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Tips for building on a small or narrow block in Brisbane or Gold Coast

 

Despite having a small or narrow block of land, you can design a custom home with Brookhaven Homes in Brisbane to ensure you are maximising the potential of your site. A smart custom design, with the correct use of space can generate amazing results from narrow lots. Brookhaven Homes is the trusted home builder for small and narrow block builders in Brisbane, and our experienced team is here to provide you with the best advice in the industry. Our design experts will be able to point you in the right direction to ensure you achieve your dream home efficiently when dealing with a narrow block so that you make the most out of the space you’ve got.

 

What defines a small or narrow block in Brisbane?

A small or narrow lot in Brisbane is one that has an area that is smaller than 450 square metres, or less than 600 square metres (excluding the driveway) if it is a rear block. It is important that when building a home on a narrow lot in Brisbane, that the house design or plan complies with the Dwelling house (small lot) code.

There are some general requirements that must be met when developing a new build on a small lot, most of which can be found under the small lot projects on the Brisbane City Council website. Some important things to consider include specific height requirements of the build, any setbacks of the dwelling, and outcomes for the built boundary walls, the percentage of the land you can build on for both internal and external purposes, and parking provisions are just to name a few.

Whilst we urge you to do extensive research, there are many benefits of engaging with an experienced custom home builder in Brisbane & Gold Coast such as Brookhaven Homes, is that our team knows what is required of a narrow lot build, and how to deliver successfully on time, and within budget.

 

Tips to consider when designing a custom home on a narrow block

At Brookhaven Homes, our luxury home designs start with you. However there are a few key design tips we taking into consideration when creating the perfect home design for you to consider.

1. A design that boasts open plan living, with a clear indoor/outdoor connection

This can give the illusion of unified areas, with zero divide! Having a single space that is large and undivided also helps with the distribution of natural light as nothing can get in the way.  An open plan living area that is connected to an outdoor living area or alfresco should be supported by glass sliding doors to continue the flow of the space to the outdoors. This is especially important for when it comes to entertaining many guests in a smaller home.

2. Smart landscape design

Since a narrow block doesn’t allow for much space, generally the outdoor areas are cut down on to allow for more space within the home – of course, when building a custom home with Brookhaven Homes, you can have full flexibility about how much outdoor space you want. However generally speaking, narrow and small lots don’t leave much space to play around with for landscaping. Suddenly, there’s no room for all the plants, hedges, and trees you wanted to place around. Make sure you get smart about how you are going to landscape the space you have early in the design process – sometimes the most beautiful and efficient landscaping can be done within small spaces. Some ideas for small space landscape design include a hanging garden, or invest in vertical plants that don’t take up much floor space, and creating small backyard focal points to draw the eye in so that the space looks tidy.

3. Light coloured interiors

One of the most important things to consider when building on a narrow block, is the choice of colours you’d like to use in the build. To keep the space light and airy, we always advise to to choose neutral colours such as white or off-white – perfect for natural light to reflect on.

4. High ceilings

There are many benefits to having high ceilings in your small or narrow lot build. A major benefit is that it gives the illusion of added square metres. It also allows for natural light to disperse, adding to the aesthetic appeal of the home. It also provides more opportunity to add extra décor and have more décor options with additional wall space – such as ornate light fixtures or the use of feature walls.

 

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