How to design your own home

Site data

So far we have concentrated on the internal requirements but the design will also be shaped greatly by its "siting". Part of the design process involves gaining all the information you can not just about your site, but also neighbouring properties and the locality. The outcome of your analysis should be a scale site plan (preferably drawn on A2 size paper). The site plan should show the following:

1. Any tree over three metres in height and its exact location
2. Sewer, storm water, drinking water, electrical, and gas main locations and access points
3. Various "Australian Height Datum" levels of adjoining properties (floor levels, ridge levels, gutter levels and deck levels.
4. Neighbouring house "set backs"
5. Boundary lengths, locations and junctions
6. Contours at 5 metre intervals are necessary for sloping blocks

This list can be given to a surveyor for quotation. This will cost about $700 for a standard size block (as at Oct-2006). Photograph houses in the locality and research the local history - as patterns in earlier developments may lend itself to influencing your design which may help formulate a design that is sympathetic to the existing architecture in the neighbourhood. Planning controls (local councils and others) will impact on your design. Restrictions such as height limitations, preferred building forms and existing scale of architecture in the locality are all examples of planning controls that will impact your design. Have a look at your local council's web site. They are usually called Local Environmental Plans (LEP) or Development Control Plans (DCP).

It should be noted that if your site looks like it may have issues (e.g. unstable rocks, a very steep gradient, etc.) a geotechnical engineer should be engaged to advise you on the best location for your new home that will reduce building costs. Your site may also have restrictions that will be noted in your Section 149 Certificate, which is a document that forms part of your sales contract when you purchase the property. If you have owned the property for some time it is suggested that you apply to council for an updated certificate - as development requirements change over time. The Section 149 Certificate application form and many others can be found on your council's web sites but you will need to go to council chambers to lodge the application and pay the fee (approx. $120 as of the Oct-2006).

Call your local council and speak with the "on duty" building inspector and planner. Tell them you are designing a new home and ask them if there is anything that will affect the design of your new home.

This may sound like a great deal of work but if you do your research there won't be any surprises later, and your building will work the best it can on your particular site.