Final thoughts

Rather than crashing ahead and lining up builders and deals on appliances, lurching from euphoria to despair as the ‘‘unexpected’’ costs of building, exacerbated by your inexperience, start to manifest, it is probably worth investing in a decent architect from the outset and working with them to avoid the pitfalls and design for the maximum ‘‘real’’ impact from your budget.

This way you are far more likely to end up with an elegant home that is distinctive, practical, free from unnecessary visual clutter, and costs no more than it needs to. That will bring you satisfaction for many years, as well as a healthy resale value.

Investing in the best design upfront is what tends to bring you the greatest satisfaction over many years, as well as the healthiest resale value.

Paul King is a registered architect and founder of Prime Architecture, based in Christchurch.