Is a house just a building or a home?

Growing up in a large family, (nine kids in all!) meant we moved houses often to adjust to the changing family dynamics. I got to see many areas, many different housing styles and we just melded into whatever different style house we had at the time. We shared rooms, created space for ourselves in whatever area we had and played outdoors A LOT.

Many kids will never know what’s it’s like to have to squeeze into small houses as most of the new builds today are much better designed to suit different styles of families. But the children of the 70’s and 80’s will be nodding their head as they remember the homes of the last generation. Square buildings with large bedrooms and small living spaces. Poorly heated, no air conditioning, large back yards and simpler times.

Back then building a home was a choice of brick or timber and how many bedrooms do you wanted. Three was the standard and occasionally a backyard bungalow sufficed for an extra kid (the oldest ones right of passage before leaving home) or a relative needing a home.

These days there are a million different options of housing materials, layouts, fixtures and fittings. It can be overwhelming for a lot of couples trying to navigate their way through the process of building a new home. Often it’s a lifetime of saving to be in the fortunate position to build a brand new home and the pressure to get it right is stressful.

This is how LB Living came about. I saw many couples making the wrong choices, simply because there are so many people offering different opinions on the topic. Architects designing beautiful, but ultimately impractical house designs that look great in magazines, but don’t fit a growing family, couple or perhaps the budget. Well-meaning friends who have built one house and believe they know all the ins and outs of the process.

After working in the industry for over 30 years and building thousands of homes, I have picked up a fair bit of knowledge about what works and what doesn't. There are a few key differences that can turn a house into a home that you will love for the years to come.

I want to give some of this knowledge back to the families that have helped me in my career.

So this is the first of a series of blogs helping families and couples with practical advice on how to build a new home that looks as good as any in the magazines, but is practical for real people and at a realistic budget.

I welcome your suggestions for new topics and we can help a limited number of clients through our LB Living business if you want to build in the Bayside area of Melbourne.

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Danny