Selecting The Perfect Size For Your Custom Home
There are many factors that go into building a custom home, including the size of the building itself. But how do you decide on size, especially if you don’t know how many rooms you want or what will happen to the size of your family in five years?
Here are a few things to consider before deciding on the size of your new custom home.
Is Bigger Always Better?
There are a lot of pros and cons to building a large house, particularly if you’re building from scratch.
If you opt for a custom home on the larger side, make sure you have the budget. Simply put, bigger houses cost more to build: large houses require more land, more raw materials and more labor, all of which add up.
But bigger houses allow for more flexibility, and rooms that have a designated purpose. Dining rooms are for eating in, home theaters are used for watching movies, and at the end of the day everyone has their own space. Plus, large houses have lots of spare space for family and friends to come over for the holidays. Extra rooms ensure that nobody has to sleep on the couch and complain about a sore back over Thanksgiving lunch.
The downside to a big house is upkeep. More rooms mean more maintenance, and that means more money. But don’t worry, at Miller Construction & Design we will make sure that your dream house matches your budget.
Should I Go Small?
Smaller houses often have inverse problems to large houses. So, a small house will require less maintenance and upkeep in comparison to a bigger home, resulting in homeowners saving money they otherwise would have spent on broken appliances and damaged furniture. Plus, small houses are just plain cheaper to build.
However, compromising on size also means compromising on space. Getting rid of a formal dining room may not be too much of a loss (nobody really eats in a dining room anymore), but having to cut a spare bedroom can limit family growth in the future. If you are thinking of building a small custom house, consider more open-plan spaces.
Alternatively, there is always the option of a tiny house. Although living small definitely isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and you certainly won’t have enough space for guests. Or tall people.
Think About Your Lifestyle
A dream home is more than just a door and some walls – it is a deeply personal reflection of you, the home’s owner. Figuring out the spaces you need is often very dependent on the lifestyle you live. If you work from home you will need to include a home office in your plans. If you are a very sociable person, consider building an extra bedroom for friends and family to stay in.
Lifestyle also included mobility. For homeowners with disabilities, or elderly people who struggle to climb stairs, a single story home may be the best option.
Plan For Your Future
When deciding on the size of your custom home, one of the most important things to consider is the future. Do you intend on having children at a later stage, or inviting a parent to come live with you in their old age? Perhaps you want to adopt a pet in a year’s time, or start working from home.
Building a custom home takes a serious amount of forethought. Nobody wants to go through the stress of organizing a personal home, only to be forced to move somewhere else a few years later.
While your current goal may be getting the building over and done with, make sure that you express your future plans to our team at Miller Construction & Design, so we are able to build you your dream home. Any size you want, we can build.
