Sloped Lot, Treed Area, Warrandyte NorthThere are many steps in life that you take that you’re either enthusiastic about with trepidation or that you’re terrified by. We would say that building your dream home is definitely one of them. The Australian Heritage Homes team sees both each and every day and it’s part of what has made us so great at what we do. We know when to sense if somebody needs to be pushed in a specific direction and we also know when to let our clients take the reins on the different decisions that make your home – yours.

Even a few months into the year with the seasons changing, we’re seeing more and more of our community looking to build their dream home. But how? And in the world we’re living in right now? Here’s our advice:

  • Have realistic expectations. It’s all fine and good to shoot for the stars (and we’ll get to that in a minute), but you do want to know in advance what you can afford, the time that will go into it and what it will end up looking like. You’ll only end up spending more time and money down the line if you don’t set expectations because you’ll be more disappointed in the result.
  • Talk to your friends and family about decisions. They know you best and they’ve also probably already had a varied range of experiences with the fixtures, the trimmings, the colours, and the general construction of their homes. You may be in love with one idea and then be informed by a family member that it hasn’t worked for a variety of reasons. This is why the Australian Heritage Homes team loves info-sharing.
  • Similarly, do your homework about the area in which you’re going to live. A house is one thing – and you might have gotten an amazing deal on the land, but what about your neighbours? School districts? Traffic nearby? Make sure that you take all of these things into consideration.
  • Take as much time as you can during the planning process. We know that this is easier said than done in some situations, but you’re looking at one of the biggest investments in your life. Do the work, do it smartly, and you’ll be so much more satisfied with the result.
  • Do still dream big. Speaking as the Australian Heritage Homes team, we know that vision is what drives us and makes us love what we do. And we can always find solutions. You may have a look in your mind that is so engrained, and you don’t want to move from it, but it’s out of your budget the way that you’re envisioning it. We don’t let a little thing like that stop us. We stop, we think, we talk to our clients as often and for as long as they like and then we think through what’s feasible. There is always something feasible.