We may be just about to start winter – historically the period when we get more rainy days than any other season – but if you’re thinking of building a verandah for your home around the Melbourne suburb of Berwick, it’s wise to remember that it needs to do the job all year round. Get it right, and your Berwick verandah will be a smart investment no matter what the weather throws at you!
A practical Melbourne verandah
A mistake that many people make when building a new verandah in Melbourne, or any part of the world, is simply not taking notice of which side of your home the verandah will be built on. How will this affect the practicality of your verandah? Essentially, there are two main elements to consider, the sun and the wind.
- In simple terms, a verandah built on the south side of a Melbourne home will receive very little sun, will receive morning sun if built on the east, afternoon sun if built on the west and northern sun if built on the north. Generally, a verandah built on the north is best for sun, as it will provide protection when the sun is high in the warmer months and let the sun in when it’s low in cooler months.
- The predominant wind direction in Melbourne varies throughout the year, however, in general terms the most common wind directions in order are southerly, northerly, westerly and then easterly. Wind in and of itself is enough to drive people inside and is also important as it can drive rain under roofs, potentially making an outdoor living area off-limits on rainy days.
You may not have a choice where you build your new Melbourne verandah, but considering aspects such as the sun and wind is important, as well as factoring in other things such as protection from other buildings, vegetation and local conditions. For example, you may consider increasing the roofline to ensure at least part of your verandah will stay dry, or install outdoor blinds to block winds.
A Melbourne verandah with wow factor
Practicality is the most important aspect of any new outdoor living area, but running a close second is aesthetics. You’ll want a Melbourne verandah that not only does a great job of providing the outdoor living space you need, but also looks great. Here’s how:
- We say it all the time in our blogs – choose a verandah style that will match or complement your home.
- Carefully consider the materials you use to build your Melbourne verandah. They need to also complement your home and your approach to maintenance. If you want low maintenance, steel or aluminium is your best choice, but if the outside of your home features timber and you don’t mind a bit of maintenance every few years, timber is still a great choice.
- When it comes to roofing materials you have many choices. A common option is to use exactly the same roofing material as your home, however, if you have tiles on your home’s roof and budget it tight, choosing another material (e.g. Colorbond or polycarbonate) may be better. Polycarbonate is a particularly good choice to let more natural light into your verandah.
Verandah in Berwick? Outside Concepts the natural choice
When you are ready to make your new Melbourne verandah a reality, contact Outside Concepts in Berwick. We’ll organise a time for branch manager Darren Cooper to visit to discuss your verandah, before providing a free design and quote.
Concept to clean up. Call Outside Concepts for a free quote on 1800 601 674.
