Small lots are extremely popular with our professional couples, busy families and empty nested alike. As our lives get busier and our spare time scarce there is a large sector of the market looking for smaller more manageable lots. But with only a small amount of valuable footprint to work with the need for clever, well considered planning is essential. …
Large, family-sized, opulent homes used to dominate the real estate market, but now that the average household size is more often only one or two people, times are changing. Large numbers of our Baby Boomer population are now ready to downsize and deem living smaller as a smarter way to live. In fact, downsizing is a major trend on the …
“Australian architects involved in dwelling design create significant and innovative design outcomes; however, this effort is mainly directed to achieving elite objects for a privileged minority.” Shane Murray, reHousing Conference, Melbourne 2007 Ten years later, this is still widely the case in Australian residential architecture, with less than 4% of new home owners appreciating the value of architect designed homes …
With 60% of the world’s electricity being consumed by residential and commercial buildings in developed countries, space heating accounting for a further 60% of residential energy consumption and water heating representing 18% of domestic usage, it’s clear that new homes must be designed to reduce energy consumption/wastage and the subsequent impact on the environment. However, designing a genuinely sustainable home …
Imagine you’ve just bought a block of land and you’re ready to build your dream home. You have all your ideas and plans clear in your mind. Then as it starts to unfold, you realise it isn’t going to be as straightforward as you first thought. “The orientation isn’t perfect”… “The covenant won’t allow some of your ideas”… “The zoning won’t allow …
As a leading Brisbane builder – Civic Steel Homes are often asked about building on a steep or sloping block. Some questions in particular, especially about costs, keep recurring. So in the interest of informing potential clients about the pros and cons of construction on a hilly homesite, we present answers to the most frequently asked questions. Q. Does building …
Thinking about building on a narrow lot? You’re not alone. Narrow lot homes are becoming more and more popular, particularly in the Brisbane metropolitan area where the Brisbane City Council is strongly promoting subdivision
Building compliance Gone are the days of buying a block and simply applying for a building approval. Unfortunately the red tape associated with council by-laws and covenants can make building a house extremely complicated and quite daunting for a lot of people. Whether it is inner city re-builds, master planned estates or environmentally sensitive zones, the list of overlays and …
Just because you have a small lot, there is absolutely no reason why it can’t be the site for a brilliant new home full of big ideas. As Southeast Queensland grows and urban density increases, smart home design and the clever use of space has become paramount. Small lot design with Queensland in mind With a good inner city builder, small lot design does not mean …
Builders either love difficult blocks, or hate them…there is no middle ground. That’s because while some Brisbane home builders think of them as problems, others look at them as opportunities. Civic Steel Homes are in the latter group, in fact over the years we have become the difficult block specialists who simply don’t have a ‘too hard basket’. We believe …
Having created beach house designs on the Sunshine Coast since 1997, Civic Steel Homes have got waterfront house design down to a fine art. We have the experience and the expertise to build in both timber frame and steel frame, and can build the ultimate Sunshine Coast beach house for you no matter how close to the water’s edge your …
As ironic as it may sound, very few building products are as flexible as steel framing. Naturally we’re not talking about physical flexibility here – after all steel home designs is as strong as they come – but rather flexibility of design. Building steel framed homes offers numerous advantages: Versatility Strength Longevity Light weight Sustainable Termite proof Using steel framing …
The growing trend of efficient simple design is gaining momentum post GFC. According to a report in Australian Property News, “while new homes in Australia remain among the biggest in the world (10% bigger than their American counterparts), the average floor size of dwellings built has fallen to an 11-year low.” As we point out in our eBook: “10 Tips …
Contemporary home design in Brisbane has gone full circle. Wallpaper is back in vogue, taking the design scene by storm with stylish patterns and eye-popping colours that resonate with contemporary yet timeless styles. They boast for example sleek chrome, vibrant shades, geometric shapes, bold floral patterns and stripes. Designers never really stopped using wallpaper to add interest and style to …
After 15 years in the custom building industry I am yet to meet anyone whose brief isn’t bigger than their building budget. It is human nature to want far more than you wish to pay for. However don’t despair; your custom builder is there to help you build smarter. Four main factors that can strain a build budget are: • …
Leading Brisbane builders, Civic Steel Homes, have once again been featured in The Westerner. The article, called “Environmentally designed homes ease financial stress,” focuses on how sustainable design techniques can be used to save money in the long term. (Many of these sustainable design principles are explained in “10 Tips For Energy Efficient Home Design” – a real ‘must-read’.) Builders …
At Civic Steel Homes, we’ve helped many people create fantastic bathrooms as part of their new homes. And like any room, we believe that when designing your bathroom it’s important to concentrate on functionality — then the visual elements will follow. Here are two key points to consider when planning your new bathroom… Home builder tip 1: Divide up your …
When it comes to building your dream acreage home, there’s really no limit to what you can achieve – especially if you want to be sustainable. [See “10 Tips For Energy Efficient Home Design“] The vast amount of available space means you can design your house to be as liveable as possible… unlike the design constraints when building a townhouse …
In the sweltering summer heat, we Queenslanders are constantly trying to keep our homes pleasantly cool. So when designing your new sustainable home, you want to ensure that achieving a comfortable, LIVEABLE space is as easy, affordable and environmentally friendly as possible. [See “10 Tips for Energy Efficient Home Design“] Insulation plays a huge role in maintaining the right temperature …
As an eco home builder in Queensland, we are often asked the question: “Can my house be designed to capture natural cooling breezes?” As you’ll discover when you read our eBook: “10 Tips For Energy Efficient Home Design“, the answer is yes — with careful planning, it can! With good home design, the key to getting breeze optimisation (and other …
