So you’ve been searching the internet for floorplans, facades, interior decorations, home builders and everything else you can think of to do with the building. If you’re looking to take the next step, it’s worth your time to visit a display home. Not only does it give you an in-person look at the floorplan, but it also allows an insight into a home builder’s work and gives you ideas for your own new house. Therefore, in today’s article, we’ll be looking at the top display homes in the Toowoomba area. In particular, we’ll be taking a close look at The Avenues of Highfields, the largest display village in the Toowoomba area.
What to look for when visiting a display home?
Will this layout suit your lifestyle?
Seeing a design on paper and standing in a completed house are two very different experiences. What looks good on paper may not always translate in real life, and that is one of the big advantages of visiting a display home. When you look around a display home, think about your everyday life and what you’d like to be able to do with your new home. Does this layout meet these needs?
Sometimes it’s as easy as following your instincts. If you find the display home too small, that will only become more apparent if live in this place. Even if you can’t quite put your finger on why you don’t like a display home, it’s probably a sign that it just isn’t for you.
Have a close look at everything
Have a look at the fixtures and materials used in the display home. This is your chance to get a hands-on feel of everything in the house. Do the cabinets open smoothly? Does the benchtop look as sturdy as the website made out? Does the open plan layout let in enough natural light for your liking? The little details make up the big picture, and you’ll want exceptional quality even in the smallest feature in your dream home.
What fixtures and features are standard and what are upgrades?
The good news about features such as taps, countertops, tiling and handles, is that a lot of it comes down to personal taste. So, if you love the display but think the tiling is hideous, you can easily swap this out for another option in your home.
On the other side of the coin, if you love the countertop in the display home, you’ll need to investigate if it’s a standard inclusion or an upgrade. Never assume that everything in the display homes is a standard inclusion because odds are, it isn’t. You have to remember that for the builder, the purpose of a display home is to wow potential customers by putting their best foot forward, so they’re going to include the best fixtures and features they have to offer.
It’s always worth chatting to the sales representative at the display home about inclusions, even if you’re not that interested in this particular floorplan. It’ll give you something to compare down the line should you choose to talk to another builder.
Knock on the walls and check the sound.
It might look like a way to bluff looking like an expert, but there is actually a purpose to knocking on the walls. Sound is often an overlooked part of a house inspection, but it’ll be something you have to live with so it’s best not to skip it.
Knocking on the walls can be a great way to see how sound travels, especially in open-plan houses and double-storey homes. Any parent knows how desirable having an acoustic buffer is, so for families, it’s important to get a feel of a house’s acoustics. Also, keep an ear out for any strange echoes or sounds as this detail means there might be something suspect about the walls.
Speaking of sound, try to get a feel for the house’s ambient noise level. Can you hear traffic with all the windows shut? Ask if this house is part of a flight path. Are you near a school, and if so, consider how busy it’ll get at pick-up time? As a general rule of thumb, consider that at another time, this area could be a lot noisier.
Take Photos
Unless you have a photographic memory, you’re not going to remember every detail from your visit, especially if you’re visiting a couple of homes. Having a picture of a feature or design choice you especially liked could come in handy when designing your home. It also comes in handy when comparing homes, for example, you might want to see how two sets of bathroom tilings compare to one another.
The Avenues of Highfields
The Avenues of Highlands is a master development in Toowoomba which will eventually house over 500 residents. It is Toowoomba’s first major masterplan development and therefore has Toowoomba’s biggest display village. A lot of the display housing is built by highly respected, local Toowoomba builders, who know the local area well. Many are bespoke builders which is great news for anyone looking to build a custom home.
Whether you’re looking for a local Toowoomba builder or someone who is part of a bulk builder, there are plenty of options at The Avenues of Highfields.
Land for Sale!
At the time of publication, there is land available. The below prices should be used as a general idea of what it’ll cost to buy land in the estate. Even their website stipulates that prices are subject to change, though this is common in the property market.
House and Land Packages
House and land packages are available at the Avenues of Highlands. The convenience of house and land packages is they offer a streamlined approach to building a new house. The downside is that you have a lot less choice. While you have a say in decor, the floorplan has to be left unchanged, or the builder will charge a lot for any changes you make.
Display Village
Here are some of the display homes you can visit at the moment. However, the construction of the display village is still in progress, so more homes are still to come. We’ll update this list once the new homes are finished.
G.J. Gardner Homes
One of the volume builders available to visit is G.J. Gardner Homes. They have an extensive range of designs available, and there aren’t many types of homes they don’t provide. Remember that G.J. Gardner Homes is a franchise, so different locations will have varying approaches and reputations. This is especially important when looking up reviews.
Stroud Homes
Stroud Homes Display Home is still in construction and will be coming soon (estimated to be open late 2022) to the Toowoomba Estate. Here is the information we could gather:
Kev Morris Builder
An award-winning local builder who specialise in adaptable living, so if you or a loved one are elderly, disabled or have some special requirements for your day to day living, Kev Morris Builders should be able to accommodate this in your home design.
3 Bedrooms
Hotondo Homes
Hotondo Homes has one display home to visit in Toowoomba. You’ll need to book an appointment if you’d like to visit the house. They’ve won a Master Builders Association award for their work of sloping sites, so are worth looking into if your working with slanted land.
Jamieson
4 Bedrooms
Gordon Bourke Constructions
One of Toowoomba’s most experienced and longest established builders, having been in business since 1959. They’ve built over 3500 homes in the Toowoomba region.
Harrow 269
House Area: 269.1m2
4 Bedrooms
Tim Smith Constructions Queensland
Another local builder, Tim Smith Construction is an award winning local builder who’ve been part of the Toowoomba community for over 12 years.
Hudson 16
4 Bedrooms
Available from $512,000
Arden Vale Homes
Specialise in single and double-storey family homes.
The Vouge
4 Bedrooms
House Area: 307.38m2
Deadline Projects
Deadline projects are bespoke builder who specialised in customised homes. If you have a specific vision for your new house that none of the existing home designs quite cover, a bespoke builder may be for you. Be aware that custom homes do tend to take longer to build, and can be divisive when if you ever resell. Not everyone’s taste is necessarily as sophisticated as yours.
Need help finding the right design and builder for you?
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How We Can Help You
Building a home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. At Buildi, we’ll be there throughout the entire building process, guiding you step by step so you can avoid any pitfalls. We will help you by following these steps.
- Free Consultation – We will sit with you to understand what you are looking to accomplish.
- Due Diligence – We work with you to ensure you’re buying the right block of land at the right price without hidden problems.
- Builders tender – We will take your requirements out to the market of builders and they will bid to win your business.
- Present solutions – We will compile the top 3 options and present you with a comprehensive proposal on builders’ strengths & weaknesses along with prices and specifications.
- Contract Signing – We will work with you and your selected builder to ensure there is full transparency in what you are entering into.
- Building your home – We work closely with the builder to ensure all service levels are met and your project is on schedule.
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