Whether owning a large home with a bedroom for everyone or the simplicity of a smaller home is your dream. The details within the execution may hinder your potential plans and goals to settle with less (or more) than what you actually desire. An increased size home means more space for everyone in a large family, but it also means more home to maintain and bigger utility bills. Smaller homes are ideal for supporting a simple lifestyle, retirement planning, and spontaneous family trips to the cabin. We’re not here to dissuade you from one size or another but to put visions aside and consider how to attain your goal of building the right size home.
What should you consider when building the right size home, and how much house do you really need? Let’s consider elements of planning building the ideal home size for you and your family. While this article is geared toward those building their home rather than shopping for an existing home, the factors apply to both circumstances.
Size is the Square Footage
When discussing building your own home, you will hear size, square footage, footage, footprint, and other similar terms. They are all in reference to the overall living area of your home. During this process, there are a lot of decisions to make, but staying grounded in the present goals will ensure a successful execution. It is realistic to understand that future circumstances may change your current plans, such as the household size changes, the home, or your family will need to adapt to a new purpose which may result in additional (or less) square footage. One of the great benefits of working with a builder is having an expert on your side to assist with the design and provide knowledgeable feedback to reach your desired outcome.
Also, let’s not forget the outside factors of footage that can help you determine the ideal size of your home.
What is the Lot Size?
Even when you settle on the square footage of the home you want to build, there are many outside factors to consider. The size of the home you’re permitted to build may be dependent on the property. Here are a few things to consider:
- City requirements for maximum lot coverage
- Lot deed or neighborhood restrictions and building ordinances
- The side, front, and rear setbacks
- Restriction to the height of the home
When considering the property, it is imperative to conduct a feasibility study, including contacting the local building ordinances to ensure you can build your right size home. Also, sometimes the solution is to build up instead of out.
Think of Utilities for the Home
Utility bills are top of mind with most homeowners. Thereby, paying attention to this when considering long-term budgeting for your home is important. The cost of utilities varies significantly with home size. Remember, the bigger the home and the more people living in it typically results in higher utility costs. However, one of the great things about building a new home is increased energy-efficient features and the additional features you can implement from the ground up to keep the cost lower.
The House Plan
Design is usually examined with a view of aesthetics, but it’s also a factor for square footage and your budget. There are only so many rooms that can fit into specific square footage, so if you desire several bathrooms and bedrooms, a room for working out, a formal dining room, a family room, or a gaming room, planning out the space is important. A good floor plan can make a smaller home feel much bigger, flow more easily, and allow for a more cozy and comfortable home. This is a true testament to our design and engineering team’s skills in developing over 50 plans to meet the lifestyle goals for many situations.
Budget the Build
“Failure to plan, is planning to fail” is an important quote to consider when determining the square footage for building your dream home. The home size may adjust depending on your budget. The logical first step is to reach out to an approved lender that is an expert in construction financing. We have a list of approved lenders familiar with our building program and industry leaders in construction financing. After discussion with them, you will have an established amount of funds you can budget for your home. To better grasp your overall budget for building your own home, our Home Consultants are your guide to account for everything your family may want or need. The typical items to budget in building your home are the property & improvement, the base price of the house, sales tax, and any customizations.
Built Right For You
For nearly 30 years, HiLine Homes has been assisting families in building their dream homes with the opportunity of acquiring sweat equity. We have successfully used the “on your lot” building program to develop a construction process that streamlines building the home with your needs and wants in mind. HiLine Homes is on your side, with experts to guide you every step of the way.
We realize securing financing can be one of the most perplexing parts of building your home. Together with our Home Consultants and a selection of approved lenders, we can help you find the best financing solutions to build your desired home.
Don’t know where to start? We can help you there too! Our building program is designed to support you with solutions.
