There’s no doubt building or renovating a home can be a daunting task… where on earth do you begin?
Luckily, you can put the hard work into the trusty hands of the professionals.
Having worked as an architect for over 25 years, Carolyn Mclean has an eye for unique and practical architectural designs.
We sat down with Carolyn in her quaint, sunlit Queensland cottage, where she gave us 4 tips to consider before beginning a development on your home.
Watch the interview here:
Tip 1: Consider what the reason is behind the project
The first tip is to think about why you are doing the project. Is it to buy, renovate and sell for profit, or are you looking at creating a beautiful home for yourself and your family.
If you’re looking to sell the property, then there are certain elements that we can focus on to increase the value of your home.
If you’re looking at creating a family home, then we will look at your lifestyle. It’s important to create an area that is practical for your lifestyle now and in the future.
Tip 2: Do your research and make sure you have all the correct approvals
First things first, you need to do your research.
You can go to the council and find out what the regulations are for building and renovating on that particular site. These could be things such as setbacks or height constrictions.
You must also be aware if there are any restrictions in terms of what you can do to the property. If for some reason it is heritage listed, there are certain regulations you must follow.
Tip 3: Consider the orientation of the house in the site.
To me, it’s really important to renovate and build to make most of light and ventilation.
Firstly, make sure that you understand the orientation of the property in the site.
You can find out from the Bureau of Meteorology where the predominant winds come from in your area.
For tropical/sub-tropical climates like we have here in Queensland, it’s really important to capture those breezes all year round.
Consider the best way to get natural light in your home. For example, I would have living areas of the home North facing so that all day you have natural light, while also being protected from the harsh sun.
Tip 4: Consider the natural style of your home
Here in Brisbane we have a lot of older timber and tin houses.
With many of these houses being quite old builds, there can sometimes be regulations that stop them from being demolished.
From there, there’s two decisions you can make; firstly, you can keep in character and do extensions to the home, or define the old and the new separately by adding on a contemporary extension.
To find out more about Carolyn’s experience as an architect, read our story Brisbane Style.
https://www.myplaceourplace.com/blog/bulimba/latest-trends-in-architecture?rq=carolyn
For more advice on beginning your renovation, Carolyn will be speaking at the ‘Design, Renovate, Build Like a Pro’ event at Fortitude Valley’s Mitchell Fine Art, 22 August 6.30pm. This is a free community event, so book your spot today.
