Opportunities in disguise …

Two problems

In my last blog I told you about two clients who had to decide whether to renovate or rebuild. Our conceptual designs helped them discover what could be achieved so they could make informed and confident decisions. This blog is about two different clients, one wanting to develop a multi-residential property and the other wanting to build a family home on a difficult site in a great location.

Both faced significant limitations which were turned into opportunities.

First thoughts include worst thoughts

All building hopes and dreams start with “I want …” but that is only the beginning of the story. Many factors affect what you can and can’t build. First ideas usually contain the best of what you want and the worst of what can happen if you don’t investigate and resolve site-specific challenges. The key to getting what you want is to investigate the full range of possibilities and constraints for your site.

This was evident in both projects I’m blogging about today where the clients had a great sense of what they wanted to achieve but were in danger of making decisions without fully understanding the limitations of their sites.

Use land wisely

The development block was in an established south-eastern suburb in a low-profile street of single dwellings with large, mature gardens. The property was well-placed for shops and public transport and our clients were keen to build apartments as several similar developments in the area seemed to have been successful.

However, our research showed that 2- and 3- bedroom townhouse designs were far better suited to the property market in this location.They would sell faster, fit better in the neighbourhood and produce a higher yield, whereas an apartment development would be a difficult town-planning proposition and less likely to deliver the desired return on investment.

Attachment

The home builders owned one of a pair of semi-detached pre-war cottages on a small site with neighbours on all sides. They wanted to replace the cottage with a modern home but were concerned about demolishing half of what had been designed as a whole structure. There were practical concerns—Was demolition feasible? How would it affect their neighbour’s property? And worries—Would a modern design sit comfortably next to the older style house?

The cottage was in a great location. The owners didn’t want to give it up but had concluded they would have to sell and buy elsewhere to get what they wanted.

Neighbourhood fit

Neighbours and neighbourhood fit are two very important factors you must consider when planning to build a residential home. At JDA Lammin, we are careful to think through all aspects of a project for our clients.

Some limitations are readily apparent, others less so. In both scenarios, lack of knowledge and experience can lead to incorrect assumptions.

It is also natural and reasonable for clients to focus on what they want from a building, but most land in Greater Melbourne has a history of use, current controls, and a planned future. These factors affect building projects. There are many variables and it is necessary and prudent to consider interests other than your own.

Who else has a say?

Whether you’re building to rent, sell or stay, at some point your property will change hands. It is always wise to understand what you are doing in relation to market conditions and the development profile of your area.

The layout and size of buildings you are proposing to build and how they will sit on your site is affected by the town planning controls in your area. State-wide planning law and local planning schemes govern what you can and can’t build. Some of the rules are mandatory and apply to all residential property in Victoria. Others can be site-specific or specifically apply to the neighbourhood.

The specific attributes of your site and your neighbour’s properties affect what you can do. Proximity of nearby buildings, locations of adjoining windows or private garden space, slope of the land, orientation to capture sunlight and views may represent limitations that are opportunities in disguise.

Quantifiable returns

Strategic thinking is particularly important when you want to build something substantially different from what was there before.

It is worth investing a small portion of your budget with a design professional who can identify the complexities, pitfalls and opportunities available to you based on deep local knowledge.

Experienced architects like JDA Lammin are familiar with the Councils and provide insight into how to push the boundaries without making choices that put projects and budgets at risk. Our insight helped the clients in this blog achieve better-than-expected outcomes for their building dreams.

More space, higher yield

Solving the problem of multi-residential developments is always about dealing with neighbours while using the land to get the best-possible yield. It is desirable to achieve the maximum possible number of units within expectations of quality and amenity.

We achieved this for our townhouse developer by locating car parking below ground. This made the most efficient use of the site and capitalised on high land costs by freeing up land to create residences with private garden areas.

We were able to produce a design that strategically combined the shared basement concept of an apartment building with individual 3 storey dwellings that each had their own separate identity and entry from the street.

By freeing up land usually set aside for car parking, we were able to provide a higher yield development that:

• fitted well in the neighbourhood

• ticked all the boxes for potential purchasers

• met all the Council requirements for new development in the area.

Our clients pre-sold all 7 units off the plan before construction was completed.

Pushing the boundaries

Replacing a house attached to another property is a challenging proposition, particularly when the new residence is going to be completely different. For our home builders, we considered what seemed to be limitations of the attached wall as an opportunity to:

• build right up against the property boundary

• exceed the maximum height and length of walls usually allowed on the boundary by the relevant council.

The nature of the shared party wall presented opportunities to maximise the use of the small site and reduce the potential problem of overlooking the adjoining properties.

With the help of our expert town planners we were able to provide a convincing argument to Council that, due to the unique circumstances of the existing property, aspects of the design that fell outside the normal rules were acceptable.

We went on to achieve town planning approval for our clients for a new family home that sat comfortably adjacent to the existing pre-war house and met all the family’s requirements for modern life today and into the future.

Clear thinking

Clear thinking at the design stage means you have a better chance of getting enduring quality—buildings that perform with ease and efficiency; make the best use of available space; work their way through council and the permit application process more smoothly; have strong street appeal and resale value.

If you have questions about strategic design and planning, call in, email or phone me on 0439991887.

If you would like to know more about how town planning works, use this email link to request our free e-book on THE INS AND OUTS OF TOWN PLANNING.