For many prospective homeowners, the current economic environment may present a significant hurdle when it comes to the cost of home construction. Whether it’s a newlywed couple or baby boomers, the reality of what they need and what they can afford is at odds. Young couples cannot afford to build a home the size they will need for their growing family. Empty nesters retire facing the dilemma of rising construction costs that have outpaced the value of their current homes, which they must downsize. Even young singles with good jobs and promising careers don’t have the money for a decent down payment on a new home and are forced to rent.

build in stages

For people who cannot afford the entire home they will ultimately need, starting small, building in stages, one phase at a time may be the right solution to get them on the path to affordable homeownership. 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 more later as the need arises and the budget allows not only solves a limited budget problem, but also avoids the potential hassle later of selling and moving to a new home. 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 having to find temporary housing.

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

Expandable and flexible house plans

Expandable, staged home plans aren’t just for young families looking for a starter home. We have seen a growing request at our design firm for future combined retirement/semi-retirement vacation homes. People planning for the future by building in stages with expandable multi-use home designs are starting with vacation cottages or small rental homes.

One particular expandable home plan we designed for a client was a combined vacation and retirement home built in stages in a small town where her young daughter had just accepted a new job. Known for its ideal retirement qualities, this mountainous and lake region provided a welcome vacation retreat from her city life and daily work, as well as a place for her daughter to live until she could pay the bill. Down payment on a home of your own. Beginning with the daughter’s garage apartment and attached vacation home, her property would be maintained and watched over until they moved in full-time at a later date.

With expectations of partial retirement in this house, building plans called for a future home office to be built in the connection between the cottage and the garage apartment and additional bedrooms in a wing at the other end of the cottage. Once the daughter is gone, the garage apartment could serve as a rental property, guest quarters, or apartment for the in-laws. Since the farmhouse plan was designed as an on-site age home (a barrier-free design that allows them to live independently as they age), the garage apartment could also serve as caretaker accommodation. sometime along the way.

This type of expandable, staged-built home plan is very flexible and versatile, providing many incremental options as budgets allow and lifestyle situations change, all without sacrificing the simple pleasures a home can offer.

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