Why Good Home Design Comes Before Building: The Value of Choosing a Professional Designer

Lately, we’ve seen a growing number of people posting house plans online asking for feedback — and unfortunately, many of these designs miss some very basic principles of good residential design. Things like poor orientation, inefficient layouts, lack of storage, awkward room sizes and homes that simply won’t perform well once built.

In many cases, these plans have come directly from builders, owners putting their own design together or from generic project-style layouts that haven’t been properly tailored to the site or the people who will live there.

Builders Build. Designers Design

A good builder is focused on construction, materials, scheduling and delivering a project on time and on budget. These are critical skills, and good builders are invaluable. They spend years studying and learning their craft.

But residential design requires a different set of expertise altogether.

As building designers, we spend years studying how people live in spaces, how homes respond to climate, how layouts affect daily life, and how small design decisions can dramatically change comfort, energy efficiency and long-term value.

We think about things many people don’t even realise matter, such as:

• Correct north-facing orientation for living areas

• Cross ventilation and passive cooling

• How sunlight moves through the home during different seasons

• Views and light from window placements

• Storage needs that only become obvious once you’ve lived in a house for years

• Furniture layouts, circulation and privacy

• How the home will feel, not just how it looks

  
  

These decisions are extremely difficult — and expensive — to fix once a home is already built and many people don't even realise the amount of decision we make during a design.

Good Design Isn’t a Cost. It’s an Investment

One of the biggest misconceptions we see is that design is an “extra” cost that can be avoided by going straight to a builder.

In reality, good design often saves money over the life of the project by:

• Reducing unnecessary construction costs

• Avoiding design changes during the build

• Improving energy efficiency and reducing running costs

• Preventing expensive mistakes that can’t be undone later

Beyond the build itself, well-designed homes consistently achieve stronger resale value. Buyers recognise good layout, natural light and functional living — even if they can’t always explain exactly why a home feels better than another.

Good design pays for itself many times over.

Your Home Should Be Designed for You and Your Site

Every block of land is different. Orientation, slope, neighbouring buildings, overlooking, access and council requirements all shape what can — and should — be built.

Generic or builder-driven plans often prioritise construction efficiency over site response and lifestyle. The result can be homes that technically meet requirements but fail to take advantage of their location or deliver the best possible living experience.

A design-led approach ensures your home is:

• Tailored to your block

• Optimised for light and comfort

• Designed around how you actually live

• Aligned with planning requirements from the start

This not only creates a better home, but also makes the approvals and construction process far smoother.

The Best Projects Start With Design, Then Move to Build

The most successful projects are those where design is properly resolved before construction begins. When layouts, structure and materials are carefully considered early, builders can price more accurately, schedules are more reliable, and costly on-site changes are minimised.

When clients engage a building designer first, they gain:

• Clear documentation

• Ownership over their house design (builder choice)

• Better control over quality

• Greater confidence in the final result

Builders can then focus on what they do best — delivering the project efficiently and to a high standard.

Done Properly, Design Delivers Better Outcomes

At Ikonik Design, we believe great results come from understanding both design and construction. That’s why we don’t just draw plans — we think through how a home will be approved, documented and ultimately built.

Whether we’re designing a high-end custom home or a development project, our goal is always the same: to deliver the best possible outcome for our client, in the most efficient and intelligent way.

Good design is not about being fancy, it's about making smart decisions early that improve comfort, performance, buildability and long-term value.

And once your home is built, it’s those early decisions that you’ll live with every single day.