Are you considering building a new home? Congratulations – you’re about to embark on an exciting journey. Before long, you’ll see all those ideas you’ve pinned on Pinterest, saved on Instagram or bookmarked in the latest copy of House and Garden magazine, become reality.
But first, you need to narrow down those ideas. Yes – you do need to decide on type of exterior cladding, the roof style and things like feature entrances. And yes, we know that can be hard, but it’s why we suggest to our clients they drive by existing homes to see how different materials look in real life.
In St Kilda, the latest neighbourhood to be developed in Cambridge, we have completed, or are in the process of completing, 50 homes. Each house is unique and has been built to every owner’s individual style. They’ve chosen their own roof type, many have modified plans to ensure the house suits their needs, and every one of them has used a range of materials, both inside and out, to achieve the look they want.
In this blog, we suggest the top five things to look at when driving around neighbourhoods for inspiration. These are the core features of a home. By identifying what you want in each of these areas, you’ll be able to get a better idea of the budget that will be required for your own build.
Land: How big a section do you want? And do you want a roadside section or a back section? This is the first thing to consider. You must also weigh this up with the size of the house you want to build. Many sections have a limit as to the size of the house you can build on it. Getting that balance between the size of the house and the size of the section is essential for great indoor-outdoor flow – and could also be the determining factor as to whether you need a ride on mower or not!
Cladding: What kind of look do you want for your house? Cladding is the material used on the outside of the home so it’s a big factor in giving your house style. Do you want brick and if so, what type? Or would you prefer stone? Houses can also be clad in weatherboard, cedar, concrete and plaster, or a combination of two or three. There are multiple options so driving by houses with different types of cladding could help to cement your ideas as to what you want – and don’t want!
Roof: The roofline of your home will likely be determined by the plan you have chosen, but there is room to incorporate different angles into your roofline and of course, there’s a choice of roofing material – Longrun iron, concrete tile, steel tiles and shingle roof are just some of the roofing options we offer here at Urban Homes. It’s only once you see these types of material in situ that you’ll gain a true understanding of the look it brings to a home.
Design: What kind of design do you want for your home? Is indoor-outdoor flow important to you? How much family/living room do you want? Do you want all your bedrooms at one end of the house? Do you want to incorporate an office into the plans? And what about privacy? The design of your home must work for you. At Urban Homes we have a range of plans which can be altered to incorporate your own ideas, or we can create a specific design just for you.
Landscaping: How green fingered are you? Do you want expansive gardens on your property? A pool? A tennis court? Or do you simply want enough space for a game of backyard cricket? Landscaping can put the finishing touches to your home, but it should be considered as you embark on the design process. For example, if you’re looking at building a pool, you need access from the house but may not want it from the master bedroom!
Take our inspiration tour
Driving round the neighbourhood is all very well but how do you know what type of roof you’re looking at? Or what type of cladding has been used?
Those are exactly the kinds of details we’ve included in our Urban Homes Inspiration Tour. This map of the 50 homes we have completed and are constructing in St Kilda gives you information on the type of roof, cladding and design used for every build.
It’s a drive-by tour you can do at your leisure, and as often as you want. As you peruse the neighbourhood, take a look at the rooflines of the different homes we’ve built, compare exterior claddings we’ve used and take note of different design features that really stand out, such as feature chimneys, decorative trusses etc.
Then when you’re ready, give our sales consultants a call. They’re happy to answer questions you have about any of the builds too.
Download our Inspiration Tour Brochure
View our House and Land Packages.
New show homes in Cambridge
Ready to get inspired for your very own masterpiece? Visit one of our gorgeous Cambridge show homes to experience the craftsmanship and attention to detail you can expect when building with Urban Homes.