So you have just moved into your brand new home which you have spent countless of hours modifying and varying to make it your own little forever after. You made sure that every “t” was crossed and every “i” dotted in designing your perfect home, only to realise:
You don’t really appreciate the importance of a power point until you need one and there isn’t one nearby. Think of all the places where you may need a power point and get one installed. The usual culprits are in hallways, bedrooms for lighting and TV (generally on opposite sides of the room), garage workshop and the alfresco (for outdoor uses). Also make sure you get double power points and not the single ones.
Two-way light switches are a must. Make sure you have one at the beginning and end of every hallway and the top and bottom of every staircase. Otherwise, you’ll end up back tracking just to term off the light. You may also wish to consider dividing up the lights in a room into sections. This will help save some energy by only lighting that part of the room in use and not others (i.e. separate switches to light up the living room, kitchen areas and pendant lights etc).
With everything being on the wi-fi, it is easy to forget about data points. Data points allow you to connect straight to your modem/internet. A direct wired connection will always be better than a wi-fi connection, especially if you need the internet to be running at its optimal speed for Smart TV’s, gaming consoles and TV subscriptions (such as Netflix, Stan, Fetch TV etc). So don’t forget putting a data point where ever you need a fast and direct internet connection.
One of our tips is to raise the ceiling height to make your room look more spacious and welcoming. This is especially helpful in an open plan living setup. However, raising the ceiling height is only one step of the process. You also need to consider increasing the length of doors, sliding doors and overhead kitchen cupboards, so everything is proportionate with each other.
Naturally, the focus of any build is with the internal features and often, we don’t give the same amount of attention to the external features. Gas points, external power and provision for water connections are just as important as your internal selections, so take the time to consider these features. A gas point in the alfresco is a great idea if you love entertaining and having a BBQ with friends. Just make sure your BBQ is equipped for natural gas.
It may come as a surprise but privacy locks in bathrooms, ensuites or garage access doors may not necessarily be a standard that is included in the base price. Unless you are happy with no privacy, a lock is essential in these rooms. Make sure you ask your builder whether privacy locks are included and if so, where.
Ask questions… heaps of them and don’t be shy. If you do not ask, then you will never know. Do the research and make an informed decision! Know what is included and compare the differences.
The first 3 points, I personally experienced in my first build. I thought to myself “These are pretty important! Why hasn’t anyone explained this to me?” If you had the chance to do it all over again, what would your advice be. Share your experience with us so others can avoid these rookie mistakes and get their perfect home first time around.
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