Pacific Homes is proud of the fact that we participate in supplying one of the two most basics things in life, either of which we cannot exist without… food and “shelter”.
The evolution of shelters continues today as never before, from contemporary to traditional, cottage to estate, leading edge technology and totally unique designs, clients have additional choices to make when planning their new home.
Some clients are driven by eye candy (aesthetics of the home), some come with an environmental commitment, some with a desire to build the most energy efficient home possible, sometimes we choose to be leading edge, or just building a new place as economically as possible. Different designs come at different costs, particularly when building in various climate zones.
The challenge as always with building a new home is… how can I pull this all together so that I like what I see, I’m building responsibly and long term, and I’m meeting my budget to build the home that I want. Along with the reality of so many different styles of homes being built, comes the reality that not all homes the same size cost the same amount of money to build. For instance the contemporary home design (popular today)… with almost flat roofs, lots and lots of glass, timber accents, etc., though simple in design, can be more costly to build due to many, larger windows, flat long roof spans, engineering challenges, etc. When one tries to combine design with energy efficiency and budget… often compromise is required and sometimes wish lists need to be revised slightly.
Often in the conversation between myself and a client I will stop the conversation and ask that we simply have an open and frank discussion… “the honest conversation.” Raised eyebrows, a bit of shifting in our seats, a puzzled look or two and then a real relationship begins. When we are honest with ourselves about what we want up front and with direct communication about products to use for your particular building location and environment, and the effect on the budget and overall goals. You will be surprised how varied the costs are in building the same home in a different location. For example the variation in building code, the availability of tradesmen and equipment, the environment that you have to address, all effect the budget and therefore the design you choose to build.
“How do I wade through this quagmire of choices?” Our Pacific Homes team will help you work your way through this process. You can also bring an additional level of knowledge to the conversation. One very simple way to educate yourself prior to beginning your building project is to simply ask a general contractor (very important… in the area where you want to build) what the average cost per sq ft you should allow when planning your new home. Also understand what is most important to you… design, energy efficiency, cost of construction (budget), where can I compromise if necessary, what are the on going long term costs to maintain my new “shelter”, and so on.
It is exciting to work on projects that have challenges, are innovative, leading edge, as well as projects that are nostalgic and just feel like “home” or down right funky. Bring us your challenges, designs, wish lists and honesty… we look forward to each and every project, bringing our customers’ dream homes to life.