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How to Pick a House Plan for Your Homestead
Planning what home you’re going to build is the most important decision you can make for your homestead. This is the place where your family will spend time together, where holidays will be enjoyed, and hopefully where you will grow old and eventually pass on to your kids and their families. But knowing how to pick a house plan is the key to picking the right home for you. Here’s a quick list of what you need to know to pick choose a house plan for your family.
Know Your Budget
Before you begin any looking, you need to know what your budget is. You don’t want to look at house plans, fall in love with something, and then realize it’s completely out of your price range. Know what you can afford and limit yourself to house plans in that price range.
Understand Your Property
Start your house plan search by understanding your lot dimensions, topography, and any special features of the land that you’ll want to emphasize or others you may want to hide. The size and shape of the lot affects the house plan you are able to use. Special features, like ponds or creeks, will determine how you want to adjust the placement of your home.
Location, Location, Location
Consider the location and neighborhood you will be building in. Research whether there are limits or requirements to the style of your home. Are there CC&R’s associated with your land? Historical building restrictions? Make sure you know what these are and can adjust your plan accordingly.
Architectural Learning
Spend some time learning about different home styles and types. Figure out which ones you love, which ones suit the climate and location of your home, and which ones are just not meant for you. Knowing what you like for an exterior can definitely help guide you as you look for homes.
Create Lists to Pick a House Plan
Sit down with your family and create lists! Think of things you loved from other homes and write them down together. Create list of dream items that everyone wants in the different rooms of the house. Then sit down and create a list of must-haves for your home. Have everyone ask themselves what’s missing in your current home. Ask what life will be like in 10-15 years and what you’ll be wishing you had as you and your children get older.
I’ve mentioned before that list creating was a key part of our house plan journey. Creating our list of non-negotiables was key to narrowing down plans and picking what was right for us.
Think About the Space
It’s tempting when trying to choose a house plan to go for the biggest possible house but you have to decide on what’s important – amenities or size. Sometimes a big house is missing the things you really want – amazing amenities. But sometimes the amenities mean missing out on vaulted ceilings and an open kitchen. Picture yourself in the space and the rooms. Think about how you spend time in the space you have now. Consider the functionality of the space and what you will do in it.
Creating the Right House Plan for You
While hunting around on the different house plan websites you don’t have to feel stuck with what’s available. Don’t be afraid to go fully custom! You can absolutely hire an architect to design something totally custom for you. In fact, many of the plans on these house plan websites were once custom homes. However, don’t discount pre-made, customizable plans. Often times you only need to make a few small adjustments in order to make a good plan just perfect.
