Over the years I have seen many builders put up many reasons for making houses bigger and more expensive.
Here are some of the additions that you wouldn’t have found in many houses 30-40 years ago.
En-Suite
Walk in Robe
Rumpus Room
Study
Breakfast Room
Theatre Room
Parents Retreat
Butlers Pantry
Al-Fresco
Whether you ‘Need’ these rooms, or think they will improve your life is up to you. . . . just remember that for every extra room that puts up the cost of your house.
Some a site plan will say the levels relate to AHD and other times the levels will relate to a TBM . .. but what is the difference?
AHD – Australian Height Datum
Between 1966 and 1968 sea level was measured at 30 sites around Australia.
Based on these measurements a Mean Sea Level was assigned for each point.
From the individual points a mean sea level for Australia was established for Australia and given the level 0.000m AHD.
This has allowed the establishment of levels at thousands of points across Australia. (The photo shows a typical survey marker)
All surveys which are available to the public (For example: Flood Level Predictions, must show levels based on AHD)
Interestingly the sea level can vary considerably from AHD depending where you are in Australia.
An example would be the Gold Coast where the following applies:
Mean Sea Level 0.850m AHD
High tide 1.890m AHD (Mean High Water Springs)
Low tide 0,23m AHD (Mean Low Water Springs)
TBM – Temporary Bench Mark
There is an expense in transferring a level from a survey point to your block so your block can be surveyed with AHD levels and contours.
This will vary from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars depending on how close the block is to a survey marker.
Unless the survey company is aware of the need for the survey to be based on AHD levels they will base their survey on a TBM to save you money.
They will normally assign a level to the corner of a drain grate or inspection cover frame. Typically this will be a round number such as 10.00m or 100.00m.
If you need the levels changed to AHD at a later stage they can extend the survey to calculate the AHD level at the TBM and then adjust the levels.
Could it be because there isn’t room to fit the car because the doors open into the garage? (taking around 1.0m off the effective length of the garage)
There is a reason why garage doors either lift or open outwards!
It is a normal glass that has an extremely thin, transparent coating applied. (Single glazed low-E glass is peculiar to Australia)
The coating reflects part of the ultraviolet, and infrared light, while allowing most of the visible light through.
In Australia the main advantage is that it helps cut down the amount of summer direct sunlight coming through the windows and overheating rooms.
A secondary benefit is it will reflect some of the heat back into a room in winter reducing the radiant heat loss through the glass.
A disadvantage is that the coating may be damaged by cleaning.
Suitable For All Orientations?
A Low-E Glass reduces solar gain in winter as well as summer.
North Facing
I definitely wouldn’t recommended Low-E glass or Reflective Films for sun control for windows where you expect to get the advantage of heat from the sun in Winter. That is North facing windows . . . proper shading will be a better solution.
East or West Facing
Low-E glass will be a better performer for East and West Windows although I would be going for a highly reflective film myself.
South Facing
Some practical issues are; is difficult to clean, can spontaneous fracture from thermal shock, and its performance won’t be close to double glazing.
Typical Performance
Total Solar Energy Rejected 49%
(Higher % = less heat in summer)
Glare Reduction 22%
(Higher % = less glare)
Ultraviolet Rejection 99%
(Higher % = less harmful UV rays)
For much of my life I have worked in the Water Industry including designing and operating water treatment plants. . . but I never thought about anyone wanting to live in one.
When you are looking at building a house the builder will be happy to encourage you to upgrade, telling you you are adding to the value of the home.
Follow their advice and you might be disappointed!
It’s much harder to sell the most expensive house in the street than the cheapest.
You may have to drop your price to even get anyone to look at the house!
Taste
Taste is a very personal matter so something you think is good taste may be considered over the top by someone else.
Similarly fashions changes so a house which may be very fashionable when built may be considered dated after 3-4 years.
One persons idea of quality finishing may be much different to someone else.
The List
Here are my 8 ways which could lose you money!
Pools and Spas
Most pools and Spas are only used for 4 – 5 months a year, but need to be maintained for the whole 12 months.
Although there are lots of people that like a pool there are as many who look at a pool like me and think “Time, Power, Chemicals, Child Safety, No Thanks!“
I see there are now companies specialising in filling up pools!
Top Of The Range Kitchens
I would agree that kitchens do help to sell houses . . . so it is worth paying for decent cupboard doors and counter tops.
Just don’t go over the top; you are never going to get back what it cost for that imported marble counter when most people will be happy with Caesarstone.
The same goes for $3,000 plus imported 6 burner stoves with double ovens, not a lot of use for working families where the microwave is more commonly used, and takeaways are common.
Expensive Bathrooms
After kitchens bathrooms are the most expensive rooms in most houses.
Like kitchens there are a lot of expensive upgrades . . . but when I look around bathroom showrooms I find it hard to see much difference between a $200 toilet and a $500 toilet.
The same goes for basins, tap wear and tiles.
Go for a free standing bath and you really need extra room to set it off so with additional building costs that $3000 bath has cost you upwards of $10,000,
Expensive Light Fittings
I was walking past a shop that sells chandeliers the other day and couldn’t resist going in for a look.
There wasn’t much for sale under $1,000, and a very fine line in appearance between classy and over the top!
Home Office
If you full time work from home you may want a home office, but some are fairly small.
Make sure it is big enough to be converted to a bedroom.
Don’t go for an expensive built in furnished office, free standing furniture is the way to go. . . That way people will be able to see the potential to convert to a bedroom.
For most of us who do some occasional work at home see this link: Mission Control
Man Cave
A pool table and some sporting pictures on the wall may be However some people go for themed rooms of which this this Alien inspired home theatre is an extreme example.
Huge potential to give children, and grandchildren, nightmares
This is likely to put off many more buyers than it interests.
Expensive Landscaping
Landscaping is another area where buyers may or not appreciate your taste.
Whichever way it is they are unlikely to want to pay much more for an extensively landscaped property.
Once you have provided; a path round the house, some shrubs to hide the fence, and a lawn for the remainder, you have covered the basics.
Dodgy DIY
When people they can save money by doing some of the fit out of themselves I always remember looking for a house around 30 years ago.
The owner proudly said ” I built this kitchen myself.” as both my wife and I thought ‘Yes, we know, because it looks really amateurish.”
When we considered what it would cost to rip it out, and replace it with a professional looking kitchen we quickly lost interest in that house.
I’m not saying don’t do any of these upgrades . . . . just understand they are your lifestyle choices, so you are unlikely to receive the money you put in them when you sell.
