While research proves showhomes are still the number one source of inspiration for new builds, Covid has had a marked impact on visitation numbers and Stonewood Homes has introduced a New Zealand first technology to aid customers in design selection.
Stonewood Homes has created new Virtual Show Homes, 10 fully interactive 3D walkthroughs that also display product information at the click of a mouse and allow people to visualise what would be as close to the actual finish and build quality as possible.
"This is the first time this type of virtual technology has been used in New Zealand and it is going to change the home building experience for customers. The quality of the renders are impressive and unlike anything we have seen before," said Stonewood Homes General Manager Gregg Somerville.
Architect Peter Mannion, the principal designer of Stonewood Homes house plans, created the virtual home experience, and said they take home design planning to the next level, giving new home builders a 100 per cent understanding of the home's design.
"It is a real game changer for new home builders, speeding up the planning process and giving them certainty about their design choices," Peter said. "The walkthroughs allow potential new home buyers to control their tour experience, moving back and forth between rooms with an uncanny lifelike experience.
"The other benefit is that people can also click on information buttons throughout the exterior and interior of the house and view specific manufacturer and product information related to building material."
Somerville said COVID had shifted research about new home builds even further online and the introduction of the technology was enabling a more in-depth process.
"People are more comfortable online now than they ever have before, and that consumer shift has remained even with restrictions lifted. The technology behind the Virtual Display Homes means people can easily experience walking through a new home from the comfort of their current dwelling but they can drill down into details like what lighting, roofing, painting, carpeting, windows and appliance products are used in a particular house design.
"This is going to be a really useful tool for new home buyers and it will take away some of the uncertainty about design and product choices that sometimes make people a little anxious during the build process."
The Virtual Display Homes feature the 10 most popular house designs from Stonewood's new Evoke range and gave people a chance to explore the designs which had been created by an architect to maximise space within homes.
"Available land for new homes is becoming more and more scarce across New Zealand and average block sizes are getting smaller and the Evoke range has been designed in response to this," he said.
All tours can be explored at https://stonewood.co.nz/virtual-show-homes/.
Key Facts:
Stonewood Homes research revealed the top three places to seek inspiration for building a new home.
1. Showhomes
2. Advice from a professional builder
3. Online Home sites
Use of technology is a New Zealand first.
