If you’ve never built a custom home before, it can be difficult to know where to begin. A major aspect of your home’s design is its square footage. The size of your home has a significant impact on design and layout possibilities. Here are a few tips on choosing the right square footage for your custom home.
Think Ahead
When designing your new home, it’s important to keep your future in mind. Depending on the stage of life you are in, you may need to account for
- More children as you expand your family
- Fewer children as your kids move out of your home
- More adults if you plan on caring for aging family members
- Extra rooms if you intend to develop hobbies
- Extra office space if you are considering starting a business or working from home
All of these factors will impact your square footage needs. The last thing you want to do is build a gorgeous house that you outgrow within the first year or two.
Compare Floorplans
It’s likely that your current living arrangement has rooms or aspects that are sources of frustration for you. Narrow hallways, cramped rooms, or insufficient storage can all inspire ideas for improvements as you design your new home. Walk through your day-to-day routine. What could be made better with some extra square footage? What areas are going unused in your current house that could be reallocated space in your new home? These considerations can help you maximize your floorplan without planning more square footage than you need.
Design Strategically
Once you’ve identified crucial areas, your designer or architect can help you determine the most effective way to lay out your design. Remember, more square footage isn’t always better! It’s all in the way you utilize the space.
Plan Proportionately
- The master bedroom and kitchen were big-ticket items, each receiving approximately 12 percent of the total square footage
- Major living areas like the living, family, and dining room combined for more than a quarter of the total square footage
- The space shared by bathrooms or laundry rooms totaled approximately 16 percent
While you don’t have to follow these proportions, they can help you assess how you are using your square footage.
Plan for Your Budget
Before you move forward with your the square footage you’ve decided you want, it’s important to determine how much square footage you can actually afford. Remember that a larger home will cost more to heat, cool, and power. Keep these added expenses in mind as you make your final decision.
Make your dream home a reality with the help of Homes by Brill in Des Moines. The team at Homes by Brill has the expertise and experience to take your custom home from concept to completion. We’ll walk you through each step of the building process, from choosing your square footage to the final walk-through. Schedule a consultation today!
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