Do you want to enjoy the comfort of your home and avoid headaches in the long run? You must learn how to future proof your home and envision how its design can meet evolving requirements in 10 to 20 years. The best homeowners think further ahead— they prioritise future proofing their homes before settling into their new abode. It’s a great strategy to prevent inconveniences and annoyances down the track.
You don’t need to become a professional home designer to make intelligent, long-term aesthetic and structural choices. Relying on common sense and savvy planning can help homeowners future proof new home construction. Preparing for unforeseen issues helps design a sustainable, efficient home adaptable to residents’ evolving lifestyle requirements.
Whether you’re constructing, renovating, or improving your house, our future proofing home tips can help current and future generations of Australians enjoy their living spaces.
Economise With Solar Power
Practical homeowners can utilise clean and efficient solar energy from the sun. A solar panel helps convert solar energy into electricity. Conversely, an inverter converts solar panels’ direct current (DC) electricity into alternating current (AC) power.
Relying on solar power helps reduce your residence’s carbon footprint or greenhouse gas emissions. A home solar panel also drastically reduces your monthly electric utility bills. Hire a service provider to customise your home solar panel and inverter setup. Ensure the solar panel is effective and robust. Ask your contractor if their company offers long-term warranties.
How to future proof your home involves covering all of the bases. Installing a home solar battery helps store energy the sun produces for later use. If you’re putting your house on the market, installing a home solar panel system increases its value and makes it more enticing to buyers.
Boost Your Energy Efficiency
Severe climate changes have serious repercussions on Australian homes, including the following:
- Severe weather damage: Hurricanes and floods can damage roofs and foundations.
- Rising sea levels: Coastal properties are prone to flooding and erosion, resulting in structural damage.
- Extreme temperatures: The oppressive Australian heat can strain HVAC systems, leading to steeper energy utility bills.
- Pest infestations: Warm climates may result in infestation of pests, including termites and rodents. If this pest infiltration remains unchecked, your house may sustain structural damage.
These potential consequences make future proofing your home a necessity. An energy-efficient residence diminishes environmental impact and lowers your electricity bills.
Some home energy-enhancing tips include the following:
- Setting up home photovoltaic panels
- Utilising thermal mass
- Purchasing energy-saving ovens and similar appliances
- Making door and window gaps draught-proof
- Glazing
- Installing sufficient home insulation
Go the extra mile by identifying and improvising your house’s primary energy wasters, mainly your heating and cooling systems. Check with your service providers and ensure your systems are up-to-date. Otherwise, they can compromise indoor air quality, waste energy, and increase your monthly utility bills.
If your heating or cooling system is outdated, setting up a new one is an excellent way to future proofing home. Consequently, you will enjoy maximum comfort and energy efficiency over time.
Use Efficient Storage Solutions
Inadequate storage space is one of the long-term hindrances to settling in a house. Possessions, including furniture, collectibles, clothes, and appliances, pile up over time. If you have children, your household’s storage issues become intimidating.
Although the internet offers many quick-fix storage solutions, future proofing home requires upfront, built-in storage spaces. These spaces help maximise space, declutter the house, and offer a long-term solution to homeowners.
Many contemporary, built-in storage solutions include the following features:
- Shelves
- Drawers
- Hanging racks
- Shoe racks
- Cabinets
- Bookshelves
- Wine racks
These unique features help Australian homeowners maximise their living space and improve home aesthetics. If you’re a new homeowner, utilising versatile, built-in storage solutions will make your home liveable for many years. It’s a unique strategy to future proof new home construction.
Take Advantage Of Multipurpose Layouts
Since homeowners will experience constant change, multifunctional spaces and furniture make sense as long-term investments. Whether you’re constructing, adding, or improvising a current space, careful planning and intelligent furniture choices are essentials on how to future proof your home.
Ensure you have multifunctional rooms and furniture in your home to have a Plan B whenever unforeseen circumstances arise. New work-from-home setups, visitors from other states, and teenage parties require flexibility. Hence, multipurpose layouts are an excellent contingency plan for busy homeowners.
Many architects suggest adding a second living room that becomes a versatile space for each family member. Depending on the circumstance, homeowners can transform that room into a playroom, guest room, or home office.
Multifunctional home furniture is also a game changer. Folding desks you can easily stow underneath your bed doubles as a workstation or a food table. Ensure you have sofa beds at home whenever friends or relatives visit. On the other hand, a coffee table with drawers saves valuable space.
Whatever your preference, multifunctional layouts and designs are integral to future proofing home.
Prioritise Durability
Purchasing durable home items may seem intimidating for your budget. However, compared to buying mediocre alternatives, you will save more money. In terms of longevity, these inferior items aren’t worth it in the long run. Durability is essential if you want to future proof new home construction.
Strong, sturdy, and resilient materials endure over time. Purchasing these items doesn’t merely improve your home aesthetics—they retain your house’s beauty for many years. Prioritise busy living spaces that sustain the most wear and tear, particularly the bathroom and kitchen.
Shifting to high-quality, durable materials later on is a painstaking process. Smart and savvy people know future proofing home involves investing in durable items upfront.
Enhance Your Home Wiring
Busy people rely heavily on technology. Nowadays, homeowners ensure their abodes are keeping up with the times. If you know how to future proof your home, prioritise technology.
Set up home automation systems that manipulate heating, cooling, lighting, and security. Wiring these systems helps your house adapt to today’s technologically driven environment.
Love The Great Outdoors
Brilliant future proofing home strategies involve the great outdoors. Expand your creativity to your patio, backyard, and outdoor barbecue to increase living spaces and utilise your home territory. For instance, sprucing up your outdoor barbecue with burner plates, furniture, fans, a refrigerator, a sink, and an oven makes your patio more inviting to family, friends, and neighbours. Add a fire pit and an outdoor movie theatre for a unique touch.
Set up your patio with modular furniture, such as sectional sofas, loungers, block seating, and dining sets. This flexible arrangement makes your outdoor space appealing to visitors who enjoy bonding in a cosy and intimate setting. Potential home buyers will also love your outdoor aesthetics if you sell your residence down the track.
Future Proof Your Home With Unique Built
Effective future proofing home strategies combine sustainability, flexibility, and innovation. Prioritising energy efficiency, storage solutions, multipurpose layouts, durability, technology, and the great outdoors will ensure your living space retains its appeal and stands the test of time.
At Unique Built, we help Australian clients future proof their custom homes Brisbane and construct houses tailored to their unique lifestyles. Please contact us at (07) 5535 0000 during AEST business hours, Monday through Friday, to discuss how to future proof your home. One of our staff members will assist you immediately.
