Joel Hewitson at his display home at North Shore. Picture: Evan Morgan

CHOOSING a home design can be one of the most confusing aspects of building a home.

Hewitson Homes managing director Joel Hewitson shares his top tips for how to get it right.

■ What is your overall budget?

It is essential to decide what your house and land total spend budget is before you go shopping, so make sure you have a discussion with your bank.

The shopping process is much easier when you know what your lending capability is. A lot of new home buyers go into the market thinking they have a low budget.

After discussing finance with their bank or lending team, many learn they can afford to spend a little more on their home. This enables you to get what you need out of your purchase.

Knowing your budget lets you have an honest discussion with your builder, to get the most suitable house and land options available, saving you huge amounts of shopping time.

■ Where would you like to live?

Do some research on the different land locations, and what the positives are for your top choices. Every land site location is unique. It is important for your house design to work with, not against, your surroundings. Be open about your lifestyle requirements with your builder, and allow them to suggest suitable land options.

■ What do you look for in a home?

This is a very important step to consider before shopping for or custom designing a home.

How many people are to live in your home now? How many people are to live in your home in the future? What are the ages of the residents of the home? Do you require your home to adapt to your changing lifestyle, perhaps ageing residents with adaptable needs? All above considerations will determine the design elements important to you.

■ Consider the different level of finishes available

If you are building to a budget, be clear with your builder, to ensure the correct required level of finishes are applied to your design. Appliances, fixtures, fittings, hardware, floor and wall finishes, the many different choices surrounding these items can alter your budget considerably. Be clear with your builder which of these items you would like to spend more or less on, to steer your building quotation to suit your budget.

■ Consider the natural weather conditions

If you would like to avoid airconditioning the home wherever possible, consider how you can cool the home best naturally.

If you would like to spend a large amount of time on your patio, alfresco etc, consider the position of these design elements in relation to the sun and breezes.

Give thought to window sizes and positions. Will the home be naturally lit to all required zones of your design?