For most people who are considering renovating or building a new home, the cost of getting the project designed and built are their two main considerations.
But if your goal is to live in the property long term, then other factors need to be considered, not the least of which is the cost of upkeep and the running of your home.
For example, choosing a timber exterior might seem like a good idea initially, but painting the exterior of your home can be an expensive process, and one that needs to be factored in over the time that you will be living in your home.
The lifespan of materials that you use in your home are an important consideration, as replacing damaged or worn materials can be expensive. For example there is a material commonly called ‘Blue Board’ which is a cheap and nasty way to give your home the appearance of rendered brick. Unfortunately overtime the jointing system becomes very visible resulting in additional costs. It may look like a cost effective option in the short term but paying for better quality up front can save you a considerable amount of money in the long term.
The same can be said of appliances, such as hot water systems, dishwashers and air-conditioning/heating units. Buying cheap at the start does not make good economical sense in the long run. With the way prices are increasing chances are the more expensive, better built products that you can buy right now will look like a bargain in years to come.
The energy efficiency of your electric and gas appliances is an obvious cost saving area. Buying products that use less electricity, gas and water can save you thousands of dollars; dollars that can be used to pay off your mortgage faster or put into other investments.
Installing insulation in your walls, double glazing windows and ensuring that your home design keeps the sun out in summer and lets the cooling breezes in are all worthwhile long term investments.
As an architect, I always consider the costs of maintenance, materials and home running costs when designing homes or renovations for my clients. Little things like having the hot water system as close to the kitchen/laundry as possible can save you money. Given the water challenges that Brisbane has faced in recent times it’s madness to need to leave your tap running for ages just to get hot water to come through. Not only is it unnecessarily wasteful, it’s also expensive as excess water charges can quickly mount up.
As part of my overall design process I spend time working out how to best take advantage of environmental factors such as air-flow and natural lighting. Not needing to constantly have your lights on, and being able to keep your home cool without needing to overuse your air-conditioner/ heater can save you significant amounts of money each year.
The advantage of working with Dion Seminara Architecture is that we consider all of these factors and discuss them with you in detail as part of our overall design process. Best of all, we manage to incorporate these money saving ideas whilst not compromising on the overall liveability of your home. After all, your lifestyle should come first.
So if you’re thinking about building a new home, or renovating your existing home, call Dion Seminara Architecture today and let us help you save money, both now and into the future.
