Small new-builds
A “small house” describes a home that is less than 93 square metres. So why bother with a small house when you could just design and build a generous home to suit your family? Part of the answer is: efficiency and ease.
Small house architecture is all about an efficient use of space that is customised to suit the way you live. “Small homes are easier to heat, cool, ventilate and clean,” says Tim Gittos of Space Craft Architects. He’s seeing increasing amounts of infill building on the scraps of leftover land in our cities. “For first-home buyers, small new-builds closer to the city centre have become a viable alternative to larger houses or cookiecutter homes on the city outskirts,” he says.
Space Craft is also working on some exciting co-housing projects, where people club together to buy land and build small houses with shared common areas. “This is a very exciting new area to be a part of,” he says.
Pros
+ Can customise to suit site and preferences + High quality and finishing + Options for communal living
Cons
+ Can be a more expensive option + Can take longer from design to build
Considerations
+ The consent process will be similar to a normal new-build + Some subdivisions have minimum home-size requirements