What Home Floor Plan is Right For Me?
If buying your first house is a great accomplishment, constructing your first home is a massive effort.
It should come as no surprise that this type of endeavor is an investment that you want to be successful with. Whether you want to build the house you've always wanted, a place to raise a family, or a retirement retreat to rest and recharge, you want to know you have the necessary knowledge to make your dream a reality.
To ensure that you will enjoy your new home for many years to come, you need have a clear picture of the end result early on. However, determining how to locate a decent house plan may be complicated and stressful.
How to Choose a House Plan?
As with any big project, there are numerous important considerations to consider throughout the choosing process:
1. Make a list of your ideal house preferences - What have you always desired in a home?
2. Investigate and select an architectural style - How do you want your home to appear and feel?
3. Must-have features - Make a list of the characteristics that are definitely necessary in the home.
4. Budget - Create a budget that you can live with.
5. Determine practical issues such as size - How large should your house be?
6. Combine dream and realistic characteristics - Determine which of these qualities are within your price range.
7. Look at all the options - Use a home plan search tool to narrow down your options and locate your ideal floor plan.
If you are just beginning the process of selecting a floor plan, you may be unsure where to begin. The following considerations are critical in reducing your selections and making a decision.
We will break down each of these aspects below to help you decide which house plan is best for you.
Dream and be creative.
Have you ever wished for a spiral staircase? A fully-equipped gaming room? An apartment over the garage? Is it possible for your pet to have his or her own bedroom? Everyone has notions about what their ideal house would feature that they have developed over time.
Now is the moment to let your imagination run wild and make a list of everything you would like in your ideal house. Spend some time considering what aspects you would like to include in your house. Pinterest, as well as home décor websites and publications, may be excellent sources of inspiration.
Don't be concerned with what is realistic at this time; that will come later. Make a note of your daydreams that you may refer to while you go through the remainder of the procedure.
Style
Do you favor Ranch-style homes or Victorian-style homes? Colonial America or mid-century modern? Do you like McMansions or are you more interested in small houses?
When you design your own home, you have the freedom to select a style that corresponds to your wishes, or to mix and match based on different demands for various areas of the house. It's a good idea to look at styles that interest you so that you can get a sense of the intended aesthetic of your soon-to-be house.
The style of your home will also have an influence on the house design, so be prepared for any liberties or constraints that may come with the style you pick. There are numerous methods to become acquainted with different house types to identify what you prefer, from walking around your area to perusing Google results to turning on HGTV.
While you may believe you have your heart set on a specific style, take some time to consider whether alternative house architectural designs could work for you. On the other hand, even if you are highly open to style alternatives, you should still take some time analyzing them.
Get Realistic
Now that you've spent some time daydreaming and exploring, it's time to get down to business by asking yourself some critical home plan questions about the viability of your ideas.
Among the numerous factors that prospective house owners/builders examine are:
The qualities that are absolutely required
The requirements/desires of a significant other or spouse with whom you are creating a house
Building codes that apply
How much money you have available to spend/borrow
It is now time to consider the specifics of what you are capable of accomplishing.
Budget
Begin by considering how much money you have to spend on this property.
While it is assumed that you will need to obtain a construction loan in order to build, you should not rely only on it to cover all of the charges that emerge, from obtaining licenses to employing contractors to unexpected or hidden fees along the way.
Before you make a decision, sit down and examine your finances to get a better understanding of what is within your pricing range. Creating a spreadsheet of any kind at this period might help you obtain a clear view of the budget as a whole. This is also an excellent opportunity to consult with a financial specialist to better understand what is achievable with your budget.
Lot Size
Unless you already own the property on which you want to construct, one practical factor to consider is the size of the lot on which you want to build your new house.
While certain locations of the United States have specified criteria for minimum and maximum lot sizes (as well as building square footage), this is sometimes decided by local regulations or zoning requirements.
To acquire an accurate estimate of the suitable lot size for you, consult with a local specialist or contractor. If you already have a lot in mind, the size will be a key consideration in determining the best house layout.
Is it better to think little or big?
When thinking about building a home, one of the first things that comes to mind is square footage. The average square size for a single-family house in 2017 was 2,426 square feet, according to the census. But how much space do you actually require?
Consider your lifestyle, family size, interests, and future goals to get a feel of the square footage size you're looking for.
Bigger houses might be a wonderful choice if you have a larger family (or plan to have a larger family), want to live in this property for an extended period of time, frequently host events or parties, or want a dedicated area for a pastime like working out or reading. More room offers more freedom in the design and usage of your house.
On the other hand, many homeowners/builders nowadays choose smaller homes for practical reasons such as reduced prices, more environmental friendliness, and less extensive maintenance.
Finally, the decision is yours, and it should be in accordance with your budget – and ideally many of your dream ideas as well.
All of these considerations might assist you decide whether you should go bigger or smaller. This is particularly essential since you want your house to be the proper size for you and your family.
Combine your dreams and your reality.
The process of building a new house can be both exhilarating and completely daunting. To choose the appropriate house plan for you, combine the joy of visualizing your ideal home with practical factors such as size and price.
Begin simplifying your house plan search with The Plan Collection, and transform any hassles or worry into simple action. Begin your search for your future home by utilizing our search function to narrow down your options, or browse our resource bank for information on finance, permits, common floor plan blunders, decorating, and more.
We are here to assist you at every level of the home planning process. Please contact us if you have any queries! Also, have a look at our linked articles below, which delve a bit deeper into various aspects of the home-planning process.
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