How many square metres should we be considering when building a new custom home on the Sunshine Coast?

It’s one of the first questions people consider when thinking of building a new home… how big should we go? You need enough space to accommodate your family and lifestyle (with necessary storage), but a home that is too big might be off putting (plus, it’s more to clean, right!?)

Even more importantly, the size of a home will determine how much it costs to build, so it’s important to get it right.

Let’s take a look at some current trends:

Number of bedrooms

The average Australian home has 3 bedrooms, but most people would rather a slightly larger home, with four bedrooms. So if you want your new builds to get ahead of the competition, four bedrooms is the perfect amount to attract those families who fancy a little more space.

McMansions on the decline

Whilst Australians are still building big free-standing houses, the average size fell in 2017/18 by 0.9 percent to 230.8 square metres (source CommSec). However, over the last 30 years, our house sizes have increased by 30%, and Australians build some of the biggest houses in the world.  So what does that mean for the Sunshine Coast? Well, it really depends on your needs – how many people in your family? Will you have dual living? Are your children grown up and moved out of home? Do you have young children? How future proof do you want your home to be? There’s lots to consider, but knowing the average Australian home is around 230 square metres is probably a good place to start.

The bigger picture

The size of the property itself is what buyers will first look at, but it’s not just space inside the home that they’re looking for, it’s outside space as well.

When thinking about what size new builds should be, you should consider garden space in your size plans as well. Most buyers expect suburban homes to have a garden with a little green space.

So whilst many homes in Australia are being built ‘to the edge’, using every square meter of the plot for the house itself, rather than setting aside any space for an outside area, buyers would often prefer a slightly smaller home with a garden that can be used for entertaining.

The importance of a floor plan

A house floor plan provides a visual for the layout of a home. Drawn to scale, with accurate measurements of the home and its features, the floor plan allows the home owner to understand the position of the home on the block of land, how the various rooms and spaces connect and all necessary dimensions.

At Beachside Construction, we work with you to create a floor plan for your custom home on the Sunshine Coast. This process usually starts with a meeting on-site to discuss your block of land and how you see your new home taking shape. Unlike many project builders, we don’t charge for changes to the floor plan, because we understand how important it is to get your home just right!

Summary

When it comes to house sizes, it’s always good to have a balance. You want to make sure new builds are of a sensible size, but perhaps have that bit of extra space to add a little more luxury.

It’s also important to consider setting aside space for a garden, so that buyers get the best of both inside and outside space.

If you’re interested in building a new custom home on the Sunshine Coast, give Beachside Construction a call, we’d love to discuss your future home!