Opting for a custom built home instead of a tract or resale home might be the most effective way to get the home best suited to your lifestyle and family. To reach that goal, you’ll need to articulate what you want and need to your design team. These questions might help you identify what’s important about your next home.
Lifestyle Characteristics
Not all homes have the same room counts or configurations. Ask your team if it’s possible to have separate areas for formal and informal living spaces. If formal living is part of your plan, you may want more space allocated to a living and dining area. If you don’t need two living area, you might be better suited for a more open concept.
Family Plans
Households with children typically want a higher bedroom and bathroom count, as well as a tight relationship between the kitchen and family room. When these two rooms are adjacent, it’s easier to monitor what the kids are doing as you prepare meals and snacks. It’s also easier to watch them play in the backyard when the two rooms lie at the back of the home.
Ask the design team if there’s room for a separate space for teens, like a loft on the second floor or a finished basement space where the teens can be with their friends, study, or just hang out.
Length of Ownership
Architects and builders are knowledgeable about design elements and standard features that make it easier to age in place. If the custom built home you plan is one you’ll stay in for the long term, ask what design configurations will make it possible.
You may want to include a downstairs master bedroom suite and split staircases to the second floor and the basement. These types reduce the risk and severity of falling injuries. The architect may also suggest raising the electrical outlets well off the floor and placing appliances at eye-level to eliminate bending.
Storage Considerations
Let the design team what kind of storage you need. Some families need most of their storage as closet space for clothes. Others want it in their garages and basements. It could make difference in your custom built home design.
Bottom Line
Just about anything is possible with a custom built home. By taking some time to identify what it is you want, it’s possible for you to achieve a home that provides everything you want to achieve and more.