Wondering what mistakes to avoid when designing your custom modular home? A poorly designed home only leads to frustration and disappointment. So, we've put together the top modular home design mistakes that we've seen made over the years., from lack of storage space to low energy efficiency to using the wrong type of design
Read on about how to avoid these five mistakes and make your home the perfect design for you!
POOR STORAGE SPACE PLANNING
Probably the number one mistake we see is a lack of storage space planning. Quite often, we find clients will overlook the storage needs altogether or worse, put storage space in the wrong areas. For instance, does your master bedroom need such a large walk-in robe when you’ve only got one small cupboard in the laundry?
We recommend you think about the type of storage you need, where you use it, and what gets used the most early in the design process.
And, one area that often gets overlooked entirely is bathroom storage. We recommend you consider putting eye level storage in the bathroom (I.e. a mirror cabinet) along with a tallboy or similar.
SKIMPING ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY TO SAVE MONEY
Another major mistake homebuyers make is not to spend extra money on energy efficiency. While all new homes do have to meet a minimum energy efficiency level, we’ve seen clients get all the bell’s and whistles “inside” the home and then decide to take out underfloor insulation.
If you’re looking for an affordable energy efficiency “fix” for your new home, we’d recommend you:
- Upgrade your ceiling insulation.
- Include underfloor insulation.
- Upgrade your windows with Low-e glass.
- Add fans and LED Lights throughout the home.
TOO MANY EXTERNAL CORNERS
When you’re designing your modular home, a common mistake we see is adding too many outer wall corners. To be clear, we’re not advocating you stick with just a square box, but you need to be aware that every additional corner adds cost. For more information on pricing view our article on modular home cost.
With this mistake, there is no real right and wrong answer. Just bear in mind that the more corners, the more complex, the more expensive your home will be!
USING AN OFF THE SHELF FLOOR PLAN
Ok, if you’re on a budget or just investing, then using an “off the shelf” home design from large project builders is quite adequate. But, if you want a design that correctly suits you, the worst thing you can do is use an off the shelf design.
Now, we’re not saying that all project plans are useless. But they must be tailored to suit you exactly! Your lifestyle. Your site. We recommend you use all standard plans as suggestions only!
So, this is where a competent building designer comes in to play. By sitting down with a qualified building designer in the early stages and working through your requirements on a room to room basis, you will have a far more satisfactory home design and a better building experience. Follow the link to view our prefab home designs.
YOU TRY TO SQUASH AN ONSITE DESIGN INTO AN OFFSITE CONCEPT
Our last of the top five mistakes is not to think modular when designing your home. Quite often, we find that clients will try to use a traditional “onsite” home design and try to amend this to suit modular. In most cases, this isn’t possible, or you end up with a poorly designed home.
If you want the perfect modular home design, then you need to start thinking modular as early in the design process as possible. And, along with our professional custom design team, we can help you create the home of your dreams!
Could a modular home be right for you?
If you think that building a new home might be the best option for you, and you’re interested in a more cost-effective and streamlined construction process, talk to the team at Westbuilt Homes.
We have been designing and building stunning modular homes since 1993. The construction process of a modular home is very different to that of a conventional home, giving you greater control over the construction time, the quality and the timeframe.
To learn more about modular construction, book a no obligation consultation with one of our modular experts. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.
