Melanson Homes & Renovations
Building a new home can be one of the most exciting (and overwhelming) times of your life. A key factor to consider for your new home construction is how you and your family will use your home. It’s critical to make sure that it not only looks nice but also fits your lifestyle. The right floor plan will shape how you experience your home and how well it meets the needs of your family. From shape to size, to where rooms are located, can make or break your home experience. To make choosing the right floor plan for your new home construction a little less overwhelming – we’ve compiled a list of tips to make sure your new home is perfect for you.
Look at Your Current Home’s Floor Plan
Before you even start looking at house plans, walk through your current house. Make a note of what you love about it and what it lacks. Think about the features that don’t work well for your family or lifestyle and consider what works great. From there, make a list of things that you want in your new floor plan and things you want to avoid. Some essential items to note when making this list are storage, the size of the kitchen and family area and how often you host guests.
Decide on Size
Not every family will be comfortable in a smaller inner-city duplex, likewise, not every family needs a sprawling custom acreage. The first thing to consider when picking a floor plan is how much room your family will need. Consider how many bedrooms you will need and how many bathrooms you will want. Will each child have their own room, or will they share? Do you want a guest bedroom for friends or family when they come to visit? How many bathrooms will you need to accommodate your family and guests?
Pick a House Plan Based on Your Taste
Every homeowner has their own design tastes and preferences. Some prefer more traditional floor plans with compartmentalized rooms. Others like more modern, open-concept floor plans where each room flows into the next. Consider how you want to decorate. If you want the whole home to coordinate, open floor plans are perfect. However, if you like the furniture and style of each room to be unique, a traditional floor plan might work best.
Consider Your Location
Depending on your neighbourhood or area of the city, your location could dictate the type of floor plan that will best suit your needs. If you are located in a tightly packed inner-city neighbourhood, a modern duplex infill might make the most use of the space you have. If you’re in a suburban area, you might want a bungalow with more outdoor space and a yard for your kids to play in.
Weigh the Pros and Cons of Each Floor Plan
Before you commit to a floor plan, consider the possible drawbacks of that particular plan. For instance, open-concept plans are trendy and have many benefits, but they are not without their own challenges. For example, in an open-concept home, it might be distracting if your children are watching TV in the living room while you’re trying to get work done at the kitchen table.
Know Your Budget
When exploring possible floor plans, it can be easy to get swept up in the fantasy of a bigger and more extravagant dream home. However, before getting your heart set on a floor plan, make sure you understand all of the costs that are associated with that particular plan. Before you start your new home construction, talk to your home builder and ask them to help you determine which floor plans will best meet your needs and fit your budget.
Build A Custom Plan
Designing a custom floor plan is the best way to get exactly what you’re looking for in a home. When you work with a home builder to customize your new home construction to your family’s needs, you are able to create your dream home, while also keeping the project within your budget. There are many benefits to designing a custom floor plan, one being you can plan your home with all zoning restrictions in mind to avoid any setbacks in the building process. Another advantage to custom plans is you can create a design around natural elements (like views and sun orientation) – making your home fit flawlessly with the nature around it.
As you consider these tips, we hope your choices for house plans will start to take shape and that you get more clarity and confidence about what will work best for you. If you’re planning to build your dream home in the Calgary area, feel free to check out our custom floor plans for some inspiration.