Knowing how to select the right house plan is truly appreciated once you have experienced living in another home that didn’t quite fit your lifestyle. It’s easy to get caught up in the beauty of a home that is design with what may be a nice floor plan and an elevation with a striking curb appeal. However, you have to look pass the emotional reaction and think practical if you are to make the best decision on a house plan design.
Things like your family, the size of your family, and the way you all function in your home are key factors in what makes a great house plan selection. In this article, we are going to focus on these factors to help you gain a better perspective on how to select the right house plan to build.
Things to consider on how to select the right house plan
Family
Whether you are single or if you currently have a family should play a significant role in how to go about choosing the right house plan. The size of your family or expected family will dictate several other areas of your decision such as school district, neighborhood safety, lot size, amenities, styles, and more.
Even grandparents should keep these things in mind. Are you planning on having frequent visits from adult children and grandchildren? How long do these visits generally last? Do you need extra bedrooms for these family stays, or are these visits short or rare?
Size
How big a home should be is a very important aspect. Size has to be considered as one of the most important components. Once you’ve decided on needs, it’s time to consider wants. How big would you like for your home to be? Are you looking for one story house plans under 2,000 square feet or would your family be better served with two story home plans and more square footage so that it doesn’t feel so cramped? Just how strongly do you feel about that billiards room? Indoors-outdoors living? Think of your family’s day to day household task and how much space will be required to make those activities functional.
Function
Along with the size of the home, function is equally important and should be decided at the same time. In fact, function may end up dictating the actual size of the home. Function and size work hand-in-hand in many instances. The functionality of the room will depend on size, and the size should depend on how you want the room to function. Another way of describing this would be designing the home from the inside-out or form following function. The same philosophy should reflect each room in the house.
There is also the question of whether or not to buy a building lot first or the house plan. If you are planning to buy a lot in a neighborhood, it might be a good idea to know the limits of your lot first before buying a plan. On the other hand, if you are building on acreage the question of buying the land first or a house floor plan becomes a moot point. Not to get ahead of ourselves, but we will follow-up on building lots in part two of how to select the right house plans for your family home.
Conclusion
When it comes to the initial choosing of the right house plan, family, size, and function should always set the groundwork for your decision.
Last Updated on July 16, 2024