Wrapping up an inspiring year of building
Whether it was ways to combat the pressures of the current cost of living crisis, locations for the perfect place to invest, or custom home design to inspire, there was something for everyone this year! It has been a notably stellar year for Valley Homes and we’re still over the moon at being a triple award-winner in the 2024 HIA-CSR Hunter Housing and Kitchen & Bathroom Awards.
Whether you’re a first time home builder or an experienced property developer – it’s time to put your feet up and enjoy a cup of Christmas cheer as we countdown our top 5 articles as read by you!
5. Solving the land shortage dilemma with custom duplex design
To combat concerns about land shortage for property investment in the Hunter Valley, this article explored the idea of increasing land value by choosing to build a duplex. Custom duplex design allows the duplex builder to maximise the potential of their block of land or take advantage of the less popular, small or odd-shaped block of land.
We also highlighted Hunter Valley locations such as Lochinvar, Farley and Gillieston Heights for property development consideration.
4. See change in Newcastle
Celebrating all things Newcastle, this article was like a breath of sea air bringing with it a fresh perspective on where to build a multi-unit development in Newcastle
Both Newcastle City Council and the State government are invested in the growth of this city so there is a demand for diverse housing making it ideal for a property investment.
With its breathtakingly spectacular coast, thriving sports and cultural scenes, and a council focused on continued growth, Newcastle is one of the best locations to invest in regional NSW.
Valley Homes is the Newcastle builder familiar with local council regulations and changes afoot on the construction front making them a great choice for your Newcastle property development.
3. Eco & Economical Winters: Flexible Home Design
The popularity of this article was a sure sign that readers continue to look for smart strategies to deal with cost of living challenges, especially in light of current energy prices during the Australian climate in winter. Hunter Valley house designs using passive design principles was our main focus.
The savvy sustainable home builder uses passive design principles including: orientation, passive heating, passive cooling, thermal mass, ventilation and airtightness, as well as shading and insulation. Valley Homes incorporates passive home design into the Valley Series making them affordable and energy efficient homes. Uniting affordable architecture with modular home design the Valley Series also offers stylish, flexible home design.
2. Life Beyond Engineered Stone
Readers gravitated to this blog in search of new bench top trends once word had gotten out that low-silica engineered stone was to be the only option for kitchen inclusions.
Engineered stone had long been the ‘go to’ material for bathroom, laundry and kitchen benches but that all came to a halt on 1st July 2024. Due to a disproportionate number of diagnoses of silicosis and silica-related diseases in engineered stone workers, the government introduced an engineered stone ban in Australia.
Fortunately, there really is life beyond engineered stone thanks to YDL Stone’s new range of Crystalline Silica-free products with colours and styles to suit all tastes and budgets. Most importantly there’s been no compromise on durability. The range is still heat and stain resistant making it an ideal low-maintenance option for kitchen bench tops and splash backs.
Crystalline Silica-free benchtops became one of the interior design trends in 2024 and will continue to feature in kitchen and bathroom inclusions.
Drum roll now please, for our most popular 2024 article, the one that had readers buzzing …
1. Reflecting the best in Custom Home Design
It’s no surprise our feature article on Reflection Drive came in at number one. We know readers love to see living examples of custom home design and it’s always a pleasure to showcase the ways in which our design team works with clients to bring their vision to fruition.
Reflection Drive could be summed up as ‘country homestead meets cool, coastal Hamptons’. Making the most of the rural vistas, this is contemporary country style at its best. The kitchen-dining area is spacious and exudes an effortless calm. There’s a great sense of flow from the interior design to the outdoor entertainment area.
If you’ve got a vision for an acreage home and you’d like to explore custom home design, call Valley Homes. We’d love nothing more than to help you build your dream home in 2025.
What are your plans for the festive season?
Valley Homes has over 50 years of experience in the construction industry and has become the name to trust in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. Whether you’re a home builder eager to create your first dream home or a developer with your sights on a property development, let us help you reach your goals. Contact us today.
We’ll be closed from Monday 23 December 2024, returning Monday 13 January 2025.