Years into your career, and now you can invest in something for the long haul – a home. Of course, you don’t want your first project to come apart at the seams. After all, it’s honest, hard-earned money we’re talking about, and a significant amount at that! 

So for you real estate newbies, we’ve got a 3-part series on how to build your house from the ground-up.  Think What to Expect When You’re Expecting, but the baby is your future house.

Goal Setting

First, know what you want.  Picture how you’d like to live, then plan how you’d get there. 

What kind of lifestyle do you want your home to foster? Will you be going home to it every day, or will it just be a vacation pad? On top of this, know who’s going to live with you. How big is the family you’re going to the house? Is there anyone with special needs? 

Foresee how long you’ll be staying in that home. If it’s a decade or more, consider how the house will cater to changing needs (e.g., kids transitioning to their teen years, parents with declining mobility). Dipping into the future, look into your property’s future value.  It’s still an investment at the end of the day. 

Hurray Design believes in human-centered design. As we say, we “Design For You.” We must know the end-users very well, their lifestyle, and how they intend to use the spaces. Your vision may be based on aesthetics, but the function is much more important, and we work with clients deeply to design with a clear purpose.  

You must also establish the scale of the project. Will you complete the structure all the way or do it by phase? The latter option targets to finish essential areas first and gradually work towards the end goal when resources permit. And yes, the budget usually influences your decision. 

Budget and Financing

Coming up with a cost estimate would be tricky since every house is built differently. But based on industry practice, the average standard ranges from PHP 15,000 to PHP 20,000 per square meter. Meanwhile, high-end or elegant houses can cost as much as  PHP 30,000 per square meter or more. Hurray Design works typically with a PHP 25,000 to PHP 35,000 per square meter range. The range provided does not include premium interior finishes and owner-supplied materials for our clients, and we choose to achieve the quality we envisioned. 

The final amount will eventually depend on the final design, choice of materials, timetable, and several other factors. Do the numbers look a bit daunting? If you don’t have the budget in one lump sum, fret not! You can opt for a housing loan. You can either go for private banks or a government institution, like the PAG-IBIG Fund. However, don’t bite off more than you can chew – pick a scheme you can afford. 

Though most Hurray Design clients allot enough funds for a project, we can also help plan the budget allocation and procurement and release timing. We have a lot of value-working professional designers. As they say, mistakes can be more expensive in the long run.

Location 

Another critical aspect of your house is its location. If you don’t have a parcel of land yet, you can search for property online or hire a realtor to do the job for you. With that said, you still have a few things to consider in finding the most suitable lot.

Pick an environment that complements your lifestyle. 

Do you prefer being close to your work in the urban center, or do you seek sanctuary away from the city’s hustle and bustle? 

You should also consider the safety of the neighborhood for potential hazards like earthquakes or flooding, as well as consider living in a gated community for better security.

Aside from physical facets, know the economic value of the property. Is it within the range of the area’s prevailing market price? What is the projected future of your chosen vicinity? This might come in handy in case you decide to sell the property in the future. 

If everything is smooth sailing at this point, you’re all set for the fun part: designing and assembling a team of professionals. If you are looking to discuss this further, you can book an online meeting for your space. We'd love to share our design process & full portfolio through this link, or you can join our newsletter to be posted for the next segment of this series!