So, you’re thinking of building a house?
Let’s just say you are, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. There are a couple of things you might need to know first, though let’s start with the fact that this won’t be an easy or cheap venture. You can’t simply jump at a plot of land with a shiny custom aluminium toolbox and expect it to be done in a week. Building your own home is a great option if you want to have everything customised, right down to the colour of the insulation and the secret passageway behind the bookcase leaving to your collection of Phantom comics. There’s no shame, we’ve all been there.
However, this is a venture that will take time and money, as well as a bit of planning know-how. A few things to look out for include:
- Cardinal Directions: Sometimes you don’t have a choice when it comes to the direction of your house…but if you do, you definitely want north or south-facing. The summer sun will loom on the horizon, seeking to bake all living areas with unforgiving toastiness. If your windows are facing the problem, you’ll be flooding your home with double-barrelled heat, so if at all possible orient your house to stop this from occurring.
- Water: Yes, water is a lovely thing to have in your house. What’s even better than water (at times) is hot water. Specifically, at all points across the home. What some first home builders do is store the boiler at some place that’s out of the way. This turns out to be mistake, as the generator is too far away to provide adequate service, leaving you standing at the kitchen sink for minutes at a time, waiting for the water to heat up. Consider either placing the boiler in a more central location, or having multiple boilers.
- Gas: A similar situation can occur with gas. Would you prefer electric cooking or gas? Most opt for gas as the easier and cheaper option, but gas problems are far more complicated. You don’t want to be lugging gas bottle holders up and down the driveway because of piping faults. Always take extra care when hooking up your cooking system.