8 Issues to consider when building a house.

Home sweet home’ How many times have we repeated this expression? At Marva Construcciones in Moraira we know that our home is our refuge, our living space, our den. If you are thinking of building your new home, you should take into account these aspects to ensure that your new home is the place that holds your dreams (and not the place that takes them away from you)

Building the perfect home involves all our energies, knowledge and expert help. But let’s not go crazy! If many have achieved it before, why shouldn’t we be able to?

1.- ORIENTATION

Before designing the project of our future home, we must take into account the orientation of our plot: if the sun shines during the day, if it faces north or west, if we want to apply Feng-Shui when it comes to giving life to our house, this is the time to study the best orientation we can give to the lines that will make up the plans of the house!

With them, we can design and decide every detail that will define what our house, our home, will be like. It is important to dedicate some time to this phase: from here the foundations of our future are built. Isn’t it worth dedicating your time to it?

2.- LOCATION

When we acquire our plot we must take into account its location: if it is isolated, in an urbanisation, with basic services nearby (school, health centre, shopping area, etc.).

It is also important to know if the plot has all the necessary requirements for construction: water, electricity, telephone, drainage, gas, etc. And if the plot has urbanisation charges (economic or building work commitments with the municipal regulations). The architect who designs the house will be up to date with all the necessary information, although you can also make all the necessary enquiries at the town hall.

3.- INTERIOR DECORATION

We ourselves are the ones who must decide the style we want to give to our home. We can let ourselves be advised by experts (architects, decorators, interior designers…) but we have the last word: we are the ones who are going to spend the ‘rest of our lives’ there. So it’s much better if we decide for ourselves, don’t you think?

We must also take into account when decorating our home, how the house is: its size and distribution can also condition in part the style we want to give it.

The style of the design should fit in with the preferences and lifestyle of the people who are going to live in the space. It does not have to stick to a certain style, but it does have to have a general vision of the type of house we want to build.

Once we have chosen the styles we like, we have to take into account the architecture of the house and see if it makes it easier to carry it out.

4.- LAYOUT

Layout must be both practical and functional. The shape and size of the different rooms that make up the home must be in harmony:

• Bedrooms: With enough space to place the furniture we want to include and taking into account any future changes (increase in the family, need for a study area, etc.).
• Bathrooms: Do the couple share a bathroom? If we have children, boys and girls? And, do we have room for all the little ones?
• Kitchen: The layout, the ‘work’ bench, storage, etc. are very important.
• Living room Vs Living-dining room: It depends on the type of life we have, the meetings we have with friends or family, etc.

5.- PERMITS

We must take into account BEFORE BEGINNING THE PROJECT all the documents, permits, licences, etc. that are going to be required. Because this will prevent the delay of the work and because it will avoid possible fines, paralysation of works.

The architect in charge of the project is the one who normally manages all the bureaucratic paperwork. But just in case, it is better to be up to date with everything you will need: building permit, certificate of habitability, etc.

6.- MATERIALS

At this point, the most advisable thing to do is to leave the acquisition of materials in the hands of experts. Although, of course, with a more or less fixed budget: Cost, Quality and Deadline are the aspects to take into account.

From carpentry to glazing, flooring (wood flooring, tiles, marble), tiling (tiles, paint, ‘eco’ options), paint (plastic, with mineral and vegetable pigments…).

Defining the material to be used in each room will help us to ‘create’ in our plans more defined areas, where even the decorative elements can appear ‘looking for their place’ helping to have a global vision of the unit and the complete design of the house.

7.- ACCESS

The access to the house is a determining factor when planning its construction: just one access, access also from the back of the house, garden area, access to common areas (in the case of residences, etc.). With the help of experts we can define what the distribution is going to be, the security measures to take into account, make the most of each space, etc.

8.- GARDEN

According to the land we can dedicate to our garden and the use we are going to make of it, we must take into account aspects such as the orientation (sun during the maximum hours possible, shaded area, elements we want to include such as table and chairs, barbecue, plants, trees, etc.).

Building a house is like building a life project. Isn’t it worth stopping for a moment before starting to build?