If you’re looking to build your own home or redevelop an existing one, this article might be for you. Far too many developers are merely thinking about the here and now when finishing the property. They want to get things done as quickly and cheaply as possible so that they can put the house on the market. While not every developer cuts corners like this, there isn’t much thought about the future of the property or how it’s going to be used decades down the line.
If you’re building your own home, things are different. Hopefully, you’ll still be planning to live there many years down the line, so getting things right the first time is important. If you want to build a home that stands the test of time and doesn’t need a complete overhaul as society changes, some of these tips might be for you.
1 Create an energy-efficient space
With the current economic and environmental climate, you might find relevant tax breaks for creating an efficient home that doesn’t waste the energy it uses. Things like modern insulation and high-quality windows can not only help get you money from the government; they could also save you a lot of bills.
You should think about insulation and window quality — as well as any other areas where energy might be lost — from the start of your build. Re-insulating an existing property can be costly, but it might still be worth it.
2 Generate your own energy
With fuel prices getting expensive more and more, it might become even harder to pay for the energy to power your home in the future. If this is a concern for you, you might want to put in place the capability to generate your own energy, like with solar panels or wind turbines.
These can not only make your home energy sufficient and protect you against rising fuel prices, but they could also help make you some extra money on the side by selling unused power back to energy companies.
When installing things like home energy systems, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a high-quality electrician who has experience in that area.
3 Install extra capacity when wiring
When your electrician puts the wires in the walls, more is normally better. Don’t just do the minimum — put extra capability all over the house, and use things like fibre optic cables even though you might not need them now.
4 Consider how space is going to be used
While open plan living is what’s popular now, will that remain the case? You might want to consider a modular interior design that’s easy to rearrange, with lightweight interior walls. That way, you can adapt the space you use as your needs and requirements change.
5 Create an eco-friendly environment
As well as insulation and solar energy, you might want to think of other eco-friendly appliances and solutions to both save money and help contribute to a better environment. Think of adding electric car charging points to the garage, and other things like that. Some of these could also offer tax breaks.