5 Custom Home Building Considerations for Growing Families

July 26, 2018

One of the reasons for considering moving into a new home or building a custom home is that your family has outgrown, or will soon outgrow, your current home. Elderly parents could be moving in with you, older children could be moving in or out, maybe you’re about to add children to the family, or perhaps it’s a combination. Working with a builder to design and build a custom home allows you to get the home you need. However your family might be growing, here are a few custom home building considerations for growing families:

1. Custom Layout

When your family is growing, a standard home layout may not make sense. Take some time to figure out the basics, like how many bedrooms and bathrooms you will need and what floor they should be on. Depending on your family’s situation, you may find it best to have all the bedrooms on the first floor or have them split between the floors.

You’ll need to consider what your life will look like in the home that first year and for the years afterward. This will help you determine what types of rooms you need, how many you may need of certain types, and where they should be located. During this process, you can also build some conveniences into your home. Having a bathroom on every floor, first or second-floor laundry room placement, and more are all conveniences you can have designed and built into your custom home.

2. Flexible Rooms

An easy way to account for changes in your family over time is to include rooms that are built to be flexible. With well-designed flex rooms, your home can grow with you without needing further expansions or additions. If you are adding a child to your family, you can design a bedroom that can serve as a nursery and then change with the child as they grow to have their own bedroom. You can also plan for more bedrooms than you need and use those rooms for other things, like storage, crafts, or hobbies, until you need them.

Another option is to include an in-law suite in your custom home design. Even if you don’t need it right now, it can easily serve as an area for guests to stay until you need to make use of it. Beyond that, other rooms can turn from storage into a study room or game room as your family grows and your needs change. If you have an idea of what you might need, your builder can work with you to incorporate some flexible spaces into your custom home design.

3. Organization & Storage

As your family grows and everyone’s lives get busier, it can be hard to keep things organized or to find a place for everything. Working with your builder to include storage areas and an organized layout can help make it easier to stay organized.

Including a mudroom in your custom home design can create an area that becomes a drop zone. Even with hooks, shelves, and storage cabinets, a mudroom can become cluttered over time. However, designated drop zones and implementing some mudroom organization tips can help contain the clutter and keep it from spreading across the rest of your house.

4. Neighborhoods

Another one of the considerations for growing families when it comes to building a custom home is where you plan to live. Many custom home builders have their own lots you can choose from. Or, if you find a lot you like somewhere else, they can build on your lot too. Starting your search with designated neighborhoods can make choosing an area a lot easier.

You can get a quick overview of what the neighborhood is like, how safe the area is, how close it is to major roadways, shopping, or attractions, and more. Not only does this help you choose a neighborhood that suits your family on paper, but it also allows you to go visit and see the area in person to get a feel for what it might be like to live there.

5. School Districts

Part of evaluating a neighborhood includes researching school districts. Educational opportunities are an important consideration for growing families when deciding where to build their custom home. Choosing land in a neighborhood associated with good elementary, middle, and high schools ensures your child has plenty of educational opportunities as they grow.

Even if you’re not planning on having children, taking a look at the school districts in the area will give you a good idea of the local tax rates and school taxes for the area. You can also take it a step further and check in on local colleges and universities nearby. You may find yourself interested in taking some classes in person or online to continue your own education.

Keeping these custom home building considerations for growing families in mind can help you figure out what you need in your custom home. For more information on custom home building or to get started on the journey towards your dream home, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!