Sasse Ave Project – Distinct Building Company Spec Home

When we set out designing 81 Sasse Ave with Keira at?The Collective Design agency, we all intended to maximise every m2 of the land and build a super functional home suited to the typical Mount Hawthorn Lifestyle.

As small builders, we choose to take on only a select number of builds, and every year, we always have one or two jobs in Mount Hawthorn.

We love building homes in this suburb and feel we have a good grasp on the modern family demands and needs of a household in this area.

So, when the opportunity came up to build a brand-new spec home in the area, we jumped at the chance to purchase a subdivided parcel of land on Sasse Ave.

We purchased this land during the COVID-19 Pandemic, which created many hurdles. The biggest hurdle was the project's cost increase jumping by 20% overall!?

The timing was also a challenge which we were always trying to improve by proactively ordering and booking trades in advance. Albeit delays were ongoing and uncontrollable at times.

Despite all this, the result was everything we had envisioned it to be, and thanks to the Perth Property Market remaining strong, we managed to not overspend beyond the feasibility.

When building a spec home, the most important thing is the budget and the overall numbers stacking up so you do not lose money!

However, at the same time, you always want to create that wow factor, functionality,?plenty of storage and a great flow throughout for the home to sell at the right price.

Weighing up these things is not always easy, but it is a challenge we enjoy. That is why we understand as a builder how important a budget is.?At this point in my “Builders Wife” career, I am yet to meet one homeowner we have worked with that has an?endless?budget. Therefore, keeping on budget, whatever that may be, is essential, as is getting the design to work. The two attributes must marry together on every build, hence the need to get your builder on side earlier in the design piece.

When building a home to sell, you must be aware of two critical things. Number one is that you must be mindful of the target market in the selling area.?For this property, we were comfortable as we have built many home renovations and extensions in Mount Hawthorn in the past.

The brief for this home was to design something with four bedrooms, two living spaces, a home office/ spare room, two bathrooms and a powder room. This was based on the demands of our existing and past clients who lived in and around the area.??

The second most important thing when building a spec home to sell is designing the interior colour selections and finishings to be timeless and appealing to the masses while still seeming up-to-date and modern—a complex task but something I enjoy doing.

The research involved hours spent on?Instagram,?Real Estate.Com, and?Pinterest?are long but worth the investment of my time to get it right.

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I have my go-to timeless touches, such as a lot of white in the kitchen with a splash of trending colours for feature overhead cupboards, accent areas or island benches, brushed nickel tapware, and neutral tones throughout.

People that walk through the home like to relate to it by?labelling?its interior styles, such as Hamptons, Coastal or Palm Springs. However, as we are trying to appeal to the masses, the spec homes we build tend to relate to many styles in a few subtle ways.?

Some interior designers may cringe at this idea. It also may go against the?laws?of interior design.?Nevertheless, when you are selling a home to a large target market, this is the best approach.

In this home we built on Sasse Ave in Mount Hawthorn, there were aspects of?Hamptons?in the cladding choice: Nuline?by?Innova Building?Solutions.?Also, the kitchen cabinets were shaker-style doors and classic proud feet on the island bench edges. Both specifications create the Hamptons look.

The painted brick fa?ade and interior hallway pay homage to Palm Springs and the custom timber battens on the second floor’s exterior cladding.

The light timber floors throughout the home by?Woodpecker Flooring,?the touches of timber accents in the cabinetry, the lovely white pendants, and the feature lighting from?Beacon Lighting?create a peaceful and what some would consider a?coastal?home.?

I leave it up to the individual to decide on the style and make up their label if they must!

This home took just over nine months to complete, and while there were some time constraints and stressors on budget, we got there in the end. The house was released onto the market early this month and was under offer in 5 days!

Distinct Building Company?chooses to build for homeowners and loves to build spec homes as well to remove the stress of selecting and designing. After all, the build process is undoubtedly only for some, and others prefer to buy brand new or fully finished renovated homes.

If you're considering building, though, please start talking to your builder at the initial design stage to ensure your design matches your budget and?can?be built.

If you are interested in understanding the Distinct Process, please contact us to learn more.