One of the biggest decisions you will have to make is which house plan should you choose from among the plans available out there. Whatever type of home you’re living in, its house plan will depend on several factors, the biggest of which is your lifestyle.
Choosing the right house plan that suits you can be stressful. To help you easily determine the right plan that’s right for you, here are five tips to help you decide.
Floor plan considerations for families
It’s quite easy to choose a floor plan if you’re single. But if you’re raising a family, it getsa bit tricky. Some of the things you will need to consider are family size and children’s ages. It is recommended for families with little children to include private spaces in the plan, with bathrooms and bedrooms set up within one area of the home. For families with teenagers and young adults, a home that has separated bedrooms is ideal.
Do you often have guests?
There are some floor plans that focus on making guests feel welcome as they enter the front door. A floor plan that includes a wide foyer that leads to a living room is highly recommended. If you are one of those who prefer some privacy in the living room even when the front door is wide-open, the living room should be set up on a room that’s out of sight from the front door. This should still make your guests feel welcome and comfortable as they enter your home.
Considerations for single and multi-story homes
Some families choose single story homes because they are easy to maintain and they are free from noise caused by overhead footsteps. Some single story homes are commonly designed with the bedrooms and bathrooms located on either side of the home and the living and dining room in the center. Multi-story homes provide you with the flexibility of having an open floor plan on the ground level, and placing private rooms on the upper levels, providing each family member with greater privacy.
Special considerations for accessibility
If you have a family member with special needs or if you have small children, it’s all about having huge spaces. Family members with disabilities may need extra spaces to allow them to move around more freely. For those with kids, a home with spacious hallways is ideal for them to run around.
If you’re buying an older home, there’s a chance that the hallways and doorways are a bit narrow, so you might want to take note of where the load bearing and non load bearing walls are located for future renovation projects. Your family’s needs may change in the future.
Also consider outdoor living spaces
Don’t forget to include outdoor living spaces in your house plan. How much time do you think your family will be spending on the outdoor living spaces? Do you also have the time and budget to maintain them? With the addition of outdoor living spaces such as a porch, patio and even a carport comes an additional responsibility. Thinking about a suitable floor plan for your home can be stressful. However, the rewards that come with it far outweigh all the trouble you may have gone through. All a successful house plan takes is patience and careful considerations of all the things that need to be done.
This article is written by + Christine Cooney, the writer for www.DFDHousePlans.com an online home and floor plan website. She has written about everything from house plans, architectural home designs, floor plans, blueprints and small house plans.
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