Today is the day! That special day you decided to build your house. Maybe you are a young couple that endured bagged lunches and home brewed coffee for two years while you saved up a down payment. Perhaps you are in the business of real estate and you build, decorate and sell houses. Maybe this is the second or third house you have built. No matter where you are in life, when it comes time to shop for home floor plans, it’s exciting.
Do not let that excitement cause you to overlook some very fundamental facts, however. A home is a very permanent structure. Although you can do renovations at a later date, it is much more cost effective and satisfying to get the elements you want the first time around. Before you decide on which home floor plans are in your top ten list, do the following:
1. Visit local show homes: Visit different show homes and open houses that feature a variety of styles. While you may have your heart set on the beautiful symmetry of Colonial home floor plans, you may fall in love with the chic elegance of French Country home floor plans. You may discover ways to enrich your plans that you would not have thought of without seeing different options. For example, an arch connecting the living and formal dining room rather than a door, or ganged windows instead of a single bay window. Taking a good look around allows you see the actual elements you want to include in your plans as well as others you may wish to add.
2. Be realistic about your needs: Sure, it would be great to have a massive pool fed by a man-made waterfall all set in imported Aegean marble, but is that practical for your budget and lifestyle? Will you use a large, formal dining room or does your entertaining taste run more to a comfortable great room with space for a home theater? Will several children be living in the home? If so, plan for storage space and perhaps a playroom. Does one partner work from home? Then don’t forget a home office. Make sure your home floor plans include all the elements that will make your life easier, but do not exceed your budget. Develop the spaces you will use the most and leave room to expand on the rest at a later date. A simple sod job in the back yard leaves room for a modest pool later on and an unfinished basement can be turned into a pub-style hang out when that bonus from work comes in.
3. Budget, budget, budget. You only live once. So don’t live it under the crushing stress of a debt load you cannot afford. If the bank approves you for a $300,000.00 mortgage, you do not need to spend every single penny of that on new place. Budget for closing costs, lawyer fees, home decor – even the pizza and soda you will consume as you live out of boxes for the first few days of settling in. Once moved in, make room in your household budget for regular maintenance items. Budget ahead of time for large maintenance repairs that are years down the road, such as hot water heater replacement or re-shingling. Budgeting for a new home starts when you look at home floor plans and continues long after you unpack the last box.
Shopping for home floor plans, designing your home, and watching the construction is a true joy. Ensure that lasting happiness by taking the time to do some research, carefully planning for both form and function, and sticking to a realistic housing budget.
Monster House Plans has over 22,000 home floor plans in every style and theme you can imagine. If you don’t see the one you imagine, you can customize any of our home floor plans to ensure it is perfect for you. We know you are excited about building your home. That is why we’ve made it easy for you to search our many plans with advanced search options and browse-by-style choices. Helpful customer service agents are standing by in case you have questions. So go ahead. Take a look. We know we have the home floor plans you have been looking for.