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Your kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house.  From storing food to cooking to eating to cleaning up after dinner—and all three times a day—the kitchen is a well-used place indeed. That’s why it’s so important to get a good idea of what you need and want in your new kitchen before you hire any contractor to do any work. This way, you and your contractor will be on the same page when you start your new kitchen.

Sketch up a Plan    

Even if you can’t draw well, you can still create a basic outline of your kitchen that will help you get a few ideas down on paper.  Start with a basic outline of your kitchen from above. Items to include:

• Cabinets
• Appliances
• Islands
• Doors
• Windows
• Lighting

Once you’re satisfied with the drawing, make a few dozen copies of the picture & use the copies to create new kitchen ideas.   The more ideas you have the better chances you have of getting the most out of your design.  Pick out your three best ideas and present them to your architect and builder to finalise your design brief.

The Kitchen Triangle    

The kitchen triangle is an important part of any kitchen design. The triangle in any kitchen is formed by three points: 

• Refrigerator
• Sink
• Stovetop

The kitchen triangle is the most used area of the kitchen space.  By keeping the triangle points within reach of one another, you can create an efficient cooking space that makes everything from preparing food to cleaning up as easy as possible.    

Appliances
 
One of the best parts about getting your new kitchen is when the new appliances arrive. However, before you take a trip to the local appliance store; consider this.  When many homeowners pick out appliances, they often impulse buy their favourite colour or style.  Things to look for when buying appliances: 

• Work Capacity
• Energy Efficiency
• Unique Features
• Size
• Storage Space

Countertops    

When we think of countertops, we think about colours and materials, but more often than not we neglect size and space.  Your kitchen counter space is critical in getting your daily kitchen tasks done efficiently.  Without the correct amount of counter space, cutting veggies, putting away groceries and setting out dinner plates can be difficult at best.  No matter what materials you use for your kitchen countertops, be sure the design layout and size is exactly what you need in your new kitchen addition.    

Storage
 
Another very important aspect of any kitchen addition is good storage.  Storage solutions that take advantage of dead spaces are just the beginning to good cabinet design. A good appliance layout can create storage spaces that work with the kitchen triangle, creating the ultimate efficient cook space. Unique storage solutions are the key to perfect storage in imperfect spaces. Some unique storage solutions include:

• Lazy Susan’s
• Pull out Trays
• Built in Drawers
• Built in Door Shelving
• Slide out Vertical Shelving
• Built in Recycling/Refuse Bin

Lighting    

Lighting plays the ultimate role in any kitchen design.  A good kitchen lighting plan involves a blending of task lighting sources and ambient light sources.  Task lighting like recessed lighting can focus the right amount of light on any kitchen surface.  Ambient lighting like fluorescents or skylights lends the perfect lighting source for the ultimate blend of kitchen light.

It is so easy to go over budget on the extras when it comes to building your home. Sometimes you just have to have a firm “no” and stick to it. However, there are areas that you can invest a little extra and get a lot of value. Sometimes you can only do this at the time you actually build. If you choose to wait and do it later, it may be impossible or much more expensive.

What Little Extras Are Worth the Initial Investment?

Because some things must be done at build, you need to consider very carefully whether or not you want to refuse these extras.

• Higher ceilings – Higher ceilings must be done at build. For a relatively minimal amount, you can heighten your ceilings by a couple feet. While this may not seem important, you will notice an immense difference. In fact, most model homes have heightened ceilings because they just have a more spacious appearance. It is really only necessary on the lower level of the home.
• Storage space – Turning dead space into storage space can be done very cheaply and increase the value of your home as well as making it more useful to you. This is particularly beneficial under stairs. There may not be a door to this area in the plans, but it costs very little to put one in.
• Garage space – You may be considering a single or double car garage. If that is the case, find out how much extra it would be to increase your garage space. You may find that it is worth your while to go up a size. Since many people end up leaving their car out to keep their stuff in the garage, you can eliminate the problem straight away.
• Addition – Many people plan small and hope to add on later as finances permit. The problem being that it is by far cheaper to add on at the time of the build when you will be buying your materials in bulk. Take this into consideration as you make your decision.

Benefits of Doing a Little Extra at Build

The most obvious benefit of doing these little extras at the time of the build is that you will be buying your materials in bulk and probably get a better deal. Another benefit that many home owners do not take into consideration is that you may be unable to get materials, such as roofing or siding, to match the main portion of your home later on. Often times manufacturers discontinue or change colors. Even if you get the same color, a different lot may have a color variance. These little things that do not cost a whole lot at build time will greatly increase the value of your home.

While sticking to a budget is a necessary and commendable thing, make sure that you make wise decisions when it comes to the extras.

Much time and energy goes into building a new home. It is exciting and stressful to choose the piece of land, select a plan, choose the right builder for the job, work with the financial institutions, and watch it all come together. In fact, sometimes people get so wrapped up in all of those decisions and projects that the fact that they will have to decorate their home almost gets lost in the maze.

From Wall Coverings to Floor Coverings

People get so caught up in the big stuff that they sometimes forget that the wall finish will have to be painted or covered and the floor boards will require some form of finishing. Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer that prefers to do your own decorating or you have a hand-picked decorator handling this for you, you will still need to select the motif that will best suit your family.

That is right. It is something that everyone that lives in the house will probably want to participate in on some level. This can be a whole new battlefield. Don’t fall into the temptation to let these decisions create strife in your family.

How to Avoid Decorating Debate Blow-Outs

• Try not to rush decorating decision. It is easy to feel pressured and push the members of your household to come to an agreement. You will find that allowing yourself and others sufficient time to meditate on the decorating decisions that involve them will diffuse a great number of arguments before they happen.
• While you may not feel it is necessary to involve children in many of the decisions regarding decorating your home, allowing them some input into their bedrooms and any other rooms that will be greatly devoted to them will allow them to feel important and a sense of ownership in the new home.
• Some people change their room colors regularly, while others keep things the same for years at a time. Assess the type of decorator that your family is and keep that in mind when decorating. For example, if you do not intend to change your bedroom walls in your children’s room for at least five years keep it generic enough so that when your son is fourteen years old, he won’t still have Winnie the Pooh on his walls.
• Keep in mind that your fixtures, from lights to plumbing, will accent your home. Choose carefully to keep the same feel throughout.

Do not allow the task of building your home to tear apart your family. Keep things in perspective and do not allow things that may be changed within a couple years anyway cause friction in your relationships. Realize that home building can be a stressful time. It can consume your thoughts every waking moment. Be sure to take time to do something fun every once in a while. It will help you keep your priorities in order, as well as remind you that your sanity is still intact.

So, you’ve decided that you are going to build a home. That’s great! Now how do you go about getting plans created? Well, there’s a lot to consider.

Plan Considerations

First of all, site selection must be completed before you can decide on plans. Once you have selected a site that is efficient, practical, and large enough to meet your needs it’s time to get busy on plans. Be sure that you consider any special plan needs created by your site. For example if your home will be built on a hill, you may require a walk-out basement.

Are you able and willing to use a stock plan or will you require a custom plan? There are a wide variety of stock plans, and it is very likely that you will be able to find one that suits your needs very well. Stock plans can be found in a wide range of sizes, with a variety of amenities, and the most commonly desired features. These plans are designed with the likes and dislikes of the general population in mind.

Custom Plans

A custom plan will require you to employ the services of a licensed architect or building designer. It will be designed to your exact specifications and will require much more time to draw, redraw, correct, and finalize, the final product being something of value. There are many hours involved in preparing custom plans, which means many dollars. It is much more expensive to purchase a custom plan. It is also much more time consuming and can delay the actual time to break ground. The custom plan is designed strictly with the likes and dislikes of the specific buyer in mind, do not be detered.

Stock Plans

In order to remain within a budget, a stock plan is one of the possible choice for many. When that is a must, and it seems impossible to find the perfect stock plan, keep in mind that minor design changes can be made. By contacting the original plan designer or a local designer, your modifications can be performed for a fee.

Benefits of a Stock Plan

Obviously, the one big pro of custom plans is that they are customized to your express design characteristics. However, there are many benefits to be considered in a stock plan.

• The most evident and often determining factor is that stock plans are significantly cheaper.
• The time involved in preparation of the plans is nearly non-existent barring the previously discussed minor changes. Often the plans can be submitted for a building permit immediately upon receipt.
• There are a variety of designs and this can actually be helpful to those that really aren’t sure what they want.
• There is always the possibility of having minor plan changes made for a fee.

Taking these items into consideration, it is worth some careful consideration to decide whether stock or custom plans are the right decision for you. Be sure to discuss the matter with your builder, as a good quality builder is always a good source of information. It is always helpful to bounce your ideas off someone that is well versed in the industry and keep communication open.

What is needed for Home Building Plans (28 KB)

You have a dream of how you would like your home to look. Before your housing dream can become a reality, you need good documentation to portray the overall characteristics, too effectively “tell your story”. Without this building documentation, those involved in the design and construction of your new home will be unable and unclear to appreciate what you are trying to achieve. It is essential to have your building documentation detailed early in the process to ensure your new home is developed smoothly and according to plan. This documentation will also allow you to smoothly negotiate the complex web of building and development permits ensuring a stress free building experience.

When you decide on building a new home or conducting renovations to your existing home one of the first points of contact is a reputable builder and / or architect within your locality. These contacts will provide you with the assistance needed to make sure all of the documentation is completed thoroughly and professionally. By having someone reputable to assist with the documentation, you can be assured that the documentation will be prepared to a standard that will prevent:

• Building Delays
• Inaccurate Pricing
• Building Disputes
• Additional Work Being Required

Many people are unaware of the documentation that is required for a new home to be constructed and your story told. However the main documents, which will require detailed attention, are:

• Plans / Drawings – These documents will contain detailed graphics of how and where the construction will take place. They will also detail the result of how the new home will look.
• Reports – A series of reports are required, which identify decisions and the data that is required for the decisions that have been made.
• Building Certificates – Building Certificates show that the design and specifications of the new home meet all required standards.
• Specifications – The specifications will detail the required quality, detail of workmanship and the quality of materials to be used in the development.

As you could appreciate, this documentation is best left to the skills of a qualified professional who will be able to offer you the advice needed to make sure that the documentation is completed in a clear and concise fashion. There are also legal requirements when it comes to building documentation that is one of the main reasons that you should leave the documentation to a qualified professional. A reputable builder in your location will be aware of all the requirements of planning authorities and also building and plumbing permit authorities allowing you the peace of mind that nothing will be left to chance.

Good building documentation is essential for the start up, process and completion of a great new home or home renovation. The use of a reputable people in ensuring your building documentation is all in order will ensure that your building process becomes so much easier. When deciding upon a builder for unique building needs, make sure your choice reflects the builders ability to assist you through the building documentation stage. Reputable builders realise that good documentation is equally as important as good craftsmanship and the quality of your building design will be reflected in the building documentation skills of your builder.

Good communication in the form of effective documents will be the best investment you can make, for your peace of mind and that of the people you deal with.

The Importance of Good Documentation = Great Job (30 KB)