Building a Rural Home in WA: What You Need to Know

There is something pretty special about building a home in the country.

More space. More privacy. Room for the kids to grow up, space for the shed you’ve always wanted, and the possibility of waking up to views instead of the house next door.

For many families, that is exactly the dream.

But building a rural home in Western Australia is different to building on a standard residential block. The land itself plays a much bigger role in the home you can build, where you position it and, importantly, what the overall project may cost.

A block can look relatively straightforward when you first walk over it, but things such as the building envelope, slope, soil conditions, bushfire requirements, access and availability of services can all influence the build.

That doesn’t mean building rurally needs to be complicated. It simply means there is real value in understanding the land before you get too far into designing the home.

Shelford has been building homes across Western Australia since 1991, including rural and semi-rural properties. And if there is one thing experience teaches you, it is that no two rural blocks are quite the same.

Start With the Block, Not Just the House

It’s easy to find a home design you love and immediately start imagining it sitting on your property.

But with a rural block, it pays to look at the land first.

Where is the building envelope? How does the block fall? Where are the best views? Where does the afternoon sun hit? How will you access the home? Are there established trees or vegetation you’d like to retain?

These things can influence much more than where the house sits. They can affect the orientation of your living areas, the position of your alfresco, driveway access, site works and even whether the home design you originally loved is the best choice for that particular property.

A contour survey and appropriate site investigations can help establish what’s actually happening across the block, particularly where there is a slope or changing ground conditions.

It is one of the reasons we believe a rural home should work with the land rather than simply be placed on it.

Sometimes that means adapting an existing farmhouse design. Other times it might mean changing the orientation, moving rooms around or creating something more individual around the property and the way your family wants to live.

But building a rural home in Western Australia is different to building on a standard residential block. The land itself plays a much bigger role in the home you can build, where you position it and, importantly, what the overall project may cost.

A block can look relatively straightforward when you first walk over it, but things such as the building envelope, slope, soil conditions, bushfire requirements, access and availability of services can all influence the build.

That doesn’t mean building rurally needs to be complicated. It simply means there is real value in understanding the land before you get too far into designing the home.

Shelford has been building homes across Western Australia since 1991, including rural and semi-rural properties. And if there is one thing experience teaches you, it is that no two rural blocks are quite the same.

Site Works Can Make a Big Difference

Site works are one of the areas where building on acreage can differ considerably from building in a new residential estate.

There isn’t one standard figure for rural site works because every property is different.

Soil conditions, slope, excavation, cut and fill, retaining, access for construction vehicles and the distance between the home and available services can all influence what’s required.

Even two properties in the same area can have very different site requirements.

This is why it’s important to look beyond the advertised price of a home design when planning a rural build. The home is only one part of the project. Understanding the site helps give you a much more realistic picture of the overall investment.

And don’t be afraid to ask questions.

What has actually been investigated? What has been allowed for? Are there known challenges with the site? Are there costs that can’t be confirmed until further testing or engineering is completed?

Those conversations are much better to have at the beginning than halfway through the process.

Access is part of this too. Concrete trucks, machinery, building materials and trades all need to reach the building area. The distance from the road, gradients, vegetation and ground conditions can make a difference to how straightforward that is.

It isn’t the glamorous part of designing a country home, but it matters.

Bushfire Requirements and Services

For many rural properties in Western Australia, bushfire requirements may also form part of the planning and design process.

Depending on the location and characteristics of the property, a Bushfire Attack Level — commonly known as a BAL rating — may need to be determined. This can influence some of the construction requirements for the home, so it’s something worth understanding early rather than treating as an afterthought.

Services are another consideration.

Unlike a suburban estate, you can’t always assume water, sewer, power and communications are sitting conveniently at the front boundary.

Depending on where you’re building, you may need to consider water tanks or an alternative approved water supply, onsite wastewater where reticulated sewer isn’t available, and the practicalities of getting power and communications to the home.

If you’re positioning the house well into a large property, the distance to those services can become part of the overall planning and cost.

None of this should automatically put you off building rurally. It simply needs to be understood as part of choosing the block and planning the home.

Choosing the Right Rural Home and Builder

There is no rule saying a country property needs a traditional farmhouse.

Some people love the classic Australian homestead feel — long elevations, generous verandahs and relaxed open-plan living. Others want something far more contemporary.

What matters is whether the home suits the block and the people who are going to live in it.

Shelford’s Rural and Farmhouse Home Designs provide a starting point for families looking to build on acreage and larger properties, but our designs are flexible. A floorplan can be adapted to better suit your orientation, views, lifestyle and family, and if an existing design isn’t right, our design team can work with you on a more individual solution.

If you’re comparing rural or farmhouse builders in Perth or regional WA, we’d also encourage you to look beyond the floorplans.

Ask how the builder approaches rural site works. Ask what investigations have been completed and what has actually been allowed for in the price. Talk about access, services, wastewater, bushfire requirements and anything unusual about your property.

Most importantly, talk about the land.

A builder who understands rural construction should be interested in more than which elevation you prefer. They should want to understand where you’re building and how you want to live there.

Because ultimately, the goal isn’t to find a rural home that looks good on a website.

It’s to build one that feels right on your block.

Thinking About Building a Rural Home in WA?

Before you get too caught up choosing benchtops and tapware, spend some time getting to know your block.

Understand what you can build, where you can build it and what the land may require. Then start thinking about the home.

It’s a much better foundation for making decisions and can help you create a home that takes advantage of everything you bought the property for in the first place.

Explore Shelford’s Rural and Farmhouse Home Designs, download our Rural Home Planning Guide, or speak with our team about your property and what you’re hoping to build.