Blog - Martina Hayes | Building Design & Interior Design

Homeowner grant overview NSW

Have you ever checked whether you are eligible for a homeowner grant from the Australian or NSW government?

And I’m not talking about the HomeBuilder grant that was introduced to ease the effects of Covid, because this program is now closed. The support I wish to draw your attention to is for:

first homeowners or
renovators in a Heritage Conservation area or
investors in renewable energy.

For any updates on Homeowner goodies make sure you leave your email address here for us to keep you in the know:

If you missed out on any previous support have a look through our overview below to find out if you are eligible for any other subsidy.

First Homeowner Grant for New Homes

This grant is only available if you are a first home buyer of a newly built or substantially renovated home. It is not available for established homes.

First home buyers can receive incentives

How much is the First Homeowner Grant?

$10,000 is available when you buy or build your first new home. This can be a house, townhouse, apartment, unit or similar that is newly built, purchased off the plan or substantially renovated.

Maximum cost of the house, unit or land

If you purchase a newly built house, townhouse, apartment, unit or similar the purchase price must not exceed $600,000.

If you purchase vacant land and sign a building contract with a builder you need to add the following values together:

Value of the vacant land
Value of the building contract plus the cost of any building variations

The total combined cost must not exceed $750,000.

First Homeowner Grant for substantially renovated homes

If you purchase a home that was substantially renovated by the seller, the purchase price must not exceed $600,000.

You may be eligible for the grant if:

most of the home was removed or replaced
the seller, builder or a tenant has not lived in the home prior to, during or after renovations
it is the first time the home has been sold since completion of renovations.

Are you eligible for the First Homeowner Grant?

each applicant must be 18 years or older
you are a first home buyer as a person (not as a company or trust)
at least one applicant is a permanent resident or Australian citizen
you or your spouse, partner or co-purchaser must not have previously owned a home before 1 July 2000
you occupy your first home as your principal place of residence within 12 months of the construction or purchase, and the minimum period of occupancy is six continuous months.

Read here for more details and to apply for the First Homeowner Grant.

First Home Buyer Assistance Scheme

Besides the First Homeowner Grant, you may also be entitled to save on stamp duty or transfer duty as it is now called. The eligibility criteria are wider; which means that even if you don’t match the criteria for the First Homeowner Grant you might still be eligible for a reduced rate or even exemption of stamp duty.

Have a look at the thresholds below. Be aware that this applies to agreements dated from 1 August 2021.

Save stamp duty for new and existing homes

When you buy a new or existing house for less than $650,000 you can apply for a full exemption. This means you don’t have to pay transfer duty at all.

If the home costs up to $800,000 you can apply for a concessional stamp duty. The amount you save is based on the value of your home.

And while you’re here, don’t forget to get some renovation inspiration from our gallery of completed projects.

Save stamp duty when purchasing vacant land

You won’t pay transfer duty if your land value is less than $350,000. When you pay up to $450,000 you will receive a concessional rate.

For further details check out this website.

Renewable power incentives

To slam the brakes on your monthly energy bill, it might be worthwhile for homeowners to install a renewable energy system. For your investment in green energy, you can even receive a benefit from the Australian Government.

Solar panels help to reduce the energy bill

To help you with the purchase cost you must be a:

household or
small business

and install a small-scale renewable energy system that includes:

solar photovoltaic (PV) panels
wind turbines
hydro systems
solar water heaters, and
air source heat pumps.

How does it work?

Installing an eligible system allows the creation of Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). Following, you can redeem their value by selling or assigning them.

The number of STCs created is based on:

the amount of renewable electricity the system produces or the amount of electricity consumption it reduces
the climate region of the installation location.

What benefit do homeowners receive?

Owners have 2 options for receiving benefits for their STCs:

Assigning them to an agent, usually the system installer, in exchange for a discount or delayed cash payment
Selling the certificates themselves

There are 2 options for selling the certificates:

Through the open STCs market with pricing subject to market forces
Through the STCs Clearing House with the price fixed at $40 per STC, excluding GST.

To learn more about this Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, click here.

Heritage Homeowner Grant in Ku-ring-gai

There is something very special about living in a heritage-listed residence. But on the other hand, oozing the aura of historic or environmental significance can be expensive when it comes to upkeep or renovation of the home.

That’s why some Councils assist homeowners in the maintenance and conservation of their heritage place. One of these Councils is Ku-ring-gai in Sydney’s North that consists of the following suburbs:

East Killara, East Lindfield, Gordon, Killara, Lindfield, North Turramurra, North Wahroonga, Pymble, Roseville (part), Roseville Chase, South Turramurra, St Ives, St Ives Chase, Turramurra, Wahroonga (part), Warrawee and West Pymble.

It can be rewarding to live in a heritage-listed building

Who receives funding for their heritage place

You might be eligible if you live in a listed heritage item or in a contributory heritage property within a heritage conservation area.

The grant is only available for approved conservation works and maintenance works to original and significant fabric.

Funding works on a dollar-for-dollar basis. This means that if you spent $5,000, Council would contribute the same amount. Bear in mind that your minimum expenditure must be $1,000 and up to a maximum of $5,000.

How to apply for the subsidy

Ku-ring-gai’s Heritage Home Grant program is an annual heritage incentive. Therefore, you can apply for a subsidy between 1 April and 31 May each year.

Following, your application will be referred to the Ku-ring-gai Heritage Reference Committee for their advice. Subsequently, the Council will decide on the funding.

Most importantly, make sure that you apply for the Heritage Home Grant well before you intend to start the works. Because Council will not grant retrospective funding, and you don’t want to miss out on this incentive.

Read more about this program that assists and encourages homeowners in the ongoing maintenance and conservation of their heritage places.

Design services for homeowners

If you need help with your home renovation project, have a look at our design services. For any questions please call Martina on 0434 498 450 or send us this contact form.

For any updates on all things renovation related leave us your email address here:

4 Interior Decorators Secrets

Interior decorators can furnish every space beautifully to enhance or even completely transform your home to make it the best it can be.

Our interior decorators’ style secrets

But ramping up your space should not be reserved for professional interior decorators only. That’s why we share our top 4 secrets on how you can furnish like a pro.

Secret no. 1: Create a brief for yourself

For your decoration project to be successful create a clear brief. Take the time to figure out what you wish to achieve by asking yourself the following questions:

Who is this space for?
How is it going to be used?
How is it going to improve daily life?
What decorating style do I like?

If you find it difficult to determine your individual interior decorating style, here’s our tip. Head to Pinterest and browse through its vast amount of inspirational pictures. Pin your favourite images without overthinking, and you will end up with a board that clearly shows your style preferences.

Clear vision for decoration decision

Too often do we see that the initial brief has been neglected and the final result is not to your liking. But having a clear vision enables you to make positive and confident decisions. This leads to beautiful rooms which will wow your friends and family.

Blue side board and golden mirrors — Side board in a muted blue

Secret no. 2: Identify the pros and cons of your space

Now that you have created a strong interior decorating vision it is time to consider the given attributes of your space. Have a good look around the room and think about what you like most about it. Here are a few examples:

It has a lovely view into the backyard
Lots of natural light
I admire the detailed ceiling rose

But there might be a few characteristics you are not so keen on. This could be for instance:

It’s a small space
The shape of the room is funny
It has low ceilings

Endowed with the room’s pros and cons your aim is to highlight the positives while ideally hiding any parts you’re not very fond of. This secret is all about creating distractions, illusions and techniques of manipulation to bring the best out of your room.

Interior decorators draw attention to a room’s best side

Bring the focus to your beautiful outlook by creating some cosy bench seating right underneath the window and decorate it with fluffy scatter cushions where everyone immediately wants to sink in. Or install some velvet curtain scarfs on either side of the window framing your invigorating view into this lush backyard of yours. Either way, it will successfully draw attention to your room’s best side while this funny shape of the space might become completely overlooked.

How to create the illusion of a higher ceiling

A low ceiling in your living room can easily be addressed by manipulating your space. Choose a wallpaper with a vertical pattern that visually stretches the walls. Furthermore, paint the ceiling in a white colour irrespective of what the current trend may suggest. If you are renovating your bathroom, choose a small rectangular wall tile and lay it stacked vertically to create the illusion of a higher room.

Entry hall with dark ceiling and white walls — Consider painting the ceiling in a dark, dramatic colour when you have high rooms

In a nutshell, our secret number 2 is to respect and highlight the qualities of your existing space. Never go against its grain.

Secret No. 3: Interior decorators get the proportions right

From our experience, most people struggle with this furnishing rule. Haven’t we all heard of someone who purchased a dining table that overwhelmed the space or of someone who committed to expensive artwork that looked tiny like a postage stamp on the wall?

Getting the proportions right does not need to be difficult. If the room is on the smaller side we recommend selecting furniture that is small in scale as well. But this is easier said than done. The lounge you selected looked so delicate in this spacious showroom, but once delivered it seems to be bulky and dominant in your small-sized living room at home.

It can also go the other way around. Just imagine you purchased a gorgeous and costly rug just to discover at home that it looks way too small for your lounge area.

Tip on how to determine the right scale

Before we interior decorators recommend any furniture to our clients, we draw up the floorplan to scale and place the furniture inside. This ensures that the proportions are harmonious. But it’s not everyone’s cup of tea to measure up their space, convert the dimensions to the right scale and draw up the floorplan. That’s why we have a simple trick for you. Get the measurement of your desired couch from the shop or their website and place post-it notes on the floor where the four corners of your lounge would go. This shows how much space is left to walk around the sofa and helps to visualise the size of the furniture piece in situ. And once you found the right sized lounge the post-it notes are easily removed without leaving any marks.

But it’s not only about the actual size of the furniture. Its style and build is equally important, too. For a small space, you could choose a lounge with legs rather than one that sits completely on the ground. This makes the room feel a lot more spacious. Same with the coffee table. One with thin metal legs and a glass top looks more appropriate in a compact lounge room than a rustic timber one.

Secret No. 4: Choose colour and pattern consciously

Selecting colours and patterns is a fun and exciting part of the interior decorating process. Don’t choose colours on a whim, think again about your vision and the space. Colour will greatly impact how your space feels in terms of scale and size as well as a deeper emotional connection.

With the right choice of colour you can easily manipulate your room, making it feel warm or cold, small or bigger. If your room is rather small and dark use lighter colours in furniture and for the walls. How do you feel about pastel hues, also called ice cream colours, which can transform any dark space into a cosy little gem of yours.

If you are working from home, you may consider a colour palette that is stimulating as well as motivating for your mind. Your colour scheme will be different again to that of a bedroom which may have a softer palette to feel more peaceful and tranquil. Wallpaper is another great way to add colour and pattern to a room. There are so many wallpaper designs to choose from that will be perfect for your decoration vision. Have a look at Kerrie Brown, one of our favourite wallpaper and fabric designer in Sydney.

If you wish to create more character in the space consider artwork. Artwork is an emotional choice and affects all people differently, it can add a splash of colour and a lot of personality to your home.

Next time you find yourself decorating we hope you will consider these interior decorators’ secrets. Creating spaces that make you feel great every day.

If you have any questions about interior decorating, please call me on 0434 498 450 or email to martina@martinahayes.com.au. If you prefer, you can also use this contact form.

Online Interior Design Services

Online interior design services are a convenient and affordable way to spruce up your home from the edge of your lounge. No need to leave the house or to let someone enter. Because all you need is a computer or a smart phone to show us around your space and discuss what’s bothering you.

Design consultation via phone

Choose your favourite app to connect with us:

WhatsApp
Facetime
Zoom
Skype

Or any other technology that works for you.

Renovate with electronic assistance

When you are working from home and spending a lot of time indoors, you might be looking at your space with a different set of eyes. Cast your eyes over your living area, home office, kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. Then ask yourself, is there an area that has been needing some TLC?

living room — *Living room with open kitchen in loft house*

Design dilemma solved virtually

If you face a design dilemma that makes your head spin, now is a good time to get it sorted once and for all. Get your mobile phone into gear and call the interior design experts. Our virtual consultant listens to your design issues, develops options and discusses them with you. We often come up with a solution you might have not considered\t.

Open plan living design per computer

Maybe there is this wall between your family room and the tiny bedroom next door that has always been a thorn in your side. What if you could remove this wall to create an open plan living area that you always wanted. Sure, that can’t be too difficult, can it?

Kitchen design online

And what about the kitchen which is no longer functional let alone its style and colour that has dated written all over it. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a big island bench in the centre of the space for friends to gather around having a good time. A brand new kitchen also makes preparing dinner for the family a breeze.

Bathroom design online

If you’re in the fortunate situation of having a large master bedroom, you might be wondering if you could hijack a corner to transform it into an ensuite for your private bathroom heaven. This way you could enjoy some additional me time and it would also make those pesky queues in the morning a thing of the past.

Our online interior design services encompass

Whole house renovation
Floor plan changes
New bathroom
New kitchen
Interior decorating and flooring advice
Colour guidance

Get the ball rolling

Whatever your home improvement goal may be, now is the time to start tackling this project that is long overdue.

Let’s have an initial phone chat on how your dream space can become a reality. This is free of charge and with no obligation to proceed.

Select a time that is convenient for you

On Thursday nights we have late appointments available.

Alternatively, call us on 0434 498 450 for an intial chat or send us a message.

Design Construct

Design and build

The design and construct services Martina Hayes offers is as convenient and time-saving as it gets for clients who aim to undertake a building project.

Whether you intend to renovate or extend your existing home or want to erect a brand new house, we speak the language of design and construct (D&C), partnering collaboratively with engineers, surveyors and builders to forge excellence in everything we do. Saving our busy clients valuable time, we coordinate the whole of the building process from the initial idea through to construction and the selection of the finishes to the completed project.

Construction with budget control

While our clients bring a unique vision to every project, we contribute our knowledge and experience in planning, construction coordination and budget control. We treat every project as if it were our own by bringing in the best building professionals insisting on the highest of standards to build or renovate your home. This ensures that your dream home becomes a reality that not only meets but exceeds your expectations.

Communication in Design/Build projects

The first step we will make is outline the needs of our clients and share in their vision. In doing so, we are able to understand the full scope of the project and ensure all factors have been properly considered. By doing this, we start on the right step with strong communication from day one. We ask our clients to discuss both how they want their house to function and what they are hoping to achieve with the structure in the longer term. This is to strike the right balance between providing advice to deliver exactly what you have in mind, but at the same time devising solutions and suggestions you might have never thought of.

Delivering ambitious D&C Sydney wide

Following, our team will begin pulling together ideas and considering the most effective method for helping our clients make their design and build project a reality.

We offer a 3D design

For every type of builds, we employ full 3D visualisations to make sure you get the right idea about the architectural project. Computer-generated visuals and synthetic walkthroughs as part of interior design schemes can also be offered as a standalone service. In addition to producing traditional drawings, our 3D models allow our clients to understand the fine details of a scheme prior to any fit-out taking place.

One-stop-shop for Design and Construct

Martina Hayes’ design and construct service is a one-stop-shop for your home renovation and extension that includes the following tasks:

Drawing initial concepts and sketches following the client brief and discussions
Bringing to the design table an established builder and other construction experts at an early project stage
Creating and designing options for the proposed house
Drawing up detailed plans to document the project
Coordinating the tender process including the comparison of builder quotes
Submitting plans and drawings to Council or private certifier to obtain building permission and Basix certificate
Designing kitchen and bathrooms
Coordinating builder, surveyors, engineers and other construction professionals
Recommending finishes, furniture and lighting to complete the individual look of your home

Advantages of Design & Construct

Designer and builder work collaboratively during the design process to identify cost efficiencies. This means for our clients that the overall building costs are in focus right from the start.
Any site-related challenges are identified and factored in early in the design process for our clients to maintain full budget control
Constructibility and structural issues are addressed and dealt with during the design process to ensure that the project stays on budget.

Sydney wide service for small and large projects

We promise to deliver premium D&C services Sydney wide from the first booking to the final billing and beyond. Using quality materials and having superior builders, our team will complete both basic and full projects in an expert manner. Whether it is a new build or the relocation of walls in an old house, the remodel of an outdoor area or the design/build a granny flat, Martina Hayes offers a bespoke tailored service at competitive costs. What this means for you is that we will be there for small jobs, and we will be more than happy to work on your large project with the same thorough and reliable no nonsense service.

Book your appointment via phone 0434 498 450 or email martina@martinahayes.com.au.

You may also use the contact form.

Drafting services for your dream home

Beautiful houses all start with an idea and great planning. We provide drafting services at Martina Hayes Building Design. Guiding you through the process of your dream home renovation or home extension in Sydney.

Have a look at our gallery of completed projects.

We are passionate about residential house design and our approach is to exceed your expectations.

To plan your dream home and to create the construction drawings we take into account your:

vision for your home
lifestyle
family requirements
house location
desired architectural style
budget

Our draftsperson can offer you complete customised and professional house drawings. Suitable for all home extensions and renovations. We also provide drafting services for kitchens and bathrooms.

Drafting services from concept to detailed plans

Drafting services will help you envision how your home will look once the construction work has been carried out.

Whether you are looking for contemporary plans, ultra-modern, Mediterranean, Hamptons or other home styles. Our team of professionals will capture your design ideas and translate them into the house plan.

We offer residential drafting services from concept to detailed plans for:

Home renovations
House extension and additions
Granny flats and studios
Kitchens
Bathrooms
Outdoor alfresco
Building conversions

Servicing Sydney

Our top creatives will come up with a fantastic design to turn your house into your dream home. Located on the lower North Shore, we service the entire Sydney area.

Visualise the dream

Whether you have a clear vision of the space, or need a guide with developing the design. You can be confident that our team only provide the best and most creative design concepts, ensuring you make confident design decisions and are satisfied with the final result.

CAD drafting services

We use architectural CAD software ArchiCAD to draw up the plans for your project. Our experts are equipped to handle all types of CAD conversions, and we have the skills to work with numerous types of design.

3D plans for better visualisation

Looking at a floor plan, it can be hard to visualise how the finished result will look. This is why we provide both, 2D and 3D drawings. We are experts at preparing any kind of residential or commercial floor plans, simple or complex. We have successfully designed major projects in the past and continue to do so in present with ease. This way, you visualise the design before you commit. For us, the project size of our 3D floor plan services is of no concern.

Virtual walk through the plans

Furthermore, you can virtually walk through your space before anything is locked in. This helps you to visualise the space while also ensuring you avoid costly mistakes. When you look at 2D plans you might not understand how big certain objects will be. That’s why we made sure you are offered a visual walk through the plans to be able to wrap your mind about crucial details.

Drafting services for DA and CDC

We also provide required plans and diagrams to obtain Council’s Development Approval (DA) or to apply for a Complying Development Certificate (CDC). Same for the Basix Certificate you might be required to submit. Don’t worry if this sounds unfamiliar to you as you will be professionally guided through this process. If your house is located in NSW and you are uncertain of which Council to contact, find your Council here.

Provision of plans

Plans are the core of your project because they communicate your vision. Drawings ensure that everyone involved with the project is on the same page. That’s why our team will be happy to offer everyone a copy of the plans. To keep the design on the right track to create your dream home.

Request a quote

If you want to know how much our drafting services are, please request a quote via phone 0434 498 450 or email martina@martinahayes.com.au.