It all starts with your home design but it doesn’t end there! Putting a generic design, promotional or display home on your block often works but may not necessarily be the best way of maximising the blocks potential. Ken Little Homes can provide you with design concepts and ideas specifically catered to suit your individual block.

Some good questions to ask yourself when thinking of a house design are:

Is your block rectangler like the rest of them?

Most promotional and display homes are designed to fit on a majority of generic size blocks. When applying these to a odd shape block it often results in a lot of wasted space.

Does your block have a slope on it?

Not all vacant sites are flat. Incorporating retaining or alternative design methods to initial planning can be of great benefit to the finished product. For example your block may well be suited for an under croft garage, a split level or a two story stepping up the block. Such designs can save on site works, drainage and boundary retaining costs while creating a much better living habitat. Choosing the right kind of retaining can also affect where your fence can be installed and how it will look when finished.

Do you have something worth looking at?

If you live near the ocean or just have a nice scenic outlook from your block you need to make the best of the opportunity you have to exploit these advantages. Just as we can give you advice on limiting your design and specification not to overcapitalise a property, we can also advise when it is appropriate to go to the next level to create desirable outdoor living areas and sweeping balconies which maximise your scenic disposition.

How big do you want your homes to be?

The size of the land combined with overall budget will dictate the potential and possibilities of your design. The Reality is that if you are on a budget you will either have the opportunity to build a bigger home with a basic finish or a smaller home with a higher level of finish. Knowing where you stand from the beginning can save you a lot of heartache later so it’s an important factor to think through before you get too far into the design process.

Ken Little Homes has completed several unit developments and as such we have a number of unit plans to choose from which may be suitable for your block. With Ken’s background in unit developments we can help you design something that will work best for your development site and help you maximise your returns. A few points you should consider when thinking of starting a unit development;

Make sure you buy the land in the correct names

Buying land either through a company, a trust or in one or multiple personal names can have various   financial impacts depending on the intended end use for the property. Whether you intend to move in, rent or sell, getting this wrong could cost you money down the track. We always suggest discussing this with your accountant or financial planner before you write up an offer and acceptance on  land you intend to purchase.

Ensure you understand what development costs you’ll be up for

Unlike a standard single house build there are associated extra building cost dependant on the unit design, land disposition and locality. On top of this you will be required to pay for additional development costs such as;

• Strata & Green title application
• New power dome connections
• New sewer connections
• WAWA Headworks fees

Know your target market

What do I need to produce to maximise the potential of the area and market value on completion? Make sure you investigate the area properly understand you target market demographic and produce an end product that is suited to the area. You don’t want to overcapitalise as much as you don’t want to undercapitalise. I always suggest you try to have at least one point of difference which can help your development stand out above the rest.

These are just some of the many considerations we would like you to take into account when you take on your next unit development. The better informed you are prior to undertaking a unit development can greatly effect your potential return. So choose the most suitable design for your block and a builder who cares about what they are building and how well it is suited to your needs.