The dwellings of my childhood were all quite tiny. Sometimes indigenous in that they were built from locally quarried stone, with bricks baked from on-site clay, or timber: grown, felled and milled in the district. In such houses the kitchen table was parliament, library, study, soapbox and sometimes a baby would be born onto it.…
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Paperwork Getting a house built isn’t easy – the design is only one part. Before you can start digging holes, or even clearing an area to begin to dig holes, there are numerous applications that need to be made and approvals granted. This is a summary of the process I undertook before construction even began…
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Part of a team Most projects will involve a number of consultants throughout the design and certification process: for 60k House this number has been seven (plus me). The following is an explanation of what consultants have been responsible for and when they have been involved. Cast in order of appearance: Land Surveyor The first…
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In my previous columns we have talked about budget and the initial briefing. This month we are going to look at your first ‘site visit’ with your architect. Taking it all in This is critical to an architect because he or she will want to design a home that best responds to the peculiarities of…
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The recent post ‘Bushfire Hazard Assessment FAQ’ explains the associated terminology. Here I talk about the implications the Bushfire Hazard Assessment had on the design of 60k House. Get an expert in early Before you make any decisions about where exactly to site your house it is first advisable to engage a bushfire hazard assessor.…
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Bushfire terminology explained Our bushfire hazard assessment expert answers all your frequently asked questions about building a home on a bushfire prone site: When do you need a bushfire assessment? You need a bushfire hazard assessment if you are building a house on a bushfire prone site. If you think that the site might…
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Talking about needs and desires In my last column we talked about how an architect talks about budget and some basic steps on managing the financial aspects of your new home or extension. This month we are going to look at the more exciting part of your ‘architectural first date’ – what you want to…
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Listen to the site After gaining an understanding of the site through Site Analysis and forming a Site Planning strategy (talked about in earlier posts) it was time to think about designing the building itself. To design effectively you need to address the brief (define the problem) before setting out to resolve it. The site…
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The design process Architects and designers are essentially problem solvers – they first need to identify the problem, and then resolve it through design. There is no defined path for design – it is often a meandering route that sees you wander down a dead-end alley before realising the solution you are looking for is…
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Talking budget with your architect In my last column we talked about why you might use an architect to design your home or addition – basically because they give advice and ideas you may not have thought of and because it lowers your risk of something going horribly wrong and costing you a lot more…
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