It's all in the planning

For 45 years, Landmark Homes has been building beautiful, superior and quality homes across New Zealand. And every one of their homes has its foundations in a carefully crafted home plan.

Landmark Homes impressive portfolio of Ready to Build plans includes designs spanning a variety of sizes, shapes, and layouts. But how does the Landmark Homes team create their innovative plans, and in doing so, continuously set new benchmarks in home construction? We caught up with Landmark Homes Finance Manager Shelley Begg to find out.

One of the early decisions for those planning to build their own home is whether to go with a Ready to Build plan or start a design from scratch. If you’re not sure where to start, the Landmark Homes Ready to Build plan collection offers the perfect starting point.

One of the clear benefits is the upfront pricing. “Each of our plans has been designed with Landmark’s history of construction knowledge and design excellence,” says Shelley. “That means these plans are tried and true, which is why they can be pre-costed because we have already put all of that construction and build design knowledge into the process.”

This upfront transparency is a rarity in the home building industry and one that offers homebuilders some welcome peace of mind.

But that doesn’t mean that Landmark Homes plans are fixed or inflexible. In fact, as Shelley points out, they’re often just a starting point.

"The standard plans can be built as is, which is the fastest way of getting your house built,” says Shelley. “But they're also adaptable. If you wanted to add or remove a bedroom, expand the garage, or enlarge the living room, all of those modifications are possible.”

Landmark Homes has a range of beautiful Showhomes on display throughout New Zealand. Each is built to showcase the Design and Build quality and creativity that can be expected in a Landmark home. Showhomes are also designed to make the most of the layout and orientation of the building site.

Landmark’s Showhomes often feature creative design solutions and new or innovative materials, and of course that’s all underpinned by quality craftsmanship.

“When a Landmark Homes franchise begins designing a new Showhome, we may decide it’s a good candidate for our plan portfolio,” says Shelley. “So, at the concept stage, Landmark Homes Franchise Support Office will take a look at whether it has a point of difference design-wise, and whether it fills a gap in the plans we have on offer. And if it does, it’s added to the collection.”

Landmark Homes also designs and builds unique ‘dream homes’ for clients – from concept to completion. With the homeowner's consent, some of these custom designs become new plans that others can then use for their home builds.

A couple of prime examples include:

• The Patiki plan is ideal for versatile city living, featuring ground-floor open-plan living and a master suite. With thoughtful design elements like expansive sliders for indoor-outdoor flow, protective porch rooflines, and a cosy 'snug' that catches the morning sun.
• The Forte plan which was originally a client build in Central Otago features a dual-living design with a three bedroom unit and an adjoining two bedroom unit.

Landmark Homes consistently update their plan portfolio, ensuring clients have access to a diverse suite of designs, encompassing everything from traditional and villa styles to barn-style, contemporary, and duplex configurations.

So, when Shelley sees that there’s a gap in the range and a new plan is needed, she starts by creating what’s known as a bubble plan.

"Bubble plans start with an understanding of the site’s orientation and the relationships between rooms,” says Shelley. “For instance, if there’s a driveway, there must be a garage, so we start by drawing a garage bubble. From there, we map out other spaces, for example, the lounge to maximise a particular view. That’s followed by bedrooms and bathrooms."

Once this bubble blueprint is established, it's forwarded to a designer. "They take our vision, including the type of design concept and materials we want to incorporate, and transform these bubbles into concept plans.”

Shelley says that many homebuilders are gravitating toward homes with smaller footprints. "Duplexes and multi-units are very popular at the moment, so we’re adding in more of these,” she says.

“Big dreams can come in small packages. People still want their dream home, but they're aware they may have to cut back on space. But with a Landmark, we can create stunning designs that still feel very spacious.”

Take a look at more of Landmark Home’s Ready to Build plans, or contact us today to talk about putting a plan in place for your dream home.