Build tips from those in the know

At Signature, we know how exciting building a new home can be. We also know that the process can be daunting if you haven’t built before.

Whether you choose from our range of House & Land Packages across the country, Design & Build your new home from scratch or utilise our Knock Down & Rebuild or Subdividing services, building with Signature means stress and a drain on your time won’t factor into your new build experience.

Before you embark on your build journey, make sure you check out some tips and tricks from those who have recently built with us.

ANDREW & EMMA: Built their dream home, Tamahere, on family land in Matangi, Waikato

+ Work out what areas of the house are important to you and don’t compromise on them

+ Take your time with planning and make sure you have allowed for everything in your budget, including curtains, furniture and basic landscaping. Attention to detail in the planning process will pay off in the end

+ Choose spec quality over house size if you are on a budget

DEAN & EMMA: Built their dream home which was rightfully named Motueka after the location of the land

+ Have a clear idea of what you want before you start, and stick to your guns

+ Know the site, where the sun comes up and goes down and what you want your focal points to be inside and out

+ We saved on flooring using vinyl planks in the laundry and WC

+ We splurged on the concrete chimney and the solid oak barn door

MEY & ROBERT: Built their dream home on their existing site via Signature’s Knock Down & Rebuild Service. The plan was named Te Atatu after the suburb where the family lives

+ Spend plenty of time getting into the detail, specific dimensions; make sure it’s going to work. It’s very difficult looking at pieces of paper which are one-dimensional. We got a walk-through video done by Signature Homes which really helped

+ Upgrade where you can, especially things like lighting, power sockets, TV/data points etc. These are very difficult to do once the GIB is on

+ Have plenty of storage space. We love our huge linen cupboard (room) and storage cupboards in the garage

+ We love our internal air-conditioning throughout the whole house and definitely recommend it

More hot tips on building your new home:

+ Trust your gut and don’t overthink a decision. We wasted time going around in circles on a few things, invariably you end up back where you started

+ Do lots of research and create a moodboard to help decide what style you want to go with

+ More often than not your budget doesn’t stretch to everything, but little luxuries go a long way

+ Check sizes of rooms against existing ones to get a feel for what the home you’re designing will feel like

+ Go with the process and be open-minded. Often things you end up loving weren’t planned for

+ Buying good quality pays dividends in the long term. Also, buy less but buy right

Ready to start your new home journey? Get in touch with your local team here.