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How to know if you can afford your dream house?

  • 27-01-2010 8:27pm
    #1
    Wantobe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 554 ✭✭✭


    Okay, here's the thing. I have a dream house in my mind. I've built before, over ten years ago, a house of my own design and made a few mistakes. I did love the house but would have to accept it was flawed in some respects.

    Now, I have a good idea of the layout of a house that would suit my lifestyle, it's possibly 250sq.m. I would really like a contemporary design, flat sloped roof ( ideally zinc but of course that may be too expensive) with some large glass paneling.

    However the facade of the house is not my main concern- the interior layout is, size of rooms and flow. So as long as it keeps a contemporary feel Id
    be happy with any exterior. This also goes for the roof. I would also be happy to put in work to the house-builders finish would be fine and I could take it from there myself. I can source good flooring, bathroom ware, kitchen and any interior finishes myself. However I would prefer one main contractor to do the house as I feel I would not be competent to oversee a direct labour build.

    All I need to know now is= can I reasonably afford to build this house. How do you get an idea as to whether you are anywhere in the ballpark of being able to afford something before you embark on getting an architect/planning application>?

    I know someone in the area got a quote from a builder for a builders finish at 70 per square foot but this would be a standard, pitched roof 'normal' house. It seems that as soon as you want something a little different, an architect designed house, the price goes up.

    So how do I get an idea as to build cost? This time around I really want to engage a good architect but am reluctant to engage anyone if I cannot afford this house in the first place!:o


Comments

  • #2
    justflow1983
    Closed Accounts Posts: 122 ✭✭justflow1983


    There are many people who will throw figures at you, but the only way to really know is to get tenders on a set of construction drawings. In the mean time, talk to a few architects you'd be interested in (the one I work for charges 100 euro for a sit down and initial discussion, some others are free). In an initial meeting you and a good architect should be able to figure out a complete brief and your priorities for the design. From that, they should also be able to tell you what similar homes they have done recently had cost, and while very rough it'll be a good sense of the price.

    If you like how that meeting went, then you can always fully engage their services to develop the house of your dreams. My bosses always tell potential clients to talk to 5 or 6 firms and see which one "clicks."


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