One of the aspects of a custom built home is that you can design it to suit exactly what you want and need out of your next home. Asking yourself what those are and how to meet them is a large part of designing it. Besides knowing your preferences, your design and building team will be able to give you valuable feedback as well.
What’s Your Lifestyle?
Some people love to entertain while others like a quiet, cozy home perfect for small group entertaining. If you fall into the former camp, determine if you need a separate formal living and dining area, or if token spaces will be enough for you. It can be risky for resale purposes to eliminate the formal dining and living areas altogether. You can use those spaces for the proverbial pool table or the dining room as a study space for the kids.
If you do plan to entertain large groups in the custom built home, formal or not, you’ll want a large kitchen with plenty of work space. A butler’s pantry might be handy, or even two dishwashers. Conversely, if you have a casual lifestyle, it will be important to have a social kitchen and adjacent eating areas.
Family size and composition also make a difference. Children’s growth stages sometimes dictate the home, particularly with regard to stairway design and bedroom placement.
How Long Will You Live There?
You might have an idea of how often you want to move during your adult life. If you plan to age in place, you will need to consider bedroom and bathroom configurations, hallway widths, as well as door and stairway designs. The ability to add a stair lift and including snow melting systems in the sidewalks and driveway will enhance mobility down the road.
Articulate Storage Requirements
Identify the kind of storage you need and the best places for it. It will make a difference if you need climate-controlled spaces or if attic, basement, or garage storage will suffice. The more storage you need heated or cooled inside the custom built home, the more it will take up your livable footprint for the home. Storing athletic and camping gear has far different requirements than storing family treasures, furniture, or clothing.
Bottom Line
Taking the time to articulate your goals for your custom built home will pay off in clear goals from the start and fewer decisions to make during the construction process.