Step by step like a pro, Every 5 tips for A New Home - Part 2

By| Heba Samir       ListaholicSheith

Keeping aside the cost factor for a while; when you have several offers for your new house with the same exterior features after deciding all what you need for your new home as mentioned in my previous blog Step by step like a proYou will face your next challenge as a professional engineer by just applying the upcoming rules in your mind.Comparing between offered houses will be through several factors not necessarily through the below sequence:

First: The layout

This is a deal breaker factor however unfortunately not all people care about the interior design or the architectural design of the house.The one thing commonly known is the rooms' spaces and the overall area.

Must make sure that every inch is utilised as much as possible.

A) Layout design:

The rooms distribution varies according to your needs; however there are well known rules for the distribution as follows:

1. Not necessarily that the kitchen is the first door you meet after entering the house main door; the kitchen's location must be located where the dinning is.
2. Small receptions is not so bad, only it's more preferable to have a small lobby.
3. The guest bathroom must be common between the dinning and the saloon, or any other guest areas, not preferred to be through the same corridor leading to the bedrooms.
4. Commonly the saloon and the dinning are in one opened area, so don't be deceived by the furnished layout; every function should at least be 15 Sqm.
5. The living room, bedrooms and any other private areas must be separated way from the guest access.

B) Know that you don't need this:

1. The circulation should not be more than 15% of the total net area of the house; "the circulation means all needed areas for manoeuvre".
2. The hazard areas should not be more than 5%; "hazard areas are the areas that are set with no use".
3. Finish heights not less than 260 cm; "finish height means the clear height after the material finished not the concrete"
4. Non Uniform outline; "outline means the shape of the overall house, the more uniform the more space optimisation you can get".
5. Bad distributions of columns or a lot of them will annoy you.

C) The net area Vs. The gross area
You need to know what you are paying for, you must know that the area in your contract is not like the actual area.The difference between the two areas is called "the services" a common contract's term that you must be sure it's written and also must be sure that it doesn't exceed 15% of the actual area.

Example:" the total area written in the contract is 345 sqm however the actual (net) area of the house is 300 sqm this means that the services are 15% of the the actual area"

The Services components are commonly known as the corridors, the stairs, the entrance, the atrium, the main inlets and outlets of all the utilities (electricity, water, drainage, ..etc.), the elevator, ...etc.

Only the garage is not part of the 15% according to the real estate market, you have to pay extra fees for each car lot, a one time payment with no rentals and no expirations.

D) The utilities

Rarely could someone think that it is necessarily to check the utilities, only this is an important factor, as choosing a house with a bad utilities is just a nightmare, you do not want to wake up with leakage all over the place ruining all your expensive furniture or decor; or even worse ruin all your expenses appliance or electronics.

you need to check the following:

1. The main water inlet must not be less than 2 inches to make sure the water pressure is sufficient.
2. The main electricity inlet must not be less than 3 phases (380 v) if you are planning to make your house air conditioned.
3. The drainage must be located way far from all your accommodation area; meaning you don't need to have your derange pipes passing through the middle of the house or at the main house facade or even inside your balcony.
4. The water and heat isolations in case you are underneath the building roof.
5. Telephone cables are preferred not to be exposed; meaning that all cables are coming directly from the main telephone box through the cable ducts in your wall, not hanging from another building.

No need for an architect or an interior designer to build your new home, you just can do it by your own, you can know all and more only follow me on http://listaholicsheith.blogspot.com.eg