Building the Right Size House

When it comes to home building, is bigger always better? That depends on your future. When approaching the process of building a home for your family, it can be difficult to know exactly how big your ideal house plan should be. Even understanding an appropriate range can be difficult. Where should one begin? What are the important factors to consider when deciding upon the size of the home to build? Typically, your goals will correspond directly with the space needed so let’s talk about the factors to consider when it comes to square footage.
 
As you start to decide which square footage range is the right for you and your family, there are several main factors to consider and questions to answer.

 
What are your goals and main objectives in constructing a new home? If the core reasons include additional space for entertaining or to have more house guests or more children, the amount of square footage in your home will obviously increase from your current home’s square footage. If your children are moving out and you’re looking to downsize or you want to travel more, so you need less house, your square footage will decrease.

Exactly how many bedrooms will you require for the long term? Most house plans have 3-5 bedrooms, so consider your family’s future to determine if you need more or fewer bedrooms than you currently have. Read “How Many Bedrooms Do I Need?” blog to help determine how many bedrooms you need in your new home.
 

 
How often will you really use the office or the sitting room? If you are thinking about upgrading to a new house and are strongly considering adding additional square footage over and above your current house, really think about the implications of your decision. It might not be worth the additional expenses to select a larger house plan unless you are positive you’ll use the extra space on a regular basis.

 
How do you use common areas? If your family tends to congregate in the kitchen, then it may be wise to invest in an open house plan that has a large common area with nooks and crannies in outlying areas rather than a house plan with lots of separate rooms. Open floor plans often meet many families’ needs for the long term.

An additional consideration when it comes to square footage is what are your storage needs? If you have lots of sporting goods, or if you’re a sewing enthusiast, or if your children are avid lacrosse players, it will impact the amount of closet space you need.

Thinking through your previous living spaces helps in the quest to create your dream home and the priorities you will pursue. If things have felt cramped and frustrating for you in previous houses, you will want to consider that for the home you plan to build. Another determining factor is your budget. The bigger the square footage, the higher the price.
 
 
Ultimately, there is no magic number — no “perfect” square footage amount per person. Everyone and every family is different. Define your priorities and search our website for the best square footage that fits your family. To use the advanced search features to better find the right plan for you, review this blog post.