Building a new home is exciting, but there’s no getting around it: there are plenty of decisions to make.
Where do you want to live? How many bedrooms do you need? Single or double storey? Is a butler’s pantry essential? And what about that statement lighting you loved in the display home?
With different home designs, inclusions, upgrades and promotions to consider, it’s easy to get caught up in the options and lose sight of what matters most to you.
That’s why our new home consultant Sumit Sarup, based at our Alamora display centre in Tarneit, encourages buyers to think about their priorities in three simple categories: Must-Haves, Maybes and Love-Tos.
“I like to break things down into Must-Haves, Maybes and Love-Tos. It’s a simple way to work out where you really want to spend your budget,” he says.
It’s a straightforward approach that can help you focus your search, make the most of your budget and ultimately choose a home that works for the way you want to live.
Must-Haves: start with your non-negotiables
Your Must-Haves are the things your new home really needs to deliver. They’ll be different for everyone, depending on your lifestyle, family, budget and plans for the future.
For some buyers, location will be at the top of the list. For others, it could be having enough bedrooms for a growing family or finding a floorplan that accommodates visiting parents.
Your Must-Haves might include:
- a particular suburb or location
- your set overall budget
- minimum number of bedrooms
- single or double-storey design
- a particular floorplan or layout
- a guest bedroom or parents’ retreat
- a kitchen with a butler’s pantry
- structural features such as a void or particular staircase design.
The important thing is identifying what you’re not prepared to compromise on before you become distracted by everything else on offer.
These priorities can then form the foundation of your search and help you focus your budget where it matters most.
Maybes: what would make your home even better?
Once the essentials are accounted for, it’s time to think about your Maybes.
These are features you’d really like to have and that could enhance the look, functionality or enjoyment of your home, but they’re not crucial to making the home work for you.
Depending on your tastes, that might include:
- upgraded tapware or finishes
- Shaker-profile cabinetry
- upgraded external finishes
- higher ceilings
- engineered timber flooring
- other design upgrades that complement your preferred style.
Rather than treating every desirable feature as essential, a Maybe list gives you some flexibility. If the budget allows, great. If it doesn’t, you know your most important priorities have already been covered.
Love-Tos: the icing on the cake
Then come the Love-Tos.
These are the features you’ve perhaps always imagined having in your dream home but could comfortably live without if they don’t fit within your budget.
Think:
- a statement chandelier or feature lighting
- additional landscaping
- decorative upgrades
- an expansive dressing room fitout
- luxury finishes and other personalised design features.
If there’s room in the budget, your Love-Tos can bring another layer of personality to your home. But by placing them in a separate category, you can make those decisions without sacrificing the things that matter more to you.
Take your list with you when comparing builders
Your Must-Haves, Maybes and Love-Tos aren’t just useful when choosing your home. They can also make it easier to compare builders.
Different builders can have different standard inclusions, upgrades, promotions and pricing structures, which means comparing advertised prices alone may not give you the full picture.
“When you’re comparing builders, try to compare them against the same list of priorities,” says Sumit. “Look at what’s actually included and what you’d need to add to create the home you want.”
Ask what comes as standard and what will cost extra. Look closely at the materials, finishes and structural features being offered. And if you fall in love with something you see in a display home, ask whether it’s a standard inclusion or an upgrade.
Taking the same list of priorities to each builder gives you a clearer basis for comparison and can help you look beyond an advertised starting price, promotion or eye-catching display feature to understand what you’re actually getting for your budget.
Bringing your priorities to life
Of course, you don’t have to work through all those decisions alone.
For Sumit, being a new home consultant is about more than simply providing a price.
“My job isn’t just to give someone a price," he says. "I want to understand what they need from their home and help them find a design and options that make sense for them.”
Our standard inclusions may already tick off some of the items on your Must-Have or Maybe list. Understanding what’s already included can help you decide where you’d prefer to direct the rest of your budget.
Our online tools can also help you explore design options and associated pricing earlier in your journey, so you can start making informed decisions about what works for you.
Most importantly, ask plenty of questions. The more you understand about your home, its inclusions and your options, the easier it is to make choices with confidence.
Meet Sumit at Alamora
Sumit’s own homebuilding experience inspired him to join the building industry after building his new home in 2012. Today, he helps customers work through many of those same decisions at our Alamora display centre in Tarneit.
Sumit speaks English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, while his associate can also assist customers in Sinhalese, making it easier for more customers to discuss their needs and explore their new home options.
So, before you start comparing floorplans, promotions and finishes, try making three lists: your Must-Haves, Maybes and Love-Tos.
It’s a simple exercise that could make the many decisions involved in building a new home feel a whole lot easier.
