Investing in quality and efficiency
Focus on operational performance
The elegant tapware can come later on
“Budget restraints are always a part of the build – you’ve got to adjust it to fit your budget and your lifestyle, find that happy medium. We like to bounce ideas off the homeowner and architect and anyone involved that’s not going to blow out the budget. There’s all sorts of small things you can do – small things can make big differences.”
Clayton Mitchell: Statement Homes
“At the end of the day, everyone has borrowed some money, and they've got to make some decisions – ‘Do I get the fancy tap, or do I get the better windows’ – we have these conversations just about everyday.”
Martin Ball: NK Windows – 2024
“We work with the client from the initial briefing. we establish what their budget is, what the target is, get the best for them, make it fit for purpose, and also to budget but with a view to the long term value of their asset.”
Rob d'Auvergne: Foley Group
“With some people it was always a case of how big can you make your home, how much bling can you put into it and how much you can get from it – houses with triple garages, multiple rooms etc, without thinking about homes that were durable and healthy. But they had single glazing and relied on fossil fuels to keep warm.”
Peter Davis: AD Architecture
“There's a real need to think outside the square – For example, a young couple can put in a second-hand kitchen worth $2000. They might have to endure that kitchen for five years, but they can improve on it when they can afford it.”
Guy Gillespie: Character Builders
“It depends on the client's budget. If they want a flash house and they have a bit more money to splash around, I might suggest to them that instead of doing that really big kitchen or bathroom, maybe consider solar or better windows instead.”
Dave Gunter: Coastal Design
“We are aware of the perceived concerns around the affordability of healthy, energy-efficient homes. Chatterton Homes provide a high-performance plan range and are designed to tackle this issue head-on. Each plan is fully priced and energy-modelled, with a range of upgrade options to suit different budgets and performance goals. High performance can be achieved at a competitive price – you don’t have to settle for a minimum code-built home.
Having built bespoke high-performance homes for well over a decade, and reaping the benefits of living in one ourselves, it was important for us to remove as many barriers as possible, and developing a plan range was top of that list.’”
Brent Chatterton, Director, Chatterton Homes
