Basic Principles For Designing Your Dream House
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Article by: Jere Botes Before setting your mind on a particular choice of plan , Attic Ladders or architectural design, , Tax Credit for Going Solar take the time to read through the following pointers as set out below, subsequently you will be able to make a more knowledgeable decision in plan design , ALL ABOUT COLOR: BED AND BATH TRENDS TODAY & style choice. SIZE The size of the proposed house , Dishwasher Detergent Cup A Sticky Situation will often be determined by budget for most 1st time builders in South Africa but other factors will also play a big role. Local , Natural Gas Grills municipalities will always stipulate a certain coverage and height restriction for a site in a particular area. Read through your title deed for possible servitudes (areas as set out by the municipality for other uses eg. Electrical or sewerage services) or other restrictions before planning is started as these might also greatly reduce buildable area on your erf. Take a look at the following typical example: You have just bought a lovely stand at the coast with a great view towards the sea. The size of the stand is 600sqm (20m X 30m) with a 3m building , The Right Tool - Venetian Plasters line all around. You contact the local , House Plans: The Best Investments authority or estate architect and find out that only a 40% coverage is allowed for this stand and that the 1st floor , Shower Filters - Why are they Important to Have? may only be 30% of the groudfloor area to not restrict sea views for the neighbouring houses. , Choice, or too much choice You might be surprised how limited your building , Make Existing Dinnerware Fancy and Fashionable area has become with the above parameters: The stand's building , Introduction on How to Lay Floor Tiles With an Epoxy Adhesive area is reduced to 336sqm by the building , Constructing Your Own Hammocks line alone, furthermore the coverage only allows for a 240sqm max. building , Metal Carports: Steel Carport Guide footprint with a 72sqm upper floor. , Choice, or too much choice Therefore the building , Bathroom Wall Cabinets Create Extra Space with a Touch of Style! limit for this stand would be 312sqm. The above example might seem irrelevant, but often other factors eg. Orientation of the site might further difficult the situation. FUTURE EXTENSION Are you planning to have more children? Do you have ageing parents that might require a living unit on your property? You might be retiring in a couple of years and may feel the need to provide space for a hobby area / workshop / library that you envisage for the future. You could also be planning to start your own home , Attic Ladders based business in the future and might need extension space to your home , Tin Ceilings Have So Many Virtues at that time. According to statistics, South Africans typically stay in a house , Water ionizers - every home needs one for apprx. 7 years and might move around more that other established countries, but often families become comfortable with their current accommodation and find it less troublesome to extend to their existing house , Introduction on How to Lay Floor Tiles With an Epoxy Adhesive than moving to a new bigger house. , Pros of Using Geothermal For Your Home With the above in mind, you might want to plan , Appliance Part Service your new proposed house , Three Types of Lighting for Room Remodeling to be able to accommodate possible future extension. SIZE OF YOUR EXISTING FURNITURE Make sure that the planned room , Introduction on How to Lay Floor Tiles With an Epoxy Adhesive sizes will be able to accommodate your existing furniture. , Natural Gas Grills You might own huge antiques or double beds , Installing Discount Laminate Flooring for all the bedrooms. With the always rising building , Tin Ceilings Have So Many Virtues costs secondary bedrooms are often designed to only accommodate a single bed. , Building Saunas 5 Tips On How To Build Your Own Sauna You might also want to take time to carefully consider the size of the garage. , Wholesale Hardwood Flooring Isn't That Just For Retailers? A standard double garage , Whirlpool Refrigerator - Is It Right for You? is considered to be 6x6m but doesn't leave any space for storage or perhaps a DIY-corner especially if you own large vehicles. ORIENTATION Often the shape of the site and/or possible views has a huge effect on the placement of the building, , How to Plan and Estimate Costs for a Bathroom Remodeling Project but keep the following in mind before before putting pen to paper: Minimize west facing window , House Plans: The Best Investments openings as far as possible , rooms , Choosing And Cleaning Shower Curtains facing west can really become uninhabitable during the late afternoon until early evening. Also western sun , How to Paint Your Own Artwork - And Save Money can be very destructive for curtains, furniture , Seven Drywall Finishing Tips etc. Try to minimize east facing bedrooms also unless you are an early riser, as the sun , Appliance Part Service can wake one up a lot sooner than was planned. Often residences on the eastern coast of the country have views toward the east thus too many east facing bedrooms has to be considered carefully. The perfect orientation in SA for all habitable rooms , Bed Feng Shui: 8 Important Considerations in a house , Clutter Busters: Simple Strategies For Cleaning Up Your Act is 10 degrees east of north to minimize the heat , Dishwasher Detergent Cup A Sticky Situation in summer , Make Existing Dinnerware Fancy and Fashionable and in the cold winter , Natural Gas Grills months when the sun , The Benefits of Used Air Compressors is lower creates less shadows and more heat , Pre-Built Sauna Rooms You Can Assemble in 1 Hour radiation in the habitable rooms. , Conserve Energy for a Better Quality of Life When planning the positioning of your house , Choosing And Cleaning Shower Curtains on the site, the position of sewer connection should be kept in mind - Try to keep sewer line lengths to a minimum. The garages , Clutter Busters: Simple Strategies For Cleaning Up Your Act should also be planned close to the site entrance to keep the driveway area to a minimum to keep paving costs down. (Most local , Constructing Your Own Hammocks authorities do however require a minimum of 6m driveway for visitor vehicle stacking) SHAPE OF HOUSE Shape of house , How to Paint Your Own Artwork - And Save Money - Take into account that the more complex (many corners) the plan , The Practicalities of Walk In Bathtubs the more the cost, also a square shape is more cost effective than a long rectangle, for example if you build a square house , A Guide to Choosing the Best Security Mailboxes of 10x10m (100sqm) the total brick perimeter would be 40m, however if you build a 100sqm rectangular house , Choice, or too much choice of say 5x20m, the external envelope will be 50m in perimeter. The above is exaggerated, but illustrates the idea. Try to keep away from excessive curves in the design , How to Plan and Estimate Costs for a Bathroom Remodeling Project of the external envelope, in particular when building , Natural Gas Grills a conventional roof , Bedding is Fashion for the Bed and not a thatch or concrete roof, , How Your Light Fitting Could Save You Money! as this might require building , Tax Credit for Going Solar unnecessary extra roof , Constructing Your Own Hammocks ridges and breaking up of roof tiles , The 5 Things that Spoil Your Home to accommodate this. It will often be a nightmare to build you might have a lot of waterproofing issues. If the plan , Bad News Critters - Beware of Animals in Crawl Spaces of the design , The Benefits of Used Air Compressors is very complex, it might also require building , Dishwasher Detergent Cup A Sticky Situation unnecessary parapet walls , Wholesale Hardwood Flooring Isn't That Just For Retailers? to accommodate the roof , Consider Painting Contractors for Your Next Project structure which leads to extra flashing (more potential for leakage) If you live in very windy conditions eg. The False bay area in the Cape, you should consider building , Consider Painting Contractors for Your Next Project the shape not to 'catch' the wind but with its back to it. ARCHITECTURAL STYLE a Lot of themed estates have been rising up all over the country for a number of reasons. If you have bought into one of these estates, you should obtain a copy of the Aesthetic committee's rules and regulations , Tax Credit for Going Solar regarding the allowed architectural styles as they often have a strict architectural theme that owners must adhere to. Roofing The architectural style of a house , Appliance Part Service often bring about many variances of roof , Cleaning Your Kitchen Cabinets design. Concrete roofs , Shower Filters - Why are they Important to Have? (Contemporary styles) typically has no eaves overhang and is not optimal for our country's generally sunny conditions and rooms , Time To Replace Shingles? could often be very hot , Appliance Part Service as the sun heats , Constructing Your Own Hammocks a larger portion of a room's floor , Time To Replace Shingles? area which is retained and make the home's ambient temperature , Clutter Busters: Simple Strategies For Cleaning Up Your Act a lot warmer. The 'Tuscan' look as adopted by South Africans around the country, also characteristically features , The Practicalities of Walk In Bathtubs very small eaves roof , Hot Tub Cover - Essential Accessory For Your Hot Tub overhangs, which again is not favourable for sunny conditions for the same reason as mentioned above, what makes it even worse than that of a concrete roof , The Right Tool - Venetian Plasters is the weather , Three Types of Lighting for Room Remodeling proofing of this way of roof , How to Paint Your Own Artwork - And Save Money design. Driving rain can cause moisture , Bedroom Feng Shui: 8 Important Considerations to easily, and do, creep in below the eaves and create moisture , Tin Ceilings Have So Many Virtues leakage into the building. , Shower Filters - Why are they Important to Have? You might have a lot of stained ceilings within a years' time. If you are fond of this look, consider having larger overhangs which can be done without compromising this 'style' Thatch roofing , Seven Drywall Finishing Tips can be quite a bit more expensive that conventional roofing , How to Paint Your Own Artwork - And Save Money but allows for a great cool atmosphere within such a building , Tin Ceilings Have So Many Virtues perfect for South Africa's sunny conditions. Gable walled architecture where the gable extends past the roof , Introduction on How to Lay Floor Tiles With an Epoxy Adhesive are often considered to be very attractive, but keep in mind that the roofs , Kitchen Faucet Buying tips will have to be flashed at all the gables and if not done properly has an increased chance of water , The Right Tool - Venetian Plasters leakage into the house. , Building Saunas 5 Tips On How To Build Your Own Sauna Windows & Doors Consider the size of the window , Tax Credit for Going Solar openings. Windows , Wholesale Hardwood Flooring Isn't That Just For Retailers? can be wood, , Building Saunas 5 Tips On How To Build Your Own Sauna steel, aluminium, top-hung, side-hung, sliding etc. in the end the style of the house , Metal Carports: Steel Carport Guide will mostly influence the type of window , Bad News Critters - Beware of Animals in Crawl Spaces but if unsure about sizing of openings refer back to the orientation section earlier. The NBR specifies a daylight opening of at least 10% of the floor , How to Paint Your Own Artwork - And Save Money area of a room Where possible always try to create as much cross ventilation to habitable rooms , Make Existing Dinnerware Fancy and Fashionable as possible. Where doors , Pros of Using Geothermal For Your Home face towards the west, consider the maintenance and material of these. In windy conditions, try to keep doors , Tin Ceilings Have So Many Virtues screened from the prevailing wind side especially large leafed swing doors. , Bedroom Feng Shui: 8 Important Considerations Folding & stacking doors , Time To Replace Shingles? are great to enhance the living towards the outdoor , Time To Replace Shingles? feeling and for ventilation, but keep the width of these to a minimum as problems with the sliding gear often arise when the spans are too vast. When using sliding doors , Seven Drywall Finishing Tips or folding & stacking doors , Tax Credit for Going Solar in bedrooms, make sure to include a window , Exterior Paint Schemes For Historical Houses in the room , The Practicalities of Walk In Bathtubs no matter what the size of the door , Water ionizers - every home needs one opening, as you might want to lock , Bedroom Feng Shui: 8 Important Considerations these doors , Whirlpool Refrigerator - Is It Right for You? at night time for security , How to Plan and Estimate Costs for a Bathroom Remodeling Project or other reasons and still have ventilation into the room. , The Practicalities of Walk In Bathtubs Often designers , The Benefits of Used Air Compressors create doors , The Right Tool - Venetian Plasters the whole length of the exterior wall , Guide to Finding the Best Hardwood Flooring, Bamboo Flooring, or Bruce Hardwood Flooring of a room , ALL ABOUT COLOR: BED AND BATH TRENDS TODAY and this gets overlooked. Walls Walls , The Benefits of Used Air Compressors can be facebrick, plastered, stone , The Benefits of Used Air Compressors walls, stone , Bedroom Feng Shui: 8 Important Considerations cladded, wooden , Will Your Home Improvements Pay You Back? logs, tiled, aluminium panel cladded etc. When considering the above always keep in mind the time and costs of maintenance and the construction cost. For example: Plastered walls , Attic Ladders might require painting , Bad News Critters - Beware of Animals in Crawl Spaces every 3-6 years but could cost significantly less to construct that a facebrick wall , Bedding is Fashion for the Bed which requires virtually no maintenance. Also keep in mind, that a plastered building , Water ionizers - every home needs one could be livened up after a couple of years by painting , A Guide to Choosing the Best Security Mailboxes it another colour , The Practicalities of Walk In Bathtubs to give the house , Kitchen Faucet Buying tips a fresh look, with most other wall , Make Existing Dinnerware Fancy and Fashionable finishes you will not have the opportunity to provide the house , How to Plan and Estimate Costs for a Bathroom Remodeling Project with a fresh look at the same low cost. MATERIALS When deciding upon a particular architectural style, consider the materials that typically accompany that style. Factors that may influence your decision: Colours Heat , Constructing Your Own Hammocks absorption Costs Maintenance Ageing Availability in your area Labour , Consider Painting Contractors for Your Next Project intensiveness Practicality BUILDING REGULATIONS If designing your own house , ALL ABOUT COLOR: BED AND BATH TRENDS TODAY plan, make sure to obtain a copy of the South African building regulations , Kitchen Faucet Buying tips (SABS) as many rules regarding typically: sizes, heights, fire , Conserve Energy for a Better Quality of Life prevention, lighting, ventilation are required to be incorporated into a design. , Pre-Built Sauna Rooms You Can Assemble in 1 Hour All our library designs , A Guide to Choosing the Best Security Mailboxes were done by Architects or professional house designers , Kitchen Faucet Buying tips and all the plans , Tax Credit for Going Solar conform to all the codes as set out in the SA building regulations. , Cleaning Your Kitchen Cabinets
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