Square footage plays a big role in the cost to build a new home in Florida. Sometimes it’s worth building a smaller home with nicer amenities, it all depends on how much space you really need. Remember, extra square footage equates to more flooring, additional cabinetry, added window coverings, and the list goes on- all of these things add up quickly. You can eat up a lot of your budget by simply adding more square footage than you need.
How Big is the Average Home Today?
Despite the rise of the tiny home movement, new homes going up today tend to be around 1,000 square feet larger than homes in 1973, while the average per-person living space has doubled.
In 2014, the average new home measured 2,690 square feet, while the median size for a new home set a record of 2,506 square feet. Houses might be getting bigger, but family size is actually getting smaller. While there was an average of 3.01 persons per household in 1973, there was just 2.54 persons per household between 2013 and 2014.
Factors to Help You Decide How Big of a Home You Need
-Family size
First and foremost, how many family members will be living in your home? Don’t forget to account for any additional members you might be adding on in the coming years. Will anyone share a room or does everyone need their own room?
Adding Jack-and-Jill style bathrooms to bedrooms helps shave off square footage while saving money on installing additional bathrooms.
Family size will also help you decide how large of a kitchen, family room and dining room you require.
-Do you need guest rooms?
Do you need a guest room or two to accommodate company? Keep in mind, guest rooms can be relatively small in square footage, just big enough to fit a bed and dresser. You can also double up a guest room so that it serves an added purpose when guests aren’t in town, such as an arts and craft room, extra storage for luggage and off-season clothing, or even an office.
-How much office space do you need?
Speaking of an office, if you work from home, you’ll need a nice space for your home office. Once again, this doesn’t have to be a huge room – a room big enough to fit the basics is plenty, so long as it gets great light, which helps make the room feel more spacious.
Keep in mind, you can always add on to your home in the future and keep costs more affordable by accommodating your needs right now.
Room Square Footage – How Big Should You Make Each Room?
When building a home from the ground up, you’ll be tasked with deciding how much square footage to make each room. Luckily, this is something our master architects and designers are well equipped to help you with.
The master bedroom tends to be the largest bedroom in the house, although, anything over 370 square feet is considered luxury and reserved for homes that measure over 3,500 square feet. The average master bedroom in all homes is closer to 200 to 250 square feet, while the average size of a master bedroom in today’s newest homes is closer to 350 square feet.
It’s important that bathroom size fits in with the size of the bedroom. For instance, a 250 square foot master bedroom should have a master bath that measures around 10×10, at minimum; a 350 square foot master bedroom should be paired with a master bath that measures around 11 x 14, at minimum.
Benefits of a Smaller Home
Decreasing square footage on your new home is an easy way to save money, and that’s not the only benefit to be had. In addition, a smaller home is more affordable to air condition during Florida’s hot summers, it’s easier to keep clean, and tends to feel cozier than a large home.
Bigger is not always better. With a good floor plan, layout, and lots of windows, a smaller size home can feel very spacious. There are also tricks you can play with to enjoy greater peace and quiet even in a smaller space, such as placing the master bedroom on the opposite side of the house from the kid’s bedrooms.
No matter if you are looking to build a mansion or a smaller house on a budget, Paterson Development is prepared to assist. From architectural designs to construction, we take care of the entire process – creating a home as unique as your family.