One of the biggest mistakes that we see from younger couples that are jumping into the custom home market is not accounting for future life stages. They spend all this money to design an ideal home, but they often do not think about the future. This results in a home that either has to be sold or modified significantly to adapt. When designing a home, we want to take those future plans and incorporate them into the home’s design so that your new custom home can be your forever home, if that was your initial plan.
Younger Couples Planning for a Family
So, you are 25 years old, just married, and you want to take that wedding bounty and design your dream home. You design a 4-bedroom home with two of the bedrooms to serve as offices, a guest bedroom, then all of your desired features. But what happens in five years when you decide to have a few kids and suddenly your dream home is up for sale?
Before you EVER sit down to work on the design of the home, consider what your future plans are for the family. You are far better off addressing these issues now when they can be incorporated into the design than having to either sell your home or take on an expensive renovation project.
Teenager Issues
That one bedroom for two boys or girls may seem like a good idea to save now, but we all know how teenagers are regarding privacy, even among brothers and sisters. This means separate bedrooms and bathrooms for them. You may also want to give them their own living space, such as a loft or a small den where they can study or have a few friends over that will give them some privacy. Thinking about this now could be a lifesaver when those adorable children started getting into the terrible teens.
Aging in Place
Not only do younger couples have to plan for the future, but so do middle-aged couples if this is going to be their forever home. As we get older, walking the steps becomes more difficult. What if someone needs wheelchair access? Are the doorways wide enough? Are there ramps incorporated into the home? Do you need an elevator installed? Perhaps a one-floor home is a far better way to go than an elegant 3-story home that you had planned originally.
Multi-Generational Living
The reality of today’s economy means that you are far more likely to have adult children and/or parents living with you when you are in your prime years. If this seems likely, take this into consideration when designing the home. For example, I have a friend who just had a custom-built home, but in anticipation of a child moving back in, the entire second floor of their new home serves as a guest suite. It is great when guests come to visit, but the real purpose is to allow one of their adult children to have a dedicated living space if need be.
There are a lot of things to consider before starting to design a custom-built home, and Better Build Now can help. Our consultants and residential construction project managers can sit down with you to go over all possible contingencies before working on the design of the home. If you would like to learn more about these services, please call us at 888-402-4180.