For many future homeowners, the current economic environment can present a significant hurdle when it comes to the cost of home construction. Whether it’s a newly married couple or downsizing baby boomers, the reality of what they need and what they can afford are at odds. Young couples cannot afford to build a home the size they will need for their growing family. Those retiring with empty nests are faced with the dilemma of rising construction costs that have exceeded the value of their current homes, which they need to downsize. Even young singles with good jobs and promising careers don’t have the cash for a decent down payment on a new home and are forced to rent.

Build on internships

For people who cannot afford the entire home they will eventually need, starting small, building in stages, one phase at a time may be the right solution to steer them toward affordable home ownership. This has proven to be quite a popular option at our firm, especially for many young families. With the expectations of a growing family, starting small and adding later when the need arises and budget allows, not only solves a limited budget problem, but also avoids a potential hassle later on from selling and relocating to a business. bigger house. And with the right type of pre-planned expandable home design, disruption to future construction can be kept to a minimum, avoiding loss of use and the need to search for temporary housing.

The expandable house plans start with the essential basic rooms that will be built during the first construction phase. Building plans provide, in advance, the specific structural details and specifications necessary to easily accommodate later additions with the fewest disruptions to daily family activities and limited modernization of the existing building. Future framed openings, pocket studs in the wall, and plumbing / HVAC access are anticipated in the layout and layout of the expandable home. Complete and detailed construction drawings are provided for all future additions showing the exact location relative to the first existing phase, as well as exterior elevations of what the entire final project will look like.

Scalable and flexible home plans

Staged, expandable home plans aren’t just for young families looking for a home to start with. We have seen a growing request at our design firm for future combined retirement / semi-retirement vacation homes. People who plan for the future by building in stages with multipurpose expandable home designs start with small vacation homes or small rental homes.

One particular expandable home plan we designed for a client was for a staged combined vacation and retirement home in a small town where her young daughter had just accepted a new job. Known for its ideal qualities for retirement, this mountain and lake region provided a cozy vacation retreat from city life and daily work, as well as a place for his daughter to live until she could afford a down payment on a house. own. Starting with the daughter’s garage apartment and semi-attached vacation home, their property would be maintained and guarded until they moved in full time at a later date.

With expectations of semi-retirement to this house, the construction plans called for a future home office to be built at the connection between the cabin and the garage apartment and additional bedrooms in a wing at the other end of the cabin. After the daughter is gone, the garage apartment could serve as a rental property, guest room, or in-law apartment. Since the farmhouse plan was designed as an old house on site (a barrier-free design that allows them to live independently as they age), the garage apartment could also serve as accommodation for caregivers in some moment in the future.

This type of scalable, staged home plan is very flexible and versatile, providing many incremental options as budget allows and lifestyle situations change, all without sacrificing the simple pleasures a home can offer.

With a little innovation and reordering, young families or small baby boomers will have a better chance of achieving their affordable home building goal. Implementing the staged construction method offered by expandable home plans can provide a convenient and affordable alternative to profitable home ownership.

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