After selecting the site for your dream home, it can be confusing to determine what needs to be done next. You may consult architects, designers, or builders, or even speak with friends and family who have been through the process.
You might want to take things step by step, gather information for yourself, understand your site's potential, and make informed decisions that align your vision with constraints.
But it gets confusing. Everyone speaks their own experience or professionals only share their side of the story.
So, what's the key things to do?
1. Research the Rules other Restrictions:
Start by finding out all the rules and regulations impacting your site. This includes:
a. Restrictions under your certificate of title. This includes caveats and easements, which are sets of written agreements saved to your title, and easements, which are areas of land you own but others have registered interest in. You will need to design around all the restrictions.
b. Identify specific council rules that apply to your site. In the state of Victoria, search your address using this link to find your council's requirements: https://www.land.vic.gov.au/maps-and-spatial/first-time-here/property-and-parcel-search
Focus on the unique rules, such as flood, airplane flight paths, and the like. Read those and identify the restrictions, so you can adjust your vision before consulting professionals. For example, you shouldn’t build a basement rumpus, if you are on a flood plain.
There are other standard requirements, which you should delegate to your architect or designer as their task to work around. That's why the design process starts with sketch design, allowing you to review, comment, and approve sketches after the architect and designer consider general rules.
2. Trees:
All sites differ, and yours may have many trees. These trees may include not just large and high-value trees but also broken trees, weak and potentially dangerous trees, fruit trees, small trees, or trees that are weed species.
When you apply with the Council to remove a large number of trees, the Council may see this application as having a high impact on the site and the surrounding neighbours. And that 'large number of trees' may include those mentioned above.
It may be a good idea to engage a qualified arborist to remove trees, shrubs, weeds, fruit trees, and any other debris from the site as early as possible. If you remove any trees, you MUST engage a qualified arborist, so they can keep all records and remove only the trees that do not require permits.
3. Organise Land Survey:
Architects, builders, and other professionals always require an accurate land survey plan to ensure the design accurately measures the space available.
You don't want to design a bedroom size that you know needs 3.6m in width, only to find out you can only fit 3.2m and then have to adjust other rooms on site.
You can organise a land survey plan yourself and measure your site and the neighbouring property for all necessary features. Most land surveyors will have a package when they know you are measuring for a residential site to prepare for building one dwelling. You will need to know the neighbour’s site and house size and location for calculating shadows to design and prove compliance; make sure the land surveyor includes that in their package.
This process will also help identify any potential issues, such as drainage problems, steep slopes, or potential soil instability, which could affect the construction process. Additionally, the surveyor will establish property boundaries, easements, and setback requirements crucial for accurate planning and design.
4. Your Vision & look for Images:
Have a vision of how many bedrooms, bathrooms, toilets, and parking spaces are needed.
Pictures speak a thousand words. Visit Pinterest and downloading a picture of the style you like can save the architect/designer many hours, ultimately reducing your professional fees. It will be far more accurate then descriptive words such as 'contemporary style, Hampton
style, traditional style' or the like.
If you have a vision of a floor plan sketch that on grids on the Land Surveyor Plan, with each grid representing 1m. Presenting this layout to your architect, designer, or builder will minimise their time spent and potentially save you hours of professional fees.
Call or ask us a question if you want to learn more about your project.
Disclaimer: We assume no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions. The information is for general purposes only with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness, or timeliness. You must engage a suitable consultant for your specific situation.