One of the most exciting parts about building a home is that you have the ability to make important decisions that can suit your lifestyle. Some of these are large and critical, some are smaller in nature, and can be easily changed or replaced.
Before you look at the carpet swatch book or light fittings, the structural design elements of your home are some of the most important choices you will make. Items such as your roof, foundations, flooring, and framing have the key purpose to support, enclose and protect your new home. Your local Trenz Create a Home team are a key part of the process to support you in these decisions that are most critical. Before you meet, here are some things to consider in regards to your structural design elements;
Roof
Your roof will protect you and your possessions from the weather, so a well designed and watertight roof is a major factor for homeowners. Roofs can either be flat, gabled (two sides that peak and slope downwards) , hipped (all sides slope downwards) or mono-pitch (one direction/slope). These options can be chosen due to the location and weather conditions of your area, with long-run steel and tiles currently the most popular choices in New Zealand, but with several other different materials options available. You also need to consider eves for your home – these can impact both weather protection and natural light, so ensure you talk through the options with your Trenz Homes team and take into consideration the natural environment surrounding your home.
Foundations
Your foundations play the critical role of uniformly distributing the weight of the new house onto the land. Whilst most new homes in New Zealand are now built on a concrete slab, there are several different options available. A lot of this depends on your section and what the ground conditions are (you will most likely need a Geotech report) and what part of the land you are building on (flat or sloping land). Good foundations are critical as they prevent settlement (movement) of your new house over time – a common problem in older houses. It is at this stage you need to think about heating/cooling options for your home too… as the foundations can impact your choices further down the track. Ensure you discuss your heating and cooling preferences with the Trenz team and fully understand your options.
Flooring
Flooring is another critical structural element of your home. It also can be built in the widest array of materials, including tiles, granites, marbles, concrete, and timber. Not only does flooring perform an important structural element to your home, but it is also the material that suffers the most wear and tear, and insulation, noise and durability factors are worth considering.
Framing
A building’s frame is the skeleton that supports all of the finished features. New Zealand predominantly uses timber framing as it is tried and true material that is easy to build with and is a natural insulator. Steel framing has become more popular over the past decade because of its robust strength and its moisture and fire-resistant properties. As another consideration, the Trenz Homes team is currently working with New Zealand construction company Metrapanel to create a range of panel constructed homes. Whatever material you choose, the framing essentially outlines the layout of your home – from room size and shape to the flow between spaces, and the allowance for natural light. Taking the time to get this aspect right will help you achieve a home design to truly meet the needs of your lifestyle.
These structural design elements are the cornerstones of your new home, and your local Trenz Homes team are here to offer expert advice on what choice suits your new build. Please contact your local Trenz Homes team HERE to talk with us about your new home.
