Your exterior house design is one of the most important but the hardest task our clients find when building a custom new home.  Looking for house façade ideas is not easy. First impressions count, right?  No pressure!

You need to keep in mind that your exterior house design isn’t just for good looks.  It plays an important role in the building envelope.  Therefore, it needs to be carefully considered not only for its aesthetic appeal, but also its performance in protecting the structural integrity of the building.

With so many house façade options available and new technology developments presenting incredible products and materials the choice is immense.

There is also a lot to think about when it comes to exterior house designs.  Style, colours, maintenance, longevity, it can get overwhelming, very quickly. Not to mention, trying to integrate all the features of your home – the garage, front door, windows, paths, balconies, patios, stairs and landscaping.

New technology and manufacturing developments are presenting incredible products to choose from.

Where do you start?  This is where we will help you go through the house façade materials that are available in the marketplace.

Considerations when researching your exterior house design

Do you want your exterior house design to blend into its environment or be the show stopper in the street?  Do you want it to reflect your personality, your family, your lifestyle?

If you need a little help to lead you through the process of choosing your exterior house design, follow this list from start to finish.

Take photos of your suburb house facades you love, or part thereof.

Don’t think about whether the house is the same size as yours.  What are the more upmarket homes using? Take about 20 photos.  Researching the exterior house designs in your neighbourhood, will help you build a beautiful home that is keeping with the standards and requirements for houses in your area.  Create a folder on your computer or phone, or you can print them out for easy referencing.

Collate photos from magazines, social media

Instagram and Pinterest are great for finding more house façade ideas.

Compile them together with your neighbourhood facades.  You should start to see a common theme and style running through your likes and choices.  You probably didn’t think you had a theme, but this process is amazing.  It always surprises our clients!

Choose your exterior house design style

Do you like modern, classic, federation, beach house, colonial, contemporary, spanish, French, Hamptons? If you are unsure, look back at your photos in step 1.  This should help you see what style you are drawn to.  Don’t forget to keep an eye on your interior choices as well, as it will give you more hints as to the styles you love.  You will want to ensure your interior style complements your external house design for a professional and cohesive look throughout.

What are your favourite colours?

Again, if you are unsure, have a look at your photos and images, there will be a recurring colour theme.

Look at all your favourite exterior house designs, you will now have a great idea of colours, styles, tones, even textures that you are drawn to.  When you speak with your architect you can provide them with a really comprehensive style and house façade ideas you like, love and admire.

Where to go for help with your exterior house design?

Your architect will help you choose the exterior house designs that suit your style and layout of home, as well as your budget (which is just as important).  They will also be able to help you get the best value from your money, to create a custom home that would be proud to feature in any interior magazine.

When you build with SBR Group, you have access to our design team and selections coordinators.  Our team can help you go through your likes and options, meets your budget and appropriate for your home, so your new custom home will be as beautiful as you dream it to be!

What exterior house designs and facades are available?

Let’s look at the exterior house designs that are available in the marketplace.  We’ll explain what makes them a good choice and their features you may need to consider.

Brick homes

A traditional material made of fired clay and shale, brick is a timeless façade for any size home.  Have fun with bricks by choosing several colours, sizes, textures or playing around with the laying of the bricks or the mortar to suit the style of your custom home.  Other looks include rendering and painting the brick.  Or try mixing it with other façade materials to break up the monotony of a huge brick wall.

What are the advantages of bricks?

A brick home is long lasting, solid construction built as either brick veneer or double brick.  It provides good thermal properties from the heat and cold with extra insulation in sunny/cold climates.  There is no maintenance – painting, sealing – for brick facades.  Bricks do not deteriorate, rot, or dent, pest resistant and are recyclable.

What are the disadvantages of bricks?

Double brick in particular is more expensive to build than brick veneer.  Alterations are harder, which shouldn’t be a problem for a long time if you are building a custom home.  If termites are an issue, you may need to consider using steel framing or the double brick option.  Internet and wireless connections may need more routers with double brick homes.

Get the look of brick 

A brick façade is perfect for classic and modern homes.  It’s just how you bring the look together.  Mix with natural sandstone for a classic style.  Try rendering and mix with metals for a more modern look.

Timber homes

Hardwood timber is one of the oldest and a popular material to use as a exterior house design.  It allows for a myriad of looks from the big choice in timber colours, sizes, pattern and layout of the wood.  You can achieve different textures such as sawn fine, charred, burnt or brush, or stain or paint in many colours.

What are the advantages of a timber façade?

If you maintain wood properly it is long lasting, has a warm, traditional and natural look and appeal, synonymous with timber. Damage can be easily repaired by replacing the board.  It is fixed onto a timber or steel framework.  If you use a sustainably sourced timber, it can be an environmentally friendly choice.

What are the disadvantages of a timber façade?

A timber façade can be high maintenance, applying a stain or paint will avoid weathering and deterioration.  There is a huge variation in price between different wood types but it is generally more expensive than its PVC cladding version.  It is more flammable however, you can add products to reduce its flammability.  It is susceptible to termites, if not treated.

Love the look of timber but don’t want the upkeep?  Try Alumate, aluminium cladding in a realistic wood grain finish.

Concrete homes

Formed on-site, concrete homes are increasing in popularity in contemporary façade architecture.  Its low-key and subdued tone allows for its use in several ways and new technology has turned this material into a dynamic material.  Play with texture to create three-dimensional playful design and decorative features.  Alternatively, keep it smooth and let the concretes beauty speak for itself.

What are the advantages of concrete walls?

Concrete is one of the only façade materials that is seamless.  Its customisation means you are unlimited by size or shape.  The surface can be imprinted with another material such as an aggregate or a pattern.  It develops a deepening patina over time due to the weather and will have small air bubbles on the surface.  It is low maintenance, especially if left natural, is durable and a readily available material.  A reinforced concrete home has a greater structural value against fires, floods, high winds and noise.

What are the disadvantages of concrete walls?

Install concrete walls using an experienced tradesmen for a professional finish.  It is on the expensive side when you compare it to other external façade materials and requires more time to build.  It is not an inherently energy efficient (it can be made more so though). It is a porous material, so we recommend you sealing it.  As the concrete is poured onsite, inconsistencies will occur in the concrete mix.

Love the look of concrete but what a more consistent choice? 

Try pre-cast concrete panels such as Akura.  The factory pours the panels giving the manufacturer more control over colour, consistency and aesthetic of the panels.

External house cladding 

What is cladding?

Cladding is a description for any external materials that are attached to the peripheral part of house to form a non-structural surface.  They come in a variety of forms to mimic natural materials such as timber, stone, brick, and metal and add a wonderful sense of texture, depth and style.

Examples of external cladding include, a stone cladding panel laid in random, linear or stacked pattern to give the impression of a strong, thick stone wall.   Technology has allowed for a wide choice in the marketplace.

Other examples include –

• Fibre cement sheeting such as Scyon grooved boards or fibre cement sheets made from cement, sand, cellulose fibre and water, giving it an organic stone finish.
• Hardwood fibreboard cladding such as Weathertex is a green building product.
• PVC or vinyl boards combine thin PVC mouldings with foam backing,
• Shingles and tiles
• Aluminium cladding or metal cladding such as the high performance Colorbond.

• Brick cladding like the Robertson facades, where thin bricks are placed into a precast concrete panel.
• Concrete precast panels as mentioned above.

What are the pros for cladding?

Most are light in weight to save money on transport, structural costs and materials.  Their offsite prefabrication in big sheets and panels means cheaper to manufacture as they are produced in bulk and use cost effective materials.  In general, some cladding is less expensive to install however, some may require specialist manufacturer-supplied finishing and profiles around corners and edges to ensure warranty, weather proofing.

They do not fade, with minimal movement, do not require maintenance in the short to medium term.  Some prefabricated cladding comes with a high fire-rating so they make a perfect option for houses in fire zones.  Some cladding also comes with a cyclone rating, this is important in high wind areas and building codes.  They are rot and pest resistant.

What are the cons for cladding?

Repairing cladding may not be possible, so replacement of the sheets may make it costly, after market.  Should be installed by a professional, otherwise issues may appear such as moisture retention, and chemicals may ruin the surface.  Some cladding will require a structural substrate when installing which can increase the cost.

Rendered foam

What is rendered foam?

Boards of extruded (XPS) or expanded (EPS) polystyrene reinforced with an external mesh face, are fixed to the house frame with galvanised screw.  Corners are reinforced with metal strips and joins are filled with foam and covered with mesh tape.  Then a three-layered 5mm acrylic rendered is applied to the external wall.

Rendered foam is designed to create the look of a rendered brick wall.  They are particularly beneficial when you are building a second storey and it is difficult to provide adequate support for a heavy brick wall.  They are commonly used in custom homes where the upper floor needs to be set back from the ground floor.

Rendered foam cladding pros

A light-weight solution with good thermal properties, it is cost effective as well as rot and moisture resistant.  Most rendered foam panels have a fire-retardant component built into them.  The panels can be easily transported and manoeuvred onto any building site and fast construction times save you cost and time.

Rendered foam cladding cons

Panels in rendered foam have a limited impact resistance and are difficult to repair, you may need to replace the affected fascia.  Their structural strength is limited as well, but this can be improved by using XPS polystyrene.

Look at Exsulite by Dulux.  It is certified as a fully integrated lightweight wall cladding system, suitable for residential building projects. It is suitable as a remedial facade system for renovation projects.

Metal cladding

Metal comes in a range of options, such as zinc, aluminium, copper and steel, each with its own individual colour, look and character. Available in sheets, horizontal or vertical boards, overlapping panels and tiles and along with metals unique features, metal cladding adds an exciting and sophisticated style to your home façade.

What are the advantages of metal cladding?

Cladding in metal is light-weight, strong, durable option and integrates well with other façade materials such as wood, concrete, stone or glass.  They are fire-resistant and make a good choice in bushfire prone areas.  Most are low maintenance, and some will develop their own patina when exposed to the elements.  They can be moulded or wrapped easily over curves and around corners for a seamless finish. Recycled metal is an environmentally friendly option.

What are the disadvantages of metal cladding?

Metal cladding can be more expensive than other cladding products. Some metals can rust (check before buying as some options of metal cladding has a coat to prevent rust) so ensure adequate spacing, drainage and runoff when using.  Metal is prone to denting, can be noisy and has poor thermal regulation, so we recommend insulation.  Metal is a mined material and requires manufacturing.

Metal is perfect for architecturally designed, modern, industrial or retro styled homes.  Its various forms and laying methods can give a classic home a modern twist, such as long metal strips laid as weatherboards.

At SBR Group, our team of architects, designers and selection coordinators and project managers, is with you throughout the design process – helping you achieve the home of your dreams, one that you will be super proud of and one that neighbours, friends and family will admire.

Contact us now or call on 1300 676 166, we’ll help you choose an amazing exterior house design that you won’t believe is yours!

Would you like to read more about building your new home?

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