THE building industry has welcomed predictions of a further 11 per cent increase in new house numbers in 2015.
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After three years of year-on-year growth nation wide, if figures are realised it will mean a record number of new homes across the country.
G.J. Gardner Homes Port Macquarie owner Trevor Burns said the hottest design features for 2015 will be those that contribute to quality of life, cater to the ever-growing reliance on technology and those regarded as green or environmentally-friendly options.
Mr Burns said the top trends to dominate the market include: large, open-plan social areas; use of natural materials; smarter storage solutions and; designs that will cater to future technologies.
Recent research by G.J. Gardner Homes found that the kitchen is regarded as the most important room in the house by 57 per cent of home owners, followed by the lounge and living areas.
The same study also indicated that 52 per cent of home owners would include a bigger kitchen or living area if they were to build the house again.
"As block sizes decrease there's no longer space for people to have spacious backyards and verandas.
"The indoors have become far more important when it comes to entertaining and socialising, with our research indicating that 72 per cent of people would choose to have a large, open plan indoor area over a small indoor area and a back yard," Mr Burns said.
There is also an increasing focus on working with sustainable products, which has resulted in the growing use of untreated and recycled timber and the inclusion of indoor and vertical gardens.
Mr Burns said the survey revealed that smart storage solutions have become a must-have for new home builders.
"In new houses, no space goes unused," he said.
"Lofts, attics and basements are growing in popularity as people are forced to move up or down as opposed to out, and kitchen, bedroom and bathroom designs revolve around turning empty space into clever storage solutions.
Mr Burns suggested people looking at building need to think about how they will use technology in their houses.
Do they work from home? Will their kids need it for school?
"Think it through, and plan accordingly," he said.
Latest national statistics
In a record national result, total seasonally adjusted residential building approvals in NSW fell by 1.4 per cent in November 2014.
The variation in total building application (BA) approvals was the result of a three per cent decline in approvals for detached houses, while approvals of multi units were largely unchanged (up by 0.1 per cent).
"Despite the modest decline in approvals in November, the overall level of activity in NSW remains very healthy and points to a good start to 2015 for the residential construction industry," HIA executive director David Bare said.
"Late in 2014, we saw fewer approvals of multi-unit dwellings compared with the record highs achieved in 2013, however, there is a strong pipeline and monthly figures can be quite volatile."