Questions To Ask When Deciding on a House Plan
Choosing the right house plan is a pivotal decision in the journey of creating your dream home. It's not just about the number of bedrooms or the color of the walls; it's about shaping a space that resonates with your lifestyle, aspirations, and future plans. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the essential questions you must ask yourself before deciding on a house plan. These questions are designed to not only reflect your current needs but also anticipate future changes in your life.
Whether you're building your first home, looking to upgrade, or planning for a long-term residence, understanding your unique requirements is key. We explore factors like the duration of your stay, which affect both the investment and the design of your house. Your hobbies and activities, family planning, and guest accommodations are also crucial considerations that influence the functionality and adaptability of your home.
Additionally, the physical constraints of your land and the implications of your house plan on its resale value play a significant role. This guide is tailored to help you navigate through these considerations, ensuring that your house plan not only meets your current needs but is also an asset in the years to come. Join us as we embark on this journey to select a house plan that truly feels like home.
Duration of Stay: Assessing how long you plan to stay in a house is crucial. A longer stay might justify investing in a more expensive or customized house plan. Consider life stages – are you looking for a starter home, a forever home, or something in between? You will want to be sure to forecast your current and future needs while you have an opportunity to build everything from scratch. For example, do you envision wanting to paint or host birthday parties 5 years down the line? You will want to ensure you have space to “grow into.”
Hobbies and Activities: Your hobbies and lifestyle greatly influence the type of spaces you need. For instance, a home office, a spacious kitchen for cooking enthusiasts, a workshop for DIY projects, or ample storage for sports equipment. Alexis and I enjoy numerous activities such as music production, photography, painting, and wood works. It’s important to ensure your house plan has the necessary amount of “flex rooms” for hobbies outside of your normal bedrooms. Think about the space and design elements that will support your activities.
Family Expansion Plans: Anticipating changes in family size is vital. If you plan to have children, consider the number of bedrooms, play areas, and safety features. If elderly family members might move in, consider a house plan with accessible design elements.
Guest Accommodations: Regular visitors require guest rooms or flexible spaces that can serve as temporary guest accommodation. Frequency and duration of visits will dictate the number and size of guest rooms you need. You will want to consider the sorts of accommodation your new house will have for guests. Do you want guest spaces on a different floor from where your bedroom is? Do you want multiple entertainment spaces? Do you envision guests having separate entry and exit points into your house?
Land Dimensions and House Plan Fit: The size and shape of your land parcel can greatly limit or enhance your house plan options. Consider zoning laws, setbacks, and the orientation of the house on the plot for optimal light and privacy. Engaging with an architect or a planner can provide insights into what is feasible. You may find out that you are unable to build the complete footprint of your house on the entire lot of land. Your city and county probably have a LOD better known as limit of disturbance. This place restrictions on areas of your property that can be disturbed by construction, grading, excavating, landscaping and more. Work with your builder to have a clear understanding of what your property will be usable post construction.
Transferability and Market Appeal: As we build our second custom home, as well as with our first custom home, we ensured that the design and functionality of the house was one that would still be relevant in 5,10 or even 15 years. We had our first home built in 2018 and sold in 2022 for over $100K in profit. A lot of that was due to that house still being desirable and functional for much of the buyer's market. A house plan should ideally balance personal preferences with market trends. Overly customized or unusual designs might not appeal to a broad market, impacting resale value. Consider timeless design elements and flexibility for future modifications.