How Big House Do I Need?

Choosing the right size for your house is crucial for ensuring comfort, functionality, and financial sustainability. This guide will help you determine how big a house you need based on your specific needs and circumstances. Whether planning a new construction or a home remodeling project, understanding your space requirements is essential.

1. Determine Your Needs

Family Size and Future Growth

Consider both the current number of your family members and the people who may be living with you in a few years – we mean both children and parents or grandparents who will require care in old age. Prudent home planning for future family growth can save you from having to erect a home addition, which can sometimes be costly, and can have a negative impact on the aesthetics of your home.

• Current Family Members: Assess how many bedrooms and bathrooms you currently need. Is a 3 bedroom house big enough for your family?
• Future Additions: Consider the possibility of having more children, inviting elderly parents to live with you, or other scenarios that might increase the number of occupants in your house.

Remote Work

With the rise of remote work, a dedicated home office space may be essential. Evaluate how much space you need for a productive work environment. A separate room that can serve as an office can enhance productivity and provide a quiet space for work. Consider it as an investment!

• Dedicated Workspace: Determine if you need a full room or if a portion of another room can suffice.
• Future Needs: As remote work becomes more prevalent, ensure that the office space can be adapted for long-term use.

Hobbies Requiring Large Spaces

If you have hobbies that require ample space, such as crafting, woodworking, or fitness, ensure your house can accommodate these activities.

• Space for Hobbies: Identify which hobbies need dedicated space.
• Multi-functional Areas: Consider creating multi-purpose rooms that can serve multiple hobbies or activities.

Frequency of Entertaining Guests

Consider how often you host gatherings. If you frequently entertain, larger common areas like living rooms and dining rooms may be necessary. Open floor plans are ideal for hosting guests as they provide a spacious, connected environment.

• Common Areas: Ensure your living room, dining room, and kitchen can comfortably accommodate guests.
• Outdoor Spaces: A backyard or patio can be great for entertaining and can expand your usable space.

Special Health Needs

Evaluate any special health requirements, such as accessibility features for mobility issues or space for medical equipment. A house that caters to these needs can greatly improve the quality of life for those with health concerns.

• Accessibility Features: Consider wider doorways, ramps, and accessible bathrooms.
• Space for Equipment: Ensure there is enough room for any medical equipment needed.

Your Age

Think about long-term needs, such as aging in place. Features like single-story living or open kitchen can be beneficial as you age. Planning for these needs now can save you from costly modifications in the future.

• Single-Story Homes: These are ideal for avoiding stairs as you age.
• Adaptable Spaces: Rooms that can be easily modified to accommodate changing needs.

3. Estimate Your Budget

Unfortunately, it very often turns out that future homeowners do not take into account the costs that may arise during construction.This is because it happens that the originally planned budget is too small by 10, 20 or even 30%. Additional expenses can appear both at the stage of earthworks, window installation and furniture purchase.

Cost Per Square Foot

The cost to build a house varies by location. On average, it is $150 per square foot in the U.S. However, in Illinois, it’s approximately $132 per square foot, in Pennsylvania around $199 per square foot, and in New York up to $300 per square foot. These costs can add up quickly, so it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your budget.

• Illinois: $132 per square foot
• Pennsylvania: $199 per square foot
• New York: $300 per square foot

Keep in mind, however, that the average price per square foot is by no means binding – choosing unconventional solutions, expensive building materials or building a house on a wetland can translate into huge sums of money.

Financial Capabilities

Consider your budget for building and maintaining the house. Larger houses incur higher heating, furnishing, and cleaning costs. Assess your financial situation, including savings and credit capacity, to determine what you can afford.

• Building Costs: Calculate the total cost based on the square footage and include an adequate financial reserve of at least 10% and preferably 20% of the assumed budget;
• Maintenance Costs: Include estimates for utilities, cleaning, and upkeep;
• Financial Assessment: Check your credit score and determine your borrowing capacity.

4. Room Size Expectations

Essential Rooms

Identify the size requirements for key areas such as the kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms.

• Kitchen: Small (70-100 sqft), Medium (100-200 sqft), Large (200+ sqft);
• Living Room: Small (100-150 sqft), Medium (150-300 sqft), Large (300+ sqft);
• Bedrooms: Small (100-150 sqft), Medium (150-250 sqft), Large (250+ sqft);
• Bathrooms: Small (40-70 sqft), Medium (70-110 sqft), Large (110+ sqft).

Additional Spaces

Consider typical sizes for other rooms like home offices, guest rooms, and playrooms. These spaces can enhance the functionality and comfort of your house.

• Home Office: Typically 100-200 sqft, depending on your needs;
• Guest Room: Around 150-200 sqft;
• Playroom: 200-300 sqft, adaptable as your children grow.

5. Expansion Possibilities

Future Expansions

Most houses can be expanded if needed, but tearing down unnecessary sections later is much harder. Planning for possible future additions can be a smart strategy.

• Planning for Growth: Design the house with future additions in mind;
• Flexible Spaces: Create multi-purpose rooms that can be easily adapted.

Home Addition Costs

While adding to your house later incurs extra costs, it can be a worthwhile investment. Plan for energy efficiency from the start to avoid the need for future retrofits.

• Initial Planning: Consider potential additions during the initial design phase.
• Energy Efficiency: Invest in energy-efficient materials and systems from the beginning.

6. Choosing the Right General Contractor

Hiring a reputable Glenview general contractor, though potentially more expensive, offers numerous advantages. They bring expertise, reliability, and can manage the entire building process, ensuring high-quality results. What you are paying for is, first of all, peace of mind – by organizing the entire construction process yourself you will certainly be able to save money, and the end result can be quite satisfactory, but we can guarantee you – it will be terribly stressful for you and will take away from the time you could spend on your work or with your family.

Conclusion

Selecting the right house size involves careful consideration of your current and future needs, budget, and lifestyle. Consulting with professionals can help ensure your house is perfectly tailored to your requirements. Whether you are planning a new construction or a home remodeling project, understanding your needs and working with a skilled general contractor can make the process smoother and more successful.

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