Kit Homes – Perfect Choice For Small House Plans
Affordability may seem the best reason to look at the small house plans offered by kit home companies. Certainly no one can argue with the fact that the smaller mortgage you need right now the better, so cottages and small houses are back to being very popular in all areas. But affordability is not the only reason; in fact, the savings may well be an added bonus on top of everything compact housing has to offer.
Economic Pressure
In the years from up until now statistics showed that despite the fact that the average household (amount of people in a home) grew smaller, and blocks of land lessened, the actual size of the house increased. That trend may indeed be about to turn around with people feeling the pinch of the world economy squeeze. There are enough of us around to remember the 18% interest rates and low wages of the Keating ‘recession Australia had to have’ days that we get a little nervous when anyone mentions that word, recession.
Now with interest rates at an all time low, it is understood that one day they will have to increase even if just a few percent. This stimulus spending has tided us over much of the way, but there is still a sense of wondering if the worst is still yet to come. Plus there is the added fact that self-funded retirees who live of their interest are feeling the pinch and so are downsizing homes in many instances. So in true Australian style we are playing it clever and not hard. Smaller homes answer a lot of ways to save money. Kit homes extend those savings even further.
Lessen Your Carbon Footprint
Going green is no longer for those alternative types whom we all thought were a little odd way before we understood the true impact our presence here had on our world. Now lowering carbon emissions and living ‘greener’ is a priority for many. It is finally understood that we don’t need to go to extremes to make a difference but many small adjustments and some forethought adds up to a very large and successful effort.
Kit homes are a perfect way to kick off your personal journey into helping our environment. Many larger houses eat up a vast amount of energy and also give off excess emissions. All strategies you take will be cheaper in a small home, and they do not require as much energy to heat or to cool. With packages you can tailor to you needs it’s no problem for your kit home cottage or small home to be very well optimized for energy usage.
Here are the main ways your kit home can be customized easily to fit your energy-efficient needs:
- High performance glazing added to windows and glass doors
- The orientation of the house to maximize heat from the sun
- Tailored window sizes
- Weather sealed aluminum improved windows
- Open plan living to encourage heat and air circulation
- Good insulation and reflective foil in walls and ceilings
Not only does this set you up for great savings on an annual basis, but your home will be very comfortable to live in.
Great To Save Money On The Owner-Build
There’s just something so Australian about wanting to build your own home. Most of us seem to have a dream of building the perfect home. Small kit homes fit this dream perfectly and can easily make it a reality. In fact there is probably no better way to be the proud owner of a home you have built yourself. About 40,000 of us a year undertake being owner builders and this alone pumps over 7 billion dollars into our economy, and employ those all important tradesmen. What a fabulous way to save money, live the dream, and help our economy.
The average owner-builder saves 38% in costs, and with a more compact design it may well be more.
If you don’t feel confident enough to tackle your first build or you are a first time home owner (in which case lenders may require that you have a qualified builder) then use this opportunity to be the offside and learn as much as you can. You’ll still be able to property manage the build and oversee the progress. Then you’ll be perfectly prepared if you want to add on later or build a holiday home at your favourite spot.
Kit Homes Bring Plenty Of Choice
Whether you are looking for a sweet old-fashioned cottage to grow your cottage garden flowers and herbs, or you need an ultra-modern contemporary design, kit homes do have what you need. Plus the best companies let you customize the layout to suit you.
- More living space, smaller bedroom, no problem
- Less living and more decking, not a worry
- Need a carport to double as the barbeque area, sure thing
You choose. If you will have a growing family, will need more space for teenagers later, or there might even be an older relative coming to live with you, just make arrangements to add on some extra rooms later on.
Kit homes take a lot of the hassle out of choosing the design, customisation, and meeting every need. Sloping blocks are catered for, and many upgrades are available. If you are considering scaling down to a small home plan, then a kit home will be perfect.