features in period homes formed from chimney breasts that protruded in the centre of a room, forming double recesses on both sides of the fireplace. They served as built-in shelving for books, décor items, and other display items in the living room. And in the bedrooms, they served as wardrobe space. Today, alcove designs have anything from small tucked-away kitchenettes to art galleries, built-in bathroom stash cabinets, and stand-alone display units. 


Alcoves on both sides of the projected central fireplace area.


And alcoves formed under the staircase, in lofts, dead corners, and similar odd spaces can serve functional purposes like storage solutions, work-at-home stations, private seating areas, built-in closets, personal reading/library, or craft-making areas.

Niches


A niche is like cubby holes, but their sizes and shapes can vary from very small to large sizes with regular or irregular shapes. They are great ways to create more space for décor display objects like sculptures, figurines, vases, and collectables or serve as spaces to stash anything from napkin holders and spices to books, tableware, or odds-and-ends.

Wall niches can be created easily by building recesses into an existing wall or as ready-made wooden boxes installed in holes punched into dry walls. They are wall enhancements and may appear like a gallery of symmetrical or asymmetrical cubby holes.

Decorating small spaces like niches demands creativity and careful planning, whether you intend to carve them out during renovations or embark on new constructions. They are in modern high-end homes as pre-fashioned insets with an arch or straight top ends. Many come styled after the Greco-Roman design with classical sculpting on the sides.


Niches in a modern bedroom, with a yellow and grey color scheme


Wall Recesses and Awkward Corners


There are always several tight corners, wall recesses, dead ends, and other general spaces around the home, which designers call wasted space. Decorating these small spaces can be overlooked at times. Why? Because many household occupants hardly ever notice them.

Don’t let any extra space like this go to waste. Maximise every square foot (or metre). These spaces can serve as functional features around the home. For instance, narrow floor-to-ceiling wall shelves will fit into any little corner and are an excellent way to store bathroom essentials. And in the bedroom, you can make a dead-end space functional by installing hanging hooks.

So, whether you live in a studio apartment or a three-bedroom home, creative interior design and decorating ideas will help you make the best use of every small space, corner, or dead-end in your home.



16 Small Space Decorating Tips


Positions and sizes of what requires decorating will differ from home to home. But whatever the form or configuration may be, decorating these empty/dead-end/cubby-hole/wasted spaces should add function and aesthetics to the room.

To spark your creative juices, open your imagination, and inspire you, below are a few guiding tips to make you do something about that unused space in your home.


Beautiful bathroom setting with two sinks and a bathtub on a hardwood floor. Note the two alcoves and arched wall niche.

  1. Install a custom-built unit for added storage space in nooks.
  2. Add a stool (or nesting stools), flowers (fresh or faux) in a vase, and woven baskets (fill with whatever you wish and place strategically).
  3. Hang a round or oval-shaped vintage mirror on a dead-end wall. Add dried plants in large urns (vases) to soften the space.
  4. Transform the end of a windowed corridor by introducing a custom-built window seat (or bench) with vibrant colored cushions. Ideal for dead ends.
  5. Think vertically. Exploit the often unused space between the top of furniture and the ceiling. Use hanging or high-mounted elements.
  6. Create a gallery wall with plaques or framed pictures of varying sizes and shapes. Both symmetrical and asymmetrical arrangements work well. Extend the gallery wall into a corner to help the lines of your space disappear.
  7. Add a floating desk to free floor space. Additional shelves above the desk will be display surfaces for books or ornaments.
  8. Hanging plants take the eyes up. Add corner shelves for potted plants display, like cacti or other tiny colourful plants.
  9. Add groups of varying heights of vases or urns, and if it is a small space, add a tall urn and hang a framed painting above it. Place them on a small round rug.
  10. Depending on the floor space available, put a chair in the corner and place a floor lamp next to it. Make it a reading corner.
  11. If it is in the hallway, you can install hooks to hang a bicycle on the wall.
  12. Tiled mirrors do wonders in tricking the eye to see a seemingly enlarged space, so utilise mirrors if you can. Use bronze or antiqued mirrors for a dramatic look.
  13. Create a floor-to-ceiling library of books. Use floating shelves for a lighter feel.
  14. Install a couple of floating shelves to hold bowls of potpourri, a tabletop waterfall feature, or bowls with scented candles floating on water.
  15. Turn the under-staircase alcove into a work-from-home office.
  16. Make it simple by placing a round table in a corner with an eclectic table lamp and decor objects set on it.



If you have a feel for design, you will agree that decorating small spaces should not be a challenge. The great thing is that decorating unused spaces in the home can be done by most homemakers with an eye for the good stuff. There will be no need to request the services of expensive professionals.


(Article originally published by the author at hubpages.com on 09/01/10)
Images used under license from: https://www.istockphoto.com


Related
How to Develop an Interior Design Concept – 5 Basic Principles to Follow
4 Bedroom Design Ideas with Exotic Ethnic Flair
How to Create a Work-from-Home Office Workspace
Interior Design: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Home Designs: Best-Sellers and Popular Choice of Aspiring Homeowners

What are the best-selling architectural designs? Aspiring homeowners and first-time builders want to know, not necessarily because they wish to build one right away, but just because they want to know the trends. It is inspiring and motivating. Knowing the sought-after styles can help them make a more informed decision about their likes and dislikes whenever they plan to build or buy their own.


Mediterranean-style residential design.


Home Designs: Best-Sellers of the 21st Century


Do you want to play safe with a popular traditional style, stay simply minimalist with streamlined modern forms, or deviate from the norm?

From architectural styles with sleek lines to country homes, colonial houses, villas, and chalets, some home designs have stood the test of time. Many are still relevant today.
  1. Craftsman: This is a great favourite for those who love classic home designs. They are large, feature natural stone and wood, and are currently the most popular style on the market.
  2. Prairie: Contemporary prairie-style plans, not unlike traditional layouts, consist of open floor plans with free-flowing spaces that flow between the indoors and outdoors. Said to be the first original American architectural style, their features include low-pitched or flat roofs, overhanging eaves, and clerestory windows.
  3. Mediterranean: The architectural home styles from the Mediterranean region (Greece, Spain, France, and Italy) are known for white plaster walls, wrought iron, patios, wood beams, and tiled roofs. Their designs often extend outdoors into courtyards or verandas.
  4. French Eclectic: They possess symmetrical or asymmetrical facades made with stone, bricks, and stucco. They have characteristic tall, steeply pitched, hipped roofs with narrow eaves. Roof materials are tile, slate, and shingles. They neither have porches nor verandas but come with balustrade terraces off first-floor rooms.
  5. New American: This style combines elements from various architectural styles to create an entirely new look. Features of interest include soaring entryways, a mix of different materials, prominent garages and plenty of interior space.
  6. Country: These architectural designs feature wide porches, shutters, meticulously spaced windows, and wood accents.
  7. European: Fashioned after beautiful French, Italian, and English architecture, they feature plaster walls, marble floors, and centrepiece fireplaces. Their elegance has captivated homeowners for centuries.
  8. Cottage: A Colonial style that stems from the homes of the first colonial settlements. They are often small-sized homes with features that include a large front porch, painted woodwork, and a small second story.
  9. Southern: These American home designs are built for the hot, humid climate typical of the South of the USA. Their features include large interior spaces, wide roof overhangs, wood shutters, and wrap-around porches.
  10. Ranch: Also known as Rambler style, ranch-style houses became popular in the mid-20th century. Their designs are in L, U, or rectangular shapes. Ranch-style homes are most often single-story structures.
  11. Modern: Modern house designs include pre-fabricated components and are designed to look (and feel) clean, open, peaceful, and relaxing. They embrace the sharp, sleek, and minimalist aesthetics of the ‘tech-hungry’ homeowner.

A modern Ranch-style home design.


Although some maintain the same architectural lines of the past, the homes come with modern interior features like:
  • Open floor plans.
  • High and vaulted ceilings.
  • Split-level floors.
  • Master bedroom suites.
  • En-suite bedrooms.
  • Entertainment rooms.
  • Outdoor living spaces.
They also desire innovative storage solutions and luxury fittings and fixtures that appeal to most aspiring homeowners.

Cape Cod Style Home.

The popular choices lean towards small to medium-sized structures. Why? Because of the downsized living trend. Another reason is that this century's digital-oriented folks are smart, realistic, and no-nonsense. They know the bigger a house is, the more it will cost to design, build, and maintain.


(This post was originally published by the author on Luxury Dream Home Designs)


Related:
Modern A-Frame Home Designs for Smart, Compact Living

Transform Used Shipping Containers into Your Dream Home Design

Have you considered upcycling used shipping containers into a charming home? Turning the discarded into an item of beauty and quiet comfort?

Well, while building with shipping containers is a relatively new concept, many prospective homeowners are yet to fully embrace the idea and give it a try.


A simple home design fabricated with used shipping containers.


Today, downsizing is the keyword for people reevaluating their lifestyle, finances, and health. They want to live in style but are cognisant of the fact that going into major building expenses at this point in time is foolhardy.

For city residents who wish to continue living the urban lifestyle, there are fewer available plots to build on. And even suburban dwellers who may get larger plots need to worry about the costs of designing and building their dream home, an uber-expensive venture.

Container Architecture


Today, recycling used shipping containers that normally serve as storage facilities and building site offices has now found a place in the luxury homes building industry. Referred to as container architecture, it is becoming the new way to meet the 21st-century needs of prospective homeowners.

Why Build with Used Containers


Why not? If you aspire to build a home without having to sink into endless debt, this is a great idea to consider. Dare to be different. Be a pacesetter. Build the home of your dreams through sustainable design. But there are other reasons as well:
  1. It is an affordable way to own a home, especially if you only have a small piece of land to build on.
  2. Shipping containers are readily available and inexpensive. They cost only a fraction of building costs.
  3. They come in standard shapes and in sizes ranging from 10ft to 40ft long, by 8ft wide and 9ft high. These can be easily configured into striking architectural styles.
  4. You can have them built as cute bungalows or multi-level, cantilevered homes.
  5. You can build anything from small offices to restaurants, shops, and lavish, luxurious homes.
  6. You save a considerable amount of money on building costs, materials, and construction time.
  7. Used containers offer a green and sustainable approach to the conventional construction process.
  8. Because shipping containers are factory-built for freight, they can be upcycled into beautiful container architecture.
  9. It eliminates the challenges of sourcing massive building funds, a major concern for many prospective home builders.

Container architectural style.


Building homes with shipping containers is simple and fast. Not only that. It is affordable, efficient, and maintenance-friendly, making the container architecture concept win converts all over the world.

Important Aspects to Note Before Building


  • Find out from the relevant local council about the application process required. Achieving the best results without running into unnecessary hitches is all about preparation. Before you commence building, do the following:
  • Get building permission and/or council consent.
  • Find the right builder whose expertise includes building container structures.
  • It is not a DIY project (unless you are a professional builder with container architecture expertise).
  • Use a competent structural engineer. Building with steel structures is more complex than conventional building.
  • Whoever you work with must know about the interior and exterior finishing that's suitable for shipping container conversion.

Eco-friendly and Sustainable Structures


From luxury homes to schools, clinics, offices, and workshops, up-cycling materials is eco-friendly. Containers classified as industrial cast-offs are being creatively turned into sustainable living spaces - a clever idea that many 21st-century prospective homeowners respond to positively.

(This post was originally published by the author on Luxury Dream Home Designs)

Related:
Modern A-Frame Home Designs for Smart, Compact Living

Modern A-Frame Home Designs for Smart, Compact Living

A-frame homes are distinctive architectural structures characterised by steeply angled roofs. Its form, which takes the shape of the letter A, peaks at the top, while its sides slope down to the ground level.




Originally known as roof huts in ancient Europe, the Pacific Islands, and the Far East, they were built not for aesthetic purposes but because they were better suited to tremors, earthquakes, and other adverse conditions.

They didn't become fancier structures until the 1930s. By the 1950s, A-frame houses became popular as resort cabins and holiday getaways for the elite and the adventurous.

Today, they are sleek and stylish modern homes that are relatively cheap to build, adaptable, and available as prefabricated house kits.

Structural Features


A-frame buildings have a basic skeletal structure (inner wood or steel frame) enveloped by varied materials, depending on the architectural style sought.
  • Cedar, oak, or similar wood.
  • Steel members (pre-coated with intumescent paint).
  • Pre-fabricated boards and dry walls for interior partitioning.
  • Brick or stone for the exterior walls.
  • Tempered clear or tinted glass.
  • Roof materials that range from thatch to aluminium sheets.

Although the interiors may have limited floor space, there are designs that come as one-and-a-half or two-storey houses with open and inviting interiors and soaring ceilings.



Other features include:
  • Hardwood, ceramic tiles, bamboo, and stone materials like marble, granite, or quartz flooring.
  • Exotic masonry fireplaces.
  • Half-floor lofts, attics, and cantilevered balconies.
A-frame house kits are available for individuals who wish to self-build a getaway home. Their house plans and blueprints, complete with building instructions, are also available for purchase online.


Who is this Architectural Style Ideal For?


  • Homeowners seeking to live a downsized lifestyle.
  • As an additional structure on a large property that will serve as guest quarters or parents' apartment.
  • A studio or work-at-home office.
  • Health spa and clinic.
  • Craft room for those in the craft-making industry.

A-frame home designs are an ideal choice for first-time home buyers or investors in the building industry. And if you are looking for a second home or a vacation home, choose an A-frame house. If you can’t find one to buy, build it.


(Culled from an article originally published by the author on Luxury Dream Home Designs) 


Related:
Transform Used Shipping Containers into Your Dream Home Design
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)