Designing Your Home

• This is the part that is the most fun and the most exciting...
• This is where you create your home in your imagination, then to design...
• This is where your dreams can begin to become reality...

Check out our NEW Design Guide - Full of great informatiin, insights and ideas for people designing their home

Some of New Zealand's leading architects and designers share their knowledge with you

Go here for Designing Your House Overview

1. Steps to Designing Your House
2. Different types of House Designers
3. Advice on Preparing Budgets

Go here for advice on Building Costs and Financing

1. Options for Financing
2. Working Out What You Can Afford
3. Working Out What it's Going to Cost
4. Renovation and Alteration Costs
5. Paying For It
6. Progress Payments
7. Contract Works Insurance
8. Third Party Builders Guarantee

Go here for advice on Choosing an Architect or Designer

1. The Differences between Architects, Architectural Designers and Architectural Draughtsman
2. What they charge
3. What services they provide
4. What Group Home Builders can offer
5. Hints and Tips

Go here for Hints & TIps and Help on Working Out What You Want

1. Help to nail down exactly what you want from your house design
2. Hints and tips that we've learned along the way

Go here for advice on Home Design Gallery & Ideas (in progress)

1. A portfolio of home design st
2. Different design features that you can incorporate into your home
3. Come back to visit - this page will develop over time

Go here for Your Responsibilities in the Building Process

1. Checklists on the Planning stage and Post-Construction stage

Go here for Advice on Sustainable Building

1. Ten easy steps to a more sustainable house design
2. Places to go for more information
3. Things to consider at the start of your design

Go here for advice on Lifemark Design

1. Lifemark is a design philosophy that aims to ensure your house is designed to cater for your needs at differenct ages through your life
2. Learn how incorporating this approach to designing your home might make you money

Go here for Advice on Leaky Homes and Design Tips to avoid your home becoming a leaker 

1. Design issues leaving to leaking
2. Advice on how to find out if your home may be leaking

Go here for advice on Renovations and Additions

1. Considerations around renovating
2. Traps and tips

Go here for Third Party Builders Guarantees 

1. Why you should ask for one
2. What they cover
3. Where you can get them

Go here for Construction Contracts 

1. An essential part of your build
2. Different types of contracts
3. Resources for more information

Go here for Construction Insurance

1. Another essential part of your build
2. Why it's important
3. What is covered and what is NOT covered