Types of Kit Homes
The Many Stylish Features of Kit Homes
The days of drab and mundane kit homes are a thing of a past. If you still think of kit homes as looking like a box with cladding then you are in for a very nice surprise. Kit homes today are as stylish as their more expensive traditional construction counterparts.
In fact, in many instances the kit home can be even more stylish because you have plenty of opportunity to choose the kind of flooring, appliances, and plumbing fixtures after the house is completed. Though not included in the kit itself, having an opportunity to decorate as you desire without being forced to accept whatever comes with a completed stick home is a real pleasure for many new owners of kit homes.
Elegance to Easy Living
There is a large variety of kit home floor plans and styles to suit different needs. Some homes are designed to fit easy carefree beach living and others fit upscale neighbourhoods. There are kit homes that are perfectly suited to a rural setting and others which can nestle right into the moderately priced subdivision.
It doesn’t matter if you are buying a kit home as a primary residence or for a vacation home, you will find the house comes with many stylish features both inside and out. In fact, kit homes were designed for convenient living with flair. Most of the features people demand today in their homes can be found in the new breed of kit homes. Learn more »
Steel Kit Homes Reduce Australian Termite Problems
Australia has a termite problem, but that doesn’t mean it has to be your problem too. There are over 350 types of termites in Australia and at least 30 of them are labelled as damaging pests. And termites can certainly do a lot of damage for such a small insect. These hungry pests can eat a room floor in less than 3 months. They can also be sneaky, because they often are busy eating wood underneath coverings such as brick or siding and you don’t discover it until something literally falls off the house!
Each year in Australia, over 30,000 new termite problems are reported by homeowners. There are at least 20% of the Australian homes damaged by termites and this represents a higher loss than that recorded by fire or storms. That is amazing in a country well known for its damaging brush fires and cyclones. When you look at it this way, you can understand the real danger termites present to Australian homeowners.
Well Kept Secret
Almost 70% of the damage by termites in Australia is caused by the termite called the Coptotermes Acinaciformis. This termite is a subterranean termite which loves moisture and dark places but is happy to accommodate a dry climate area too. They are secretive and try to stay hidden as much as possible. A colony can build a nest with millions of termites underneath a single concrete floor or within a wall. When these pests get busy, they can cause thousands of dollars of damage to a home.
Adding Decks and Additional Verandas After Kit Home Installation
Adding decks and additional verandas after kit home installation is not only possible, it is a great way to improve and enhance your home. Unfortunately new home budgets do not always allow us to make the choices that we would like to make on the initial purchase of a home. Some of the little frills, bells, and whistles may be left off in order to save money.
In other cases we initially decide that some of the extras are things that we are not particularly in need of at the moment. However, over time our financial situation as well as our lifestyle is likely to change. It is very common that later on a family decides that additions to the home would enhance its appearance and or functionality.
The good news is that it is never too late to make modifications and improvements on the home. Many families eventually decide to add features such as a carport, deck or veranda. With the flexibility offered in these homes that is never a worry.
Decks And Verandas
Fitting a Kit Home to Different Site Configurations
Choosing a kit home is a wise investment. Don’t let difficulties with your site selection prevent you from exploring this option to the fullest extent. Gone are the days of limited level sites being a prerequisite for a kit home. The technology of today has improved the ability of the architect to design kit homes that can be built almost anywhere. Do you own uneven land? It is no longer a problem. In a bush fire prone area, they can be built there as well. There are even modifications that allow these kit homes to be built in the areas affected by cyclones.
Split Level Building Plans
If your land is on a slope there are design plans that offer split level building to make the most of the situation and give you a comfortable home as the end result. By building a split level, space is conserved that would be lost to support beams and a crawl space in a traditional home design. Also these modified homes can be very appealing to the eye and make a stunning addition to an otherwise unworkable hillside.
Variety of Kit Home Floor Plans
Kit homes are often considered to be very conforming. There is the mistake belief they are all built alike. This could not be further from the truth. There is an amazing amount of diversity built into the designs offered by most kit home builders as well as a huge range of outbuildings offered to complement the stereotypical home. These include carports and sheds as well as garages. Surprisingly there are even floor plans available to build factories and barns as well as well as weekend getaway retreats.
When one hears the term kit home it often brings to mind a traditional three bedroom ranch home in a neighborhood where all the houses look alike. Not so. In fact kit homes are offered in three, four and even five bedroom packages. These packages can be modified within reason to your specific design plans. Can’t find one you want? No problem. Design your own. There are reputable kit home builders who have the design teams on staff to create a workable home from your ideas.
Homes of All Types
Choosing Between Timber or Steel Frames and Trusses
When choosing between timber or steel frames and trusses for your kit home, there are several considerations to keep in mind. These considerations involve many factors such as the location of your kit home, the exposure to certain environmental and climatic conditions, and your budget. But whether you choose timber or steel, you can be assured you are buying a quality home to meet your family needs.
Don’t Pester Me
Choosing between timber or steel frames sometimes comes down to considering the pests where you will be building. Termite damage in Australian homes costs home owners millions of dollars every year in repairs. A steel framed and trussed kit home provides extra protection against termites. There’s not a termite in the world that can eat its way through steel! If you live in an area with termites, steel is the best choice for your home construction.
It should be mentioned that the framing for wood and steel is very similar. The differences are quite few. Steel doesn’t have to settle like wood. That means steel framing is ideal for locations where there is a lot of moisture. Unlike wood, steel will not expand and contract when exposed to different moisture amounts in the air. Though the wood used in kit homes is of high quality and always properly treated and sealed, wood is sensitive to moisture. A steel frame never has the possibility of warping, shrinking, splitting or twisting due to moisture.
I Can Handle That