Schlager Group have done it again, winning 3 times at the 2019 Master Builders – Bankwest Building Excellence Awards last month.
The highly competitive awards program “showcases and rewards members for demonstrating exceptional craftsmanship, commitment to building excellence, and upholding the highest professional standard.”
Schlager Group took home 3 awards from the September 14 event, recognising our work in the Great Southern:
Plus, earlier this year we were awarded Best Alternative Construction Home $300k to $350k in the South West awards category.
Not only do the awards recognise the hard work of our design and construction teams, they once again show Schlager Group are the premier custom home builders in WA.
The Clydesdale
Our development in Clydesdale, Albany is the ultimate lock and leave for buyers of all ages and stages.
The level access home reveals a light, functional and stylish layout featuring a double garage, timber laminated flooring, Essastone kitchen benchtops, modern living and dining area, superbly appointed kitchen and alfresco area.
You can view more about The Clydesdale here.
The Hereford
The Hereford is a brick veneer home in Albany that was originally custom built in line with the owners specifications. Being in a protentional flood zone, Schlager Group used large formant limestone to elevate the home
The Hereford in Albany features a large timber framed alfresco area for entertaining, the cabinetry in this house is quite extensive with stone benchtops throughout.
You can view more about The Hereford here.
Schlager Group: Multi award-winning custom home builder
These recent awards add to a long list of accolades for our regional projects. In the last two years alone, we were recognised as winners or finalists in 10 award categories among a field of excellent competition.
Schlager Group are custom home builder focussed on solutions, with a passion for delivering truly built-for-purpose construction and renovation projects.
No two projects are the same. We are always looking for ways to push the envelope, using innovative design and construction methods that ensure the finished product meets the client’s needs and exceeds expectations.
See more of our past projects here, including the multi-award winning Clydesdale development.
The average block size in Australia has shrunk in recent years, and this has given rise to complications for aspiring home buyers. Building a home on a narrow house lot has many limitations. Beyond the space constraints, there are also council codes to adhere to. If you’re in the process of planning your next new home build, it can be overwhelming to keep these things in mind while trying to achieve your dream home. Your best bet? A custom home builder.
A custom home is a great way for you to achieve your home building dreams. The customs building process allows you to make choices and create a home that will reflect your personality and complement your lifestyle. Contrary to popular belief, custom home in Perth does not have to be costly. There’s plenty of flexibility that comes with customizing a home, and this is what you will need when building on a smaller block of land.
Why Choose A Custom Home For A Small Block?
Employing a trusted custom home builder in Perth will make the process of building your home in a finite space a lot easier. Not only can you get the most out of your small block with the knowledge and expertise of professionals, but you’ll also be able to develop a home design that’s perfectly suited to your taste and personality.
Not sure what value you will get from a custom home builder when building a home on a narrow lot?
Here are some ways our expert team can help you:
1. Maximizing your existing space
Your custom home builder should advise you on features and designs that will maximize the space in every room in your home. This can include open plan designs and tall ceilings.
2. Adding on more space
Where do you need this space? For your second car or a quiet place to work? Your custom home builder should be able to help create space where you need it most. A great way to create more space on a small block is simply to add another story.
3. Adhering to council guides
Does your home plan comply with your local council guide? A custom home builder will know the do’s and don’ts.
4. Budget Flexibility
The most common assumption about custom homes is that it is always more expensive than a pre-planned or semi-custom home design. In fact, customizing your home enables you to choose from a range of fittings, materials and special features at varying price points and work within your budget.
At Schlager Group, we’re committed to making your custom home building experience a pleasant and hassle-free one.
Get in touch with us and find out how you can get started on your home building journey today. If you’re building on a smaller block, we can help make sure that you get the absolute most out of it.
The desire to live a simpler life is one of the main reasons people move out of the city and into the country. Other motivations for a move to the country include lower population densities, wide open spaces, being closer to nature and the affordability factor. Whatever your reasons for trading in the fast-paced urban lifestyle for the peace and tranquility of the countryside, building a home that fits in with the landscape is key, and this can be achieved by choosing to build a pole home
What are pole homes?
Unlike traditional buildings, pole homes require no foundation. Instead, its metal exterior and frame is supported by poles that are inserted into the ground.
Why are they perfect for a rural setting?
Pole home designs are a practical and cost-effective choice for those looking to live in a rural setting for a number of reasons, such as:
1. They Leave The Ground Intact
If you are to live in a rural setting, you wouldn’t want to take away from its natural beauty. This includes the land on which your house is built. Pole homes allow you to work around your land and even showcase it, instead of tearing it apart ( which can cost you more time, effort and money). Also, there are plenty of pole home designs that accommodate sloping blocks, which are especially common in rural areas. Building a traditional home on a sloping block can be particularly expensive, making pole homes a more cost-effective alternative.
2. They Compliment The Scenery
Pole homes allow you to incorporate natural materials like wood, earth and stone that will complement its surroundings and be much more aesthetically pleasing.
3. They’re Open, Light and Airy
Most pole homes have an open design that lets in lots of natural light and air. This also enables you to cut costs on energy bills as sunlight helps naturally warm the house, and breezes cool it down by allowing air to circulate throughout the building.
If you are considering building a home in a rural area, pole homes are a budget-friendly and practical option that will give you a beautiful, cozy home that works beautifully with its surroundings. At Schlager Group we have a proven track record of building high-quality pole homes with a focus on reliability, safety, quality, professionalism, and precision.
Get in touch with us to find out more about how we can help build the pole home of your dreams in the country.
If your idea of a dream home design is an abundance of chic, casual living in a light, bright space then congratulations – the Hamptons style may be just what you’re looking for.
The Hamptons themselves are based just North of New York and are the beachside playground of the rich and famous.
Hamptons style is defined by casual yet elegant beachside living, with plenty of natural light flooding in and an abundance of lighter colour tones.
Here at Schlager, we love this particular look for our Perth homes – so much so that many of our home designs are dedicated to the Hamptons look. Here are five top tips on how you can re-create this gorgeous look in your very own home.
1. Make it Neutral
Interior decorating Hamptons-style is all about creating a soft, neutral colour palette. Walls should be painted white or cream and furnishings finished in hues of sand, baby pink, soft blue and dove grey.
This is to allow the natural light in to bounce around and create the perception of a large, relaxing, inviting space. Pops of nautical blue or vibrant green can also be added to give your home a true seaside feel.
2. Use Natural Textures
Organic materials that are light in colour such as rattan, wicker linen and distressed timber look fantastic in a Hamptons-inspired home. Layer up these natural textures to create a sumptuous feel, such as a luxurious cashmere throw draped over a wicker chair or a glass bowlful of seashells.
These textures help to bring life to the minimalism of the neutral, largely white colour palette of the floors, walls and ceilings.
3. Don’t Forget Your Flooring
The flooring of your home is a large surface space in itself, so you’ll want to make sure you get it right.
Try using warm, white-washed tones such as treated timber floorboards (ensure you don’t stain them too dark though) and allow the natural beauty of the wood to warm up your rooms.
Large muted rugs in neutral colours and textures can also be layered luxuriously over the floorboards to give your space that true beachside feel.
4. Window Treatments
Your windows need to allow as much light as possible inside, so don’t bog them down with dark, heavy drapery. Instead, use light, dreamy curtains such as sheers or organza
For the full Hamptons effect, ensure that they’re floor-length to create an air of sumptuousness. Another window alternative is timber shutters painted in either white or neutral colours.
5. Let There Be Light
The key to the Hamptons look is natural light, and plenty of it. Glass door panels, skylights and uncluttered windows will all help invite the sunshine in and make your space appear larger and more inviting.
For light fittings, choose natural tones and textures, such as woven lampshades or pendant lighting in muted metals.
For more tips and home builder information about how you can create the Hamptons look, visit our Hamptons page or contact one of Schlager’s home design team today on 9443 9444.
Building a new home is always an exciting experience, but before you even begin the process you have to make an extremely important decision: do you choose a home design offered by a builder or do you opt for a custom home.
There’s no doubting the fact that choosing an off-the-rack home design is the quicker and more convenient of the two options, but it’s also worth noting that there are some significant advantages in taking your time and designing a custom home.
If you’re in the process of considering which option to take for your next new home build, make sure you check out our list of the top 5 benefits of building a custom home. You might be surprised at what you learn!
1. Choice
As the name suggests, one of the major benefits of building a custom home is that you get to be involved in every stage of it’s design. This means you can choose everything including the floorplan, the building materials & construction method and the fixtures and fittings.
This means that you’ll end up with an home that is a true reflection of your needs, personality and lifestyle instead of settling for someone else’s idea of the perfect home. You’re also able to make choices that are in line with your priorities and values. This can include design elements (like a home office, alfresco entertaining area or extra bedrooms) that reflect your needs as well as being able to opt for more eco friendly or cost effective build materials and methods.
2. Energy Efficiency
Designing and building your own custom home means that you’re able to ensure that it will be as energy efficient as possible from day one. Incorporating the right materials, insulation and design – including concepts like solar passive design in which windows, walls and floors collect, store, reflect and redistribute heat – will mean that your energy bills and carbon footprint will be as small as possible. This will make a big difference over the lifetime of your custom home.
3. Low Maintenance
The problem with going with a home builder’s design is that you’re essentially opting for what’s most profitable for them to build. Cheaper materials and building methods might not seem like an issue at first, but they can result in increased maintenance issues for you further down the line. With a custom home, however, you can be 100% sure that everything is being built to a standard that will stand the test of time. You can also design the house to suit your needs well into the future, which can save you a lot on costly renovations.
4. Financial Benefits
Choosing a custom home might seem like the more expensive option at first glance, but it actually provides home builders with a whole host of financial benefits on top of the lower power bills associated with a truly energy efficient home we discussed earlier.
The freedom to choose your materials, building method and design type (such as a pole home) can actually result in a home that is far more cost effective. It also allows you to spend money on the areas of your home that are the most important to you and to make savings in other areas. Unlike an off-the-rack design, you’re not forced into spending money on features that you don’t really need or want.
5. Environmental Friendliness
Solar power, solar battery storage, grey water recycling, solar passive design, recycled/low carbon footprint building materials, less destructive & more innovative and efficient building methods – when you’re building a custom home there is almost no limit to the ways in which you can make your new home more eco friendly. The only question you have to ask is how important is it for you to build an environmentally home and what features do you want to incorporate into the design.
As you can see, while building a custom home might not be the quickest and easiest option available, but it definitely has some significant advantages over choosing a design provided by a home builder. At Schlager Group, our expertise in custom home design and construction will ensure that you’re able to make the absolute most out of all of these benefits and end up with the custom home of your dreams. Get in touch with us today to find out more.
Building a home on a sloping land can be an attractive option for many new home-owners as it can provide your home with greater sense of elevation. Positioning your house at the top of hill can help maximise the views you can enjoy from your home compared to homes built on flatter land. In addition, building on sloping land can also provide more natural lighting which is becoming increasingly important and attractive for many new homeowners.
The dynamic and varying nature of the land also allows you to be a little bit more creative when it comes to the design of your home. To utilize the varying nature of the land, you may be able to customize your home to suit the elevation changes by using the lower part of the block for a garage or home basement, whilst the higher sections may be more ideally suited towards to “natural light filled” living room or bedrooms.
However, whilst there are many enjoyable features to enjoy from building your home on sloping land there are a few important considerations to take into account prior to beginning construction to ensure your home is designed properly to suit your needs.
Cutting Into the Hill
Depending on the how steep your block is, there’s a high chance that you may need to cut into the hillside to create a flat and stable enough platform to use as the foundation for your home. This process may also require the builder to cut a series of stilts into the hillside to form both sides of the base. This method will most likely require retaining walls and a lot of soil displacement which can become expensive if it isn’t managed correctly.
Home Drainage Systems
As you may expect, with the sloping land, a common concern for many homeowners is to ensure that there is an effective enough drainage system in the event there may be heavy rains. Large amounts of water being collected at lower elevation points around your home can result in land erosion and hence will require additional retaining walls too. If the drainage system is situated uphill, you may need to have a pump installed, while if it’s at the foot of a slope it might be necessary to have a drop manhole in place to slow the passage of water.
Exposure to the elements
Another important consideration when building your home on elevated or sloping land is the additional exposure your home may experience to the natural topography. Unlike homes situated on flatter land, homes on elevated or sloping land may not be protected as easily by other surrounding man-made structures. You’ll want to take this into consideration when selecting building materials, and think about how trees and plants will fare in harsher conditions.
Building on a sloping block is an exciting opportunity, though there are some additional costs to plan for. If you are interested or want to learn more about how the team at Schlager Residential can help you build your home effectively around a sloping land, contact us at (08) 9443 9444.
At Schlager Residential, we aim to build your dream by keeping up to date with the latest design trends throughout WA. One of the most desired home designs throughout WA is the elegant and sophisticated Hamptons Style home. As the name suggests, the Hampton Homes design is inspired by homes from The Hamptons, New York and aims to provide an elegant yet coastal and cozy feel. With West Australian’s love for the coast, it’s no surprise The Hampton Home is a commonly sought after home design right here in our own backyard.
So what makes a Schlager Hamptons Home actually a Hampton Homes? The following features.
Weatherboards: The typical ‘Hamptons’, weatherboards were traditionally long planks of wood that were used to cover the exterior of Hampton homes, protecting them from the salty sea air and harsh winds that could end up resulting in home damage. Our Hampton homes weatherboards are made of a light coastal coloured fibre cement instead of high-maintenance timber. These boards not only provide the perfect Hamptons look but also provide all the necessary protection to the Schlager Hampton Homes.
Hampton roof tiles: Traditional roof tiles help give the Hamptons Homes their distinctive look. Traditional rustic roof tiles were often made of timber or slate with an overlapping feature, whilst nowadays the variety of roof tile choices means you can easily mimic the traditional look without compromising quality. Choosing dark coloured roof tiles to help compliment the soft nature of the weatherboards to give the perfect Hamptons Home feel.
Stone: With its beautiful texture and natural colour variations, stone finishing is a common Hamptons design feature. There’s a vast array of natural and engineered stone cladding to choose from, with both light-coloured and dark-hued stones working well for this look.
Traditional Finishing: Adding a touch of nostalgia to your Hamptons-style home can be achieved with a traditional white-painted timber finishing. This is a common choice for many Hamptons design for both features inside and outside the home.
Interior features: To finish the complete of the Hampton Homes feel for your new home, it is very common to put the finishing internal touches on the following interior design features:
If the Hampton Home design is what you are after to suit your lifestyle, get in touch with the team at Schlager Residential to find out how they can help you build your next dream home.
Building your own custom home is always an exciting voyage of discovery. As we said in our last blog,communicating effectively with you builder when is the key to getting the home you’re looking for at the end of the process. A great custom home should incorporate all of the functionality, design and lifestyle elements that reflect your unique vision, desires and personality, so the first and most vital step in achieving that is being able to effectively communicate all of this to your builder. Here are our top tips for making sure that this happens.
ESTABLISH LINES OF COMMUNICATION
Building your ideal custom home is, for most people, going to involve an emotional attachment to the project, so it’s important to understand that there will inevitably be moments where you have questions and concerns that need addressing. The best way to ensure that happens is to first establish exactly who you need to address these questions to and how and when you can expect and answer. This will avoid you feeling like you’ve been given the runaround and help the builders to designate who will be your point of contact during the build.
Also, letting your builder know your preferences and what aspects of the build are of particular importance to to you before you start will allow them to communicate clearly with you when important decisions need to be made and enable you to work together to find solutions for problems that should arise in a timely, efficient and painless manner.
A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP
Good builders will view their relationships with their clients as being every bit as important as the construction work they do, so being able to work with you during this process to realise your custom home dreams is key. Establishing a good working relationship, communicating openly and effectively and being able to understand the builder’s perspective on things are all great ways to positively influence the outcome. When done right it’s a mutually beneficial process that should leave all parties involved happy with the end product.
LET THEM GET ON WITH THE JOB
It’s important to be 100% happy with all aspects of your custom home build, but constantly interfering with your builder in the course of their work will result in frustration and delays. Establish a regular timeframe for reviews and a method of communication where you both get the chance to observe how the build is progressing and what issues need addressing without interrupting the work schedule. You’ll both be far happier if you do.
FEEDBACK & CUSTOMER SERVICE
Before committing to a particular builder it pays to do a bit of research on how they handle feedback and customer service. New house construction invariably involves a few unexpected issues and problems, so you want to choose a firm that’s going to listen to your requirements and act on them before, during and after your custom build project. As with any industry, customer service is hugely important.
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
If you’ve chosen the right builder, professional pride will play a big part in what they do. Letting them know that you’re happy with the work they’re doing is always a good thing – everyone likes a bit of encouragement and praise after all. Giving credit where it is due lets your builder know that their hard work is appreciated and can often result in them working even harder to ensure your dream home becomes the stunning reality that you always imagined. Also, they’re also far more likely to be accommodating and understanding should difficult, unexpected issues arise that require extra work.
At Schlager Residential, we have years of experience communicating with our clients to ensure that we deliver them the best custom homes possible. You can start communicating with us today by giving us a call and finding out more about how we can make your custom home dreams a reality.
Choosing the right people to build your home is always a hugely important decision. It’s one of the biggest financial decisions of your life after all. When choosing a custom home builder this choice is doubly important. Not only do you need them to build you a safe, reliable and well-constructed home for you and your family to live in, it needs to be one that reflects your unique style, tastes and personality.
You want to build your dream home – so if you settle for someone that’s not the exact right fit then you could end up regretting it, and not just during the build either, but for years and years afterwards. Here are our top 5 tips for making sure you end up making the right choice.
CHOOSE LOCAL
To get the best outcome, your best bet is to stick with a local builder. They know the local codes and regulations, know the right materials and have good relationships with the best subcontractors. They’ll also be much easier to communicate with during the build- something that’s of paramount importance during a custom house build.
FOCUS ON QUALITY
A custom home isn’t a temporary residence. It’s the place where you’ll live for years to come and should match up perfectly with your desired lifestyle. As such your first priority should be choosing a builder who can deliver the long-lasting quality that you’re after. As to view past projects, thoroughly check references and ask them about the quality of the materials they use so that you’re sure you’ll be getting the best possible end product from the ground up.
Communication is Everything
You’ll know when you find the build and design team that’s right for you. They’ll ask questions and listen to your goals and vision. Building a custom home is a team effort, so the right people will work hard to understand what products, building materials and design are the best fit for you.
Open and accessible communication is also a must. Chances are that you’re going to hit some form of setback or roadblock during the build (this is just an unfortunate fact of life), so having a builder that responds promptly and listens to your concerns is key to avoiding frustration and anger down the line.
TRANSPARENCY IS CRITICAL
Building your ideal custom home is a very detailed process, so the best builders to work with are fully transparent and happy to answer all of your questions from the start of the process. You want someone who is going to be totally upfront and give you all of the information you need on:
If they can’t give you clear, concise answers on any of the above, you’re best to steer clear of them.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Finding the right builder for you requires a bit of work on your behalf. Make sure you take into account the location and contact friends and family who have built custom homes to learn more about the process. Create a list of potential builders and conduct thorough interviews. The more effort you put in at the start the better the end result will be.
NEVER BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS
A custom home build represents a huge investment of both your money and time, so there is no such thing as stupid questions. Being informed is vital to getting the end product that you want, so even if it’s your first time building a custom home you want to be as informed as possible at all times. A good builder won’t just take the time to answer your questions – no matter how ‘ridiculous’ they may seem – they’ll actually encourage you to ask them so that they know you’re fully up-to-speed.
Looking to build a custom home and think that we might be the right fit for you? Get in touch with us today and we’d love to have a chat about how we can make your house building dreams a reality!
With the need to build quality homes as quickly and efficiently as possible, Schlager Residential utilises a variety of building techniques to make this possible. One of the features that Schlager Residential prides itself on is the use of quality lightweight construction materials in the home.
Lightweight framed construction is becoming the most common construction system throughout Australia. Two of the most typically used lightweight construction materials, steel & timber, are main contributors to the comfort, appeal and environmental performance of your home.
The benefits of building your home using lightweight construction may not be obvious to every home builder however, there are a number of benefits that you can gain from using these materials. These benefits include:
Faster home construction
A big push for the use of strong lightweight materials to be used in residential home builds is due to it allowing homes to be built much faster and more efficiently than traditional brick veneer homes. This is because using lightweight construction materials has helped simplify the build process. This also goes hand in hand with offsite construction. By reducing the off site construction times previously incurred by building materials, Schlager Residential can reduce any bottlenecks in the building process.
Increased design flexibility
Lightweight housing is particularly suited to creating cost effective, flexible design solutions. This aims to solve the challenges that can sometimes be experienced on difficult sites such as steep land, sloping land or limited access sites. These are building techniques that Schlager Residential Homes prides itself on.
Fire Resistance
Certain lightweight construction materials are able to maintain their structural integrity better when exposed to heat. The use of fire rated construction materials for your home can be very important, particularly, for many Western Australian rural homes that may be exposed to the threat of bushfires or very high temperatures.
Adaptable to environmental conditions
One of the main benefits that lightweight construction can provide your home is effective housing solutions in all climate zones. Lightweight materials typically have low thermal mass and are able to either store passive heat or keep homes cooler easier. This is of particular importance in Western Australia as it’s not uncommon to experience harsh conditions of extreme hot weather and heavy rains.
If you are interested in residential development then contact Schlager Residential for more information.