News Articles & Media Releases

07/02/10
Fitting the Bill
Writer: Lisa Amphlett
Publication: The Sunday Times HOME Magazine
Section: Build

Affordability and functionality may not be the two most glamorous words in the world of house design, but they’re top of the list for the people at Homebuyers Centre, who’ve kept those principles at the forefront when designing the Green, a perfectly formed four-bedroom, two-bathroom home.

“We’ve set up and designed to help first homebuyers get into the market, so if we’re not delivering on affordability then we’re starting off on the wrong foot,” says Jared Stone, sales and marketing manager.

“You’ve got to be a little bit smarter to deliver a home that’s both affordable and functional.”

There is no compromise on quality with the Green. The front elevation is modern and stylish, and makes a striking first impression with its rendered façade, feature gable, planter box, stylish windows and 25-degree pitch tiles roof.

“The elevation of this house is important,” Jared says. “You’re not only building a home for yourself, you’re also building a home as an investment.

“When it comes time to sell, if the home doesn’t look good from the front then people won’t even step inside.”

The Green sits on a 14m frontage block, and the footprint of the house is almost square to maximise on space and cut down on costs.

“It costs a lot more to build a house that’s sticking out all over the place,” says Jared.

The entrance – so often compromised in smaller homes – is impressive.

“This home makes a great entry statement,” Jared says. “A lot of the time you’ll find that the entry just leads into a lounge room, which takes away from the lounge room and takes away from the entry. This home doesn’t do either.

According to Jared, another corner often cut in smaller, more affordable homes is the master bedroom.

“In family homes it’s often parents who get compromised,” he says. “You’ll often find that to fit four bedrooms in, the parents can’t have a decent ensuite of walk-in robe. The master bedroom often suffers to fit all the other stuff in.

“We’ve done the opposite with the Green. It’s got a good-sized master bedroom with a big walk-in robe and a good-sized ensuite that includes a double vanity, double shower and separate WC.

What this home doesn’t have, however, is a separate lounge – and with good reason. After speaking to prospective homeowners, it became clear to the designers at Homebuyers Centre that a formal lounge isn’t what most people want or need. On the contrary, they’d rather use the space to create a bigger open-plan family, dining and kitchen area – which is just what the Green has.

“Without a doubt the hub of this home is the spacious kitchen, family and dining area, which opens out to the alfresco,” says Jared.

Leading off the living area room is a room that can either be closed off to be used as a fourth bedroom or left open to function as a study.

“As an open study, it’s great because it leads out to the central living area,” says Jared. “This means people aren’t locking themselves away to use the computer.”

Jared says the key issues of affordability and functionality have seen the Green become the best-priced display home in the range.

“It’s proven to be one of the most popular display homes that we’ve designed,” he says.

“We’ve nailed this one on the head.”