the design is the most important part of any new house or renovation so it's false economy to economise on the design but the technique we've had most success with for numerous different projects is to first work out a rough plan, consult council to make sure that what we want is legal and clarify what's needed for their Development Application, then consult our builder to ask if what we want is possible, discuss any potential problems with the site and get a rough idea of costs and then we've used a draftsperson, building designer or architect to do finished plans but, regardless of who does the designs and produces the finished plans or being owner builders or employing a builder there have always been some unexpected problems and expenses so we've found that it's better to have a much closer understanding of the fine details of the design, avoid anything too complicated and think about how the plans can be made as efficient as possible ..untried techniques and products, custom sizes and materials are not the best options for managing the budget and the more you can understand about the design, materials techniques and regulations the better the result eg time spent with the DIY BASIX application will prove that you can move a window to improve the ratings but all depends on how involved you want to be in the process and/or how much you're prepared to pay for a professional to do it for you keep in mind that the costs of the designer is often no more than the cost of any of the trades but the design can make building the house cheaper and more comfortable to live in ... we can easily save on decorating and improve as funds become available but the design is the foundation and shouldn't be skimped...with more info the HOUZZ community can offer excellent ideas but we can't see the dimensions on your plans, need to know the direction of north, the length and width of your block, any good or bad views, does the block slope in any direction, describe your climate, your preferred building materials and who will live in the house...

Thank you all for taking the time to reply.

I understand your point about the entrance area, but I actually did that on purpose. The living dining area could be bigger your are right, I have put furniture in previous drawings and it fits but may no be very spacious.

I think you are right about the design being a huge importance, saving money with a simple change, but that could be a change I am not aware of with the consultation of a building designer...

So we don't have the land yet, but it will be on a block of over 10 acres in a farming country area in a wet cold winter and warm summer. House will hold 2 adults and 3 children. I have assumed the plot is level and we will be using a steel frame on a concrete slab.

The basic dimensions are 10mx22m

the plan should be designed to suit the site as sometimes a compromise may be needed to take advantage of a great view or awkward slope and a home on acreage has different priorities than a home in the suburbs...surprisingly plans for a house on a big site can be more difficult as we're not restricted by limited space and have to allow space for a driveway that doesn't compromise septic absorption trenches and underground pipes and focussing the rooms to take advantage of passive solar design and including a separate garage/shed with a covered entry, carport, outdoor play area between can help add necessary sheltered areas in a cold wet climate, having the plumbing along one side can make septic tanks easier to locate and a skillion roof design can make installing guttering and downpipes easier for locating water tanks etc...we've been very happy using steel sheds designed to A1 residential standards for a house on acreage...the steel building can be designed and custom made like a kit for erection by an owner builder and makes it easier to erect the outside walls and roof to waterproof stage and then work on the internal walls and fit out in comfort ...best of luck for your future

Yes, I agree with oklouise. Before deciding on a draftsperson or buidling designer you need to purchase a property and decide on the site of your new home. For a large rural property some of these decisions will be influenced by connections to infrastructure and how much you want to spend on a driveway! Unless you are planning to live completely off-grid, in which case there will still be infrastructure costs, which will influence the location and orientation of your home.and this will impact on your budget. Don't waste time on the finer details at this preliminary stage, but look at the big picture of what it actually costs to establish a house on a rural property.

Best of luck,

Dr Retro

of Dr Retro House Calls

Echo 100% all of the above comments............... the big DIY rookie design error is designing disconnected from specific context.........also starting with a rectangle shape and then filling in the rooms/spaces...not to mention not understanding how to manage budget with design appropriately within context...... you're missing the opportunity here...........

To clarify, one of the biggest differences between designers/architects and draftspeople is the knowledge and management of costs......think of it like this - draftspeople draw stuff as instructed, whereas designers/architects creatively configure and develop spaces simultaneously factoring in multiple level/layers of requirements appropriately balanced within context/to regulation, with deep understanding of costs involved and ultimately how to maximise the opportunity.... Good Designers will craft an experience of space....it's chalk & cheese/completely different services.........

The basic outline you've sketched is something that probably would be better suited to a smaller/suburban block...but you're talking about a rural acreage context, which brings with it a completely different set of conditions and also opens up so many opportunities for design that responds and connects with the immediate context.......think of amazing views/outlooks and how a building can be spread out without the constraints of close boundaries etc....I start to think about verandahs and spaces that connect to the outdoors....

Developing a home is a balancing process, of numerous factors and priorities. You need to establish these aspects first, work out what's important and what is your budget limit. Then work from there. You may find you need significantly greater money allocation to build aspect than you're thinking, and possibly it makes more sense to look at a smaller allotment and different land/building budget ratio......Don't underestimate owner builder costs. It's not necessarily a cheaper option unless you have "free" time, construction/industry knowledge and a passive income combination........these are big decisions that will take time to work through, but focusing on your kitchen or bedroom layout at this point in time is arguably a waste of time at this point in the process for you......as oklouise so correctly said "design is the most important part", and so it is highly advised that you allocate a reasonable amount of your investment to that part of it....

Just as a random thing, attached a sketch for a rural context....it's contemporary and subtle split/varied level, but all about the outlooks and natural light, zone separations and connecting deeply with the land........you have to design from the inside out, but you need to first understand where it's grounded and the context the design is physically responding to....

Something like you have drawn would likely be more cost effectively achieved with an off the shelf option like a volume builder, rather than going owner builder....

Hope some of this is helpful

Best of luck Victoria

Cheers

PD :)

The site dictates what should be constructed.

A good designer should be able to come up with something feasible.

Even using your plan as part of the brief maybe fine. Remember the design is more than just what you want, it also needs to suit the site and council regulations, budget, etc.... this where many designs fail. The designer is possibly the cheapest work you'll have performed but the most vital by a country mile! Almost every person involved in the construction will be using the plans and the client will have to live with the outcome....

I've seen some terrible work from 'architects' and some fantastic designs from draftspeople. Both are not uncommon.... It all comes back to their experience in design and budgets as well as local council regulations. Choose wisely, they're not all created the same!!