Choosing the Right Floorplan

When you are starting your new home from scratch, it’s important to follow a process, or you will soon become lost in a vast sea of options and variables. Be prepared to invest some time in selecting the perfect design that meets your lifestyle and needs.  Having the right information will help you create your dream home, or the best home for your current needs and lifestyle.

Start by thinking about the home design that meets your individual needs and will suit the natural landscape or your building lot. Also consider whether it will be marketable should you decide to up or down size in the future. Think about the amount of total living area your family will occupy on a regular basis. Consider the square footage of your new home in terms of finished and unfinished areas, as well as the ongoing expenses of heating and maintaining the footprint.

Unfinished areas such as garages, porches and attics are not considered in the total square footage of your home plan. The total length and width should be given a lot of thought – even try imagining yourself and your furniture in each area. Whether you choose a site built or manufactured home option, the size of the home will always be less expensive if it’s done up front and not down the road if you realize you need to add more space.

Living needs and family lifestyles

Most families are unique in some ways and the same in others. Think about your current stage in the life cycle and future plans for your family and your home; the size of your family and how you hope it will grow or shrink and your age, desires and means.  Obviously, what a newly married couple wants in their home will be much different from that of a newly retired couple who are empty nesters.

Think about the number of family members who will be occupying the home now and in the future, how many bedrooms will be required, and bathrooms. Think about space for company and overnight guests, or the possibility of elderly family members moving in.

Think about the lifestyle you hope to have in the home – do you want formal and informal eating areas, a large open space for the family to gather to eat and play, or separate areas or nooks and a den for different activities. How you entertain now may influence these decisions, but consider what may change if you are moving into a new neighbourhood.

Consider how much time you spend in the rooms in your home now – think about what is inadequate or too much space for your current needs.  Also, incorporate the wishes of all the family members where feasible and possible; after all, it’s their home too.

When you have these planning sessions with your family, talk about how much privacy will be needed and where. Think about common spaces and how it’s hoped it will be enjoyed by all. Is a fireplace important? Or a space and wiring for your entertainment system? Where will your appliances go? Plugs and wiring should be considered with these items in mind.

Consider whether you want the master bedroom to have its own bath, and the proximity of this space to the other bedrooms. Same considerations go for a home office space where privacy is an issue.

Give some thought to the privacy of the home from the street and from neighbours. This may help you decide where you want the living and sleeping areas of your home, and where you want to have the doors and windows located.  Also street noise may be a consideration for sleeping areas.

Think about where you prefer your laundry area to be located and how large a space will be needed. Keeping this area close to other plumbed areas is more efficient.

Consider your current hobbies and whether you need a workroom area for your projects. Think about gardening and other outside activities.  Plan now to have a space or place for what you enjoy. Maybe a mud room or utility room with a half-bath by your back door should be considered if you are often outside digging in the dirt.

Think about how you and your family will use the outdoor space as well, as this will help you determine where you want to have decks, patio doors, play equipment, porches, garages, a driveway and privacy landscaping, such as hedges and shrubs. Finally, think of storage and where you will keep all your seasonal items.

Your new home and your belongings

Once you have made your decisions of where and how, you can move onto what. You can pace off the space you have designated for the different areas and mark the perimeter in tape if you want. Now you can consider how the floor plan of your new home plan will accommodate your existing or new furniture and their arrangement. Allow about three feet around furniture and clearance for door swings. Think about room sizes, seating areas and how your proposed furniture placement will affect the overall feel of the size and scale of the room. You want to have good flow of people and conversations in the common areas, and a nice cozy feel.

Think about window and door placements, and allow enough wall space for furniture, appliances and televisions, workout equipment, pets, boots and coats, toys, etc.

When you have finished this process, imagine yourself walking throughout the home, and envision the natural light, entrance areas to maximize space efficiency and effectiveness. The more you can plan before you build, the more organized you will feel at the end of the process, plus you will have crated the perfect home for your lifestyle. It’s so much more rewarding to feel happy than disappointed with head thoughts of “If I’d only….”. –

If you are interested in further exploring the manufactured housing option to fill your dream of home ownership, and want to have confidence that you will be living in a home you can comfortably afford, and it fits your life style today, and tomorrow, I welcome your enquiries. We will share our expertise and knowledge with you in a relaxed and professional setting. – Jay Richards / Sales Manager.