Now days the average Australian house is 231 m2. What can you build into that size I hear you ask and well you might.
At nearly 25 squares of the old size, based on 10 ft x 10 ft = one square, this is a generous space. Usually this is the measure of the internal area of the house, not counting a double garage (add 40 m2) Nor verandahs or alfresco which might be any size you like but usually around a generous 40 m2 again.

Into 25 squares can fit good sized rooms: living, family, meals, kitchen, laundry, three bedrooms or fourth/study and two bathrooms. This might sound normal until you hear that we have doubled that size since 1960's.

How often does one hear the cry of “Seven grew up in a two bedroom house with my bedroom the built in veranda. And we only had one bathroom!" We do not want to go back to that. Nor do we want to have a small footprint of house with numerous pokey rooms. I remember the toilet off the laundry one end of the house and bathroom (shower over the bath) the other. Even as a child I was aware of this inconvenience. Long after the very sad time of loosing our beloved cat, I could not enter the laundry without slowly opening the door a tiny crack for fear of puss leaping out and getting nicely lost in the house in a much more comfortable sleeping place! And the laundry “design” was foolish too!

Now: this 25 sq. house they say costs average $2,300 per year to run: heat, cool, water, power gas etc. Passive solar design can put a dint in that firstly by choosing the correct site. Secondly by thoughtful placement of rooms, doors and windows, length of eaves, materials, colours and garden planting. This should all be meticulously planned before turning soil.

Placing the living rooms on a long north facing side of a site with larger windows, having long eaves to protect the windows from summer sun, creates a great start on home comfort and lowering of running costs. Larger multi-purpose rooms that can be closed to adjoining areas are very effective in keeping the size of home down while still allowing space for every activity. For instance: having a combined kitchen, dining and family area with a desk for home management, school work, hobbies etc ensures the children can be supervised on computers and homework, all phones might charge and be used in this area not in secret in a study.  

Careful thinking through a house plan can reduce the need for and cost of additional space. For a new build, of course this is easier but looking at an existing home, room uses can be changed, windows added &or the garden arranged to assist the homes comfort. More of this another time.

If your house is not as comfortable as you would like or your running costs are high, we can assist by suggesting changes that do not equate to full renovation.​

A second floor to your home might present as a great idea: it will not spoil the garden except through construction, creates the additional rooms needed, can separate kids from grown ups or create a quiet private meditation or work place.
 
But a few things to heed:

• The loss of a room on ground floor for the stair well will be roughly a minimum seven square meters which is equivalent to a small bedroom.
• To avoid a pokey dark “stair tunnel” some space is required for an open two level void with window placement a sizable consideration with regards to easy of cleaning, repainting of repair.
• Space on the upper and lower floors for shower, toilet, vanity is paramount for safety and convenience. Eliminate the need for further expense and suffering to be relocated  if a broken leg means you can't get upstairs to the shower.
• Fitness: How probable are you to feel like dashing up & down stairs for any little thing. Fancy leaving glasses upstairs when breakfast and paper are ready down in the kitchen? Coffee is on kitchen bench downstairs when the plan was to sit in the upstairs study and keep working: it becomes another exerciser.
• The regulations for avoiding overlooking and overshadowing neighbours' properties are praiseworthy but I do not believe they work effectively. The calculations for the suns overshadowing are taken for September and March doing away with winter sun angle calculations that are vital to neighbour's passive solar design. Therefore neighbours may have a brilliant plan that is warmed for free in winter until you build your second story and from then on through the coldest months of each year they are in the shade, paying for mechanical heating and cursing your new renovation. The design and its effects on surroundings can be carefully calculated on paper first which is a vital process for an amicable, useful and worthwhile outcome for all.
• A home on acreage need not add the second story expense when using the land to extend would be more efficient.
• Costs for stairs, handrail, finishing of or building in below can add up quickly. An additional one little room at the top of the stairs can turn out to be a superfluous and expensive undertaking.

 
Care and thought needs to ensure the second story is not over capitalising and is a worthwhile undertaking.

To build a new home is very exciting and allows for plenty of day dreaming. A new life in a different environment, enjoying your friends, family and aquaintences in a place you have thought about carefully. It can also be a sizable amount of work. It will be dearer, more work, time and complication for all involved if the details are not thought through carefully, decisions finalised and builders and tradesmen left with the plans and specification to follow the instructions and in the correct order.

One really needs to build the site, home, garden on paper FIRST.

Taking plenty of time to "sleep on it" but to be definate in the decisions, thorough in details of construction, materials, colours, finishes. And then to leave the work to the blokes.

First: Every detail of the plan needs to be resolved, then the construction materials. Once that is decided, there are the fittings & fixtures: kitchen, laundry and bathroom materials, details and colours. Also appliances and furnishings. Of course pricing will influence everything and having clear paperwork & notation makes the process far more sequential and mandanageable. Choices can be made based on availability, tradesmen and pricing.

Having problems with decisions? Think: in five years time will this really matter? What is the worst that can happen? Help yourself and the builders but not flip flopping! The process becomes exciting not daunting, clear not confusing & decisive based on actual quotes, samples, availability, tradesmen and not surprises!

Any changes the clients make to a builder's contract adds dollars and time to the whole build. Builders are within their rights to add a percentage to the changes of construction and materials. He has to ensure for changes that he has allowed extra time for his part and for all his tradesmen including additional insurance cover. Each and every time this happens every tradesman runs the risk of confusions, loss of time and materials. It is a little known fact of how many trades are affected by the smallest variations. A wider entry may mean more tiles, grout and time for the tiler, less carpet but no less of a laying job than the origional size. It could affect the plasterers, electrician, carpenter.

The garden is an intergal part of the comfort of the home so should also be thought through before soil is turned. It maybe affected by where the outside doors are, window placement and paths. Once the home construction is finished spreading a big bag of lawn seed can assist until the full garden plan is realised.​

Firstly plan as much of the detail of the home on paper as you can, gather samples and colours. Make decisions and stick to them. And avoid costly changes!

Vital to design ethos is PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN.
This blog will explore:
What does this mean? and
Why and how is it to be incorporate it into our homes?

ORIENTATION
Design to allow the sunshine into as much of the living areas as possible. In winter this maybe all the heating required. For summer we shade the windows which is not difficult as the sun is at a higher angle. Present a shoulder to the worst of the weather usually from the south or west: ideal for garage, laundry, bathrooms where windows are smaller and rooms used less often. Be sure to take into account features of the site: slope, views, established trees or gardens etc. ·   ZONES: Where possible plan living areas to the north as per above.  Be conscious of social and private areas, vistas and air transfer between the two. Air-locks at external doors will retain the heat or cool comfort separated in the main rooms. 

CONSTRUCTION
Using materials that are excellent at insulating and have high thermal mass (like bricks and concrete that absorb heat from sun and disperse it into surroundings when the air temperature is lower) ensures a minimum of temperature variation. With a well sealed building this will assist the maintenance of a comfortable living environment. 

GARDEN
​The surrounding spaces to the home are often established as an after thought but would be more beneficial if designed along with the house plan. Planting larger trees, roughing in levels and planning "outdoor rooms" can be started more easily before the build is too advanced. The finished spaces will influence the comfort of the home a great deal. 

None of the above suggestions add to the initial costs of the build but assist the consistent temperature control that adds to our comfort. More importantly it will reduce the power and gas bills substantially which in turn lowers our dependence on the non-renewable resources of the Earth: and that has to be a great thing!

Your home is too small, old and tired, but the family are settled, it's in a great area, and relocating is our of the question. There are changing needs as the family grows and you are inspired by the reality and renovation TV programs. But where do you start! It is not easy to avoid months of heartache trying to find good tradesmen, even if you can describe what you want or produce the perfect plan.

That's where KITCHEN AND HOME SKETCH DESIGNS can help, by offering you a unique, personalised and affordable service. We will produce a plan that clients own and can take to cabinet makers or builders, simplifying the process and avoiding all too common renovation disasters.

Based in Frankston, Margot knows how to create a plan that will best suit a family and take advantage of solar aspect, views, garden and local features. Margot designs kitchens, laundry, bathrooms, renovations, extensions and/or new homes and can create scaled plans for comparison. Working independently of builders and cabinet makers she says:  ​

Margot itemises materials, finishes, brands and even colours if required. Her fee for a standard, in situ stand alone kitchen design plan and elevations starts at just $400. Qualified in Architectural Drafting, Margot does the all important design and planning. Adding a 'woman's touch', listening, incorporating hobbies and interests, she covers all the 'what if's.' ​