Just like most people, you are probably thinking about you how you can improve your financial blueprint. One of the best ways to ensure financial growth involves improving your home. Whether you're renovating or building a new home, it is important to always bear energy efficiency in mind.  This will enable you to save money on your monthly energy bills. However, financial gain is not the only benefit that you can get from having an energy-efficient home.

An energy-efficient home is likely to keep your family comfortable while spending less on energy bills.  Whether you make small improvements or take bigger investments on building a more energy efficient home, you'll certainly find your money back in your wallet. Plus, making this type of improvement will make your home more attractive to buyers when you finally decide to sell.  

Making the necessary improvement for energy efficiency provides thermal regulators which helps maintain your home's temperature anywhere from 18 to 24 degree Celsius. These temperature levels have been recommended by the World Health Organization for obtaining optimum comfort and good health. A home with fully functioning thermal regulators is also suitable for vulnerable people like the elderly, children and allergy stricken people.   

Finally, a home that allows lower energy consumption greatly reduces energy wastage and minimizes your environmental footprint without the need to compromise comfort and lifestyle. It will also enable you to do your part in preserving and protecting the environment for the generations to come. Building an environment friendly home is not just about the money. It's also about saving the planet and making a difference. The more effort you put on building a more energy efficient home, the more benefits your family will reap in the long run.

If you are looking for energy-efficient houses Adelaide, simply visit the Serenity Homes website through the following links: 

http://www.serenityhomes.com.au/ 

http://www.serenityhomes.com.au/energy-efficient-homes-page.php 

Building a home may be expensive but you don't have to pay more than what is necessary. Here are some tips on how to keep things on a budget without compromising the aesthetics and quality of the home you're trying to build.

1. Consider buying a big lot with a family member or a friend and divide it into two. You may find yourself totally hooked up with a lot that is larger that what you really need or can afford. If the seller is not willing to break up the land into smaller parcels, find someone who would want to share the costs with you and of course, you would love having as your neighbor.   

2. Consider building on a non-standard site. Sloping, hill-side, or narrow lots are generally not as desirable as the usual types of building lots. Thus, they often come on much lower prices. With the right home design and a capable builder, a difficult lot might just be the perfect spot for your new home.    

3. Choose low-maintenance building materials – Materials like metal roofing and vinyl siding are usually more expensive at installation, however they can help you save more money in the long run since there's no need to repair, repaint or replace these materials regularly.

4. Invest only on things that you really cannot live without. Make sure that when you try to cut costs, you know which is important and which is not. Don’t skimp out on vital structural components of your home. When your family's safety and security are at risk, it is important to purchase the best materials your budget can afford.

5. Hire a reliable contractor. The type of home builder you hire will make the difference between a dream come true and a nightmare. Choose a builder that has enough experience with the type of construction you're having. And most all, choose someone who is willing to work within your budget and can still deliver quality results.  

If you're looking for a home building company which specializes in split level home designs in Adelaide, simply visit the Serenity Homes website by clicking on the following links: 

http://www.serenityhomes.com.au/

http://www.serenityhomes.com.au/split-level-homes-adelaide.html

Everyone has a dream home. And when you decide its time to have yours built, you will need a reliable home builder. The builder can either make or break your dream home. Here are some tips to help you hire the right contractor for the job.

Know his reputation. When hiring a builder, it is important to ensure that you are hiring the services of a reputable contractor in the industry. Doing otherwise usually is likely to put you at risk of hiring a builder who has a record of running away before the project is finished or someone who got sued for building a substandard home. In order to ensure that this doesn't happen to you, ask for a number of references that he has ever worked for. Find out whether or not he is a really good builder. If all his previous clients were completely satisfied with his services, you can hire him. If not, by all means feel free to find someone else.  

Check his skills and experience. Of course, it is important to know whether your prospective builder has the ability and experience in doing the type of construction that you require. Check out his portfolio or previous work samples. Know the types of home he has ever built. If you're planning to build on a slopping block, make sure that you hire someone who as ample experience and skills in building on the same kind of block. It is also important to know whether or not he has ever used some of the popular and modern home construction techniques known today.

When hiring a home builder always ask for a guarantee. Actually, professional home builders usually offer guarantee if the project didn’t turn out the way their clients wanted or designed. It is also important to make sure that the builder can work within your budget limit. Ask about his service rate and create a detailed written contract to formalize the deal.  

Visit the Serenity Homes website to know more about building split level homes in Adelaide, http://www.serenityhomes.com.au/

http://www.serenityhomes.com.au/split-level-homes-adelaide.html

Building your new home on a sloping block could present a number of challenges. But don't worry, with the right home builder, you could easily work around any possible issues. Read on to get some idea on how to build on a sloping area.

When choosing a house design, you have to consider the slope of the block that you will build on. Blocks can be in a sloping angle in various ways, it could either be sloping down or up from the street. Blocks that are sloping down towards the rear boundary of the street are easier to work with than the latter. Building on blocks that are sloping upward from the street usually involves retaining walls and more excavation, which would significantly augment your expenses. However, building on an angled block generally costs more as compared to a flat block location.

You can minimize the need for retaining walls and excavation by working with the block's unique slope and designing your home to work with that slope. Too much excavation usually presents additional problems. It could damage the drainage system, worsen erosion, and can make the block more unstable.

In order to lower the risks associated with a excavation, make sure that the builder makes use of sediment control methods to protect the integrity of the block. Take note that masonry homes are more suitable for flat blocks while lightweight or pole houses are more commonly used for sloping blocks, especially for steep slopes.  

If you are looking for a reliable home builder to help you with two storey house designs for sloping blocks, simply visit the Serenity Homes website by clicking on the following links: 

 http://www.serenityhomes.com.au/

http://www.serenityhomes.com.au/two-storey-house-designs.html

Building a home is probably one of the most expensive investments you'll ever make in your life. Thus, some people cut costs wherever they can when building a home. But when it comes to energy efficiency, it is important to incorporate the right designs and features to ensure that you'll save more money on your energy bills. Here are some tips to help build a home that's beautiful, comfortable and of course, energy-efficient.  

In order to reduce use of artificial heating, you need to think of ways to take advantage the sun's heat. You need to place your windows strategically to harness that natural heat. Your biggest window should be in the south-facing side of your home to benefit from the passive winter heat. On the opposite side, place smaller windows to reduce heat loss from the cooler and more shaded part of your home.   

Generally, large and spacious homes are a status symbol. However, the level of energy-consumption of those wonderful high ceilings, extravagant bed rooms with open plan living area and guest lounge should be taken into consideration. One of the main elements of an energy-efficient home is the efficient use of space. Smaller homes are usually more energy efficient.

Another way to save big on energy bills is by proper lighting. Use energy efficient windows and place them strategically to take advantage of that natural light source – the sun. Apply an open plan design in areas that are going to be frequently used to take full advantage of natural light in every corner of the building. And when its time to turn on the lights, make sure that you use LED or fluorescent light bulbs which are many times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. 

Click on the following links to visit the Serenity Homes website and find out more about building energy-efficient Adelaide two storey house designs.  

http://www.serenityhomes.com.au/ 

http://www.serenityhomes.com.au/two-storey-house-designs.html