Replies

1. 
   Dave45 | Feb 08, 2008 03:06am | #1

   The size of your house will be limited mostly by the size of your wallet.  If I were in your position, I would be figuring out:

   1. how many $$ you can (or want) to spend
   2. a $/sq-ft cost for new construction in your area

   Divide 1 by 2, and you have a rough idea of how much square footage you can get.  Once you have that, start playing with floorplans and see what you can do.

2. 
   Riversong | Feb 08, 2008 04:54am | #2

   I'll beg to differ with Dave45's simplistic approach.  If you really want to create a wonderful and functional space that's no bigger than you really need, consider these principles to make small work:

   Eighteen Design Principles to Make Square Feet Work Harder

   — Robert ####

    

   Before you begin designing, do this four-part exercise in self-knowledge.

    

   • Study your lifestyle very carefully.
   • Think as freely as possible about the qualities of the spaces and places you have most loved and hated.
   • Fight to minimize your clutter and accumulations.
   • Free yourself up from advertising, media imagery, and pressures to consume, since if you don't, the urge to buy will terrorize you.

    

   Then, when you begin designing or working with a designer, use as many of the following principles as possible.

    

   1. Minimize circulation space by reducing or eliminating hallways and paths to and from the doors. Excessive circulation space is one of the biggest drawbacks of many floor plans.

    

   1. If you do have to have a hallway, enrich the pass-through experience with bookcases, niches, photos, mirrors, art objects, skylights, or textures.

    

   1. Avoid circulation paths that cut diagonally through a space. This almost always chops something up that would otherwise be a whole with its own integrity. (An exception is that sometimes a large space can successfully be cut into two groupings of furniture.)

    

   1. Don't close rooms off from each other unless you have to. It's easy to see how this helps minimize interior walls.

    

   1. Consider partial separations between rooms to create an ambiguity of connectedness: arches, interior windows, half-walls, curtained spaces, freestanding headboards (for beds), interior columns, and similar features. Often there are reasons for partially separating one space from another, without needing to devote a separate room to each.

    

   1. Let interior walls be as thin as possible. (This contrasts to the many compelling reasons for having thick exterior walls.) Something thinner than an inch (2.5 centimeters) can often serve as a wall, as with Japanese shoji doors.

    

   1. Organize the floor plan around activities, such as eating dinner, doing a craft or hobby, or greeting visitors, rather than around preconceived rooms. Look for the centers of action, movement, and attention; then shape spaces around them.

    

   1. Minimize the number of doors, after considering your real need for privacy.

    

   1. If a door swing seems to take up too much space or unavoidably conflicts with something else, consider a sliding 'pocket' door.

    

   1. Relate carefully to the different views in different directions; include connections with the heavens above, via roof windows, skylights, or porch roofs high enough to let you see some sky from inside the house. Look also for ways to appreciate or enhance the smaller views, since intimate, small-scale views can be just as enjoyable as sweeping, dramatic ones. The perceptual effect of a view is to expand the space from which you see it.

    

   1. Have easy connections between inside and outside spaces, such as patios, decks, and outdoor showers, designing them as outdoor rooms with their own definition and sense of partial enclosure. Because of seasonal variations in your climate, you may need different outdoor spaces for winter and summer use.

    

   1. Consider creating other planetary connections: a compass in the floor, a Stonehenge-like shaft of light at the equinoxes or solstices, a sundial or shadow-casting play place, or prisms in a window that send rainbows flying around. These connections help make a house feel part of a much larger whole.

    

   1. Avoid right angles as much as is permitted by your budget, your building system, and your skill in building. Where you do have them, consider softening them by sculpting your wall material by using trim, ornament, or a built-in feature like a fireplace or display cabinet.

    

   1. Vary ceiling height by generally giving smaller spaces lower ceilings. This will dramatize the perceived size of the larger spaces by increasing the contrast between spaces. Floor levels can also be varied — even a few inches of difference adds to the diversity and apparent size of a space. (This, of course, is at odds with the desire for maximum accessibility for potential wheelchair-bound or otherwise infirm users of a house.)

    

   1. Avoid flat ceilings; instead, use open trusses, curved vaults, or cornices. A shape that rises will pull your feelings up with it.

    

   1. Have a diversity of windows. A single glass block or 1-square-foot (.09-square-meter) window can energize a large blank wall, and 'zen views' can make much of a smaller window.

    

   1. Plan lighting to create pools of light, rather than uniform illumination everywhere.

    

   1. To extend rooms and create diversity, use 'non-room' spaces, such as window seats, sleeping alcoves, niches, built-in benches, and recessed shelves. Thick-walled building systems like straw bale and rammed earth naturally allow these kinds of spaces, but thin-wall methods can also incorporate them. One result on the outside might be 'bumpouts'.

    

   Of course these guidelines aren't absolute, and sometimes the exceptions are as intriguing as the rules! Nevertheless, I believe that in well-crafted houses that embody most of these principles, small spaces can be intensified to become richer and more enjoyable. A vibrant level of complexity will automatically unfold. And it might just be that houses made in this way will be understood to be a contribution to the well-being of the planet.

    

    

    

    

    

   Riversong HouseWright

   Design *  * Build *  * Renovate *  * Consult
   Solar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes

1. 
   RichBeckman | Feb 08, 2008 05:39am | #6

   "Eighteen Design Principles to Make Square Feet Work Harder"

   I assume the headline was written by someone other than the writer who, though a good writer, apparently cannot count higher than one.

   Rich Beckman

   This signature line intentionally left blank

2. 
   BillHartmann | Feb 08, 2008 07:42pm | #14

   It is customary to give reference to the source when copying and pasting.http://oikos.com/esb/52/smallefficient.htmlhttp://oikos.com/library/naturalbuilding/design_principles.html.
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

1. 
   Riversong | Feb 09, 2008 04:05am | #17

   It is customary to give reference to the source when copying and pasting.

   First, I've never been "customary", and I consider all information on the web to be open source.

   Second, I cut and pasted those references from my hard drive where I keep thousands of files on design and building.  I don't always keep track of the original sources.  Thanks for reminding me where they came from.

    

   Riversong HouseWright

   Design *  * Build *  * Renovate *  * ConsultSolar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes

1. 
   Henley | Feb 09, 2008 04:18am | #18

   I think we have all forgotten to discuss the site I.E. location. So many factors are dependent on where you are building that it really should come ahead of some of our other concerns don't you think?

2. 
   RichBeckman | Feb 09, 2008 05:40am | #19

   "I consider all information on the web to be open source."

   Cool. Just redefine the world to meet your convenience. That's gotta make life a lot less complicated.

   Rich Beckman

   This signature line intentionally left blank

1. 
   Riversong | Feb 09, 2008 07:09am | #20

   Just redefine the world to meet your convenience.

   Your flippant statement implies that someone else has already defined the world and that everyone else is obliged to accept it as gospel, and that my motivation must be as shallow as "convenience" rather than consistency with a moral standard which is based on the highest good of all.

   The originating purpose of the WWW was the broad dissemination and sharing of information, allowing a democratization of knowledge and the globalization of the free exchange of ideas.

   And, by the way, where I had the author's name, I included it in my post - but this "politically-correct" forum wouldn't print his last name because it was a three-letter word that used to mean happy and has come to mean homosexual.

   Edited 2/9/2008 7:10 am ET by Riversong

2. 
   BillHartmann | Feb 09, 2008 07:28am | #22

   "Your flippant statement implies that someone else has already defined the world and that everyone else is obliged to accept it as gospel,"It has. Not the whole world, just that part that has to do with other people work."This article appeared in Energy Source Builder #52 August 1997,
   ©Copyright 1997 Iris Communications, Inc.".
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

3. 
   JDRHI | Feb 09, 2008 07:33am | #23

   Your flippant statement implies that someone else has already defined the world and that everyone else is obliged to accept it as gospel...

   Maybe not the world. But the sites terms and conditions have been defined. You agreed to them when you signed on.

   Taunton Gospel.

   J. D. ReynoldsHome Improvements

    

    

4. 
   Riversong | Feb 09, 2008 07:42am | #24

   The "Taunton Gospel" or "terms of use" only requires no violation of copyright laws.  US copyright law recognizes "fair use" for non-commercial research or educational purposes.

   The "Taunton Gospel", however, is far more liberal than my standard as it allows Taunton to use our own postings for any purpose whatsoever.

5. 
   BillHartmann | Feb 09, 2008 07:58am | #25

   Fair Use has a number of limitations.http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.htmlhttp://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter7/7-b.html#1http://home.earthlink.net/~cnew/research.htm.
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

6. 
   Riversong | Feb 09, 2008 03:09pm | #27

   Fair Use has a number of limitations.

   Fair Use was not included in US copyright legislation, but was determined by court challenges to exclusive commercial control of ideas.

   The whole concept of Fair Use is that Copyright has a number of limitations.  You've got it backwards.

7. 
   BillHartmann | Feb 09, 2008 04:30pm | #28

   Cearly you did nto read any of the references.But outside of the any copyright laws more important you are presenting other peoples work as you own..
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

8. 
   Riversong | Feb 10, 2008 02:25am | #29

   Cearly you did nto read any of the references.

   First, I did not need you references to know the issues around copyright law.

   But outside of the any copyright laws more important you are presenting other peoples work as you own.

   Second, never did I represent anybody else's work as my own - where available, the author's name was included (as I already stated).  I was merely sharing resources relevent to ths OP's questions.

   Third, this is completely off-topic, you have hijacked this thread and you should have the decency to stop pushing your personal agenda and return this thread to its topic.

   Edited 2/9/2008 6:26 pm ET by Riversong

9. 
   BillHartmann | Feb 10, 2008 02:40am | #30

   You hijacked it when you copied other people's work without giving recognition.Anything that anyone publishes (and yes writing a message on a forum is a form of publishing) is assumed to be their own work unless they specify otherwise..
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

10. 
    RichBeckman | Feb 09, 2008 08:28am | #26

    "my motivation must be as shallow as "convenience" rather than consistency with a moral standard which is based on the highest good of all."Whatever lets you sleep at night.

    Rich Beckman

    This signature line intentionally left blank

11. 
    snap pea | Feb 10, 2008 10:20am | #34

    as IdahoDon said, go into different buildings (friends houses etc.). When you see something you like, take careful measurements and notes. that way when you're trying to put down your own design on paper, you'll have a better idea of whether a space will work for you. If you're trying to design yourself a kitchen but you're not sure of the dimensions you want, you can reference the measurements you took from a kitchen you really liked. (for example, "I really liked the way Bobs kitchen had lots of space between the island and the countertops. thats what I want") If you took measurements of Bobs kitchen you'll know exactly what that distance between the island and the countertops was.

3. 
   Riversong | Feb 08, 2008 04:58am | #3

   Here's another take on the same subject:

   Small, Efficient and Beautiful

    

   Big houses consume more resources than small ones. They use more wood, more carpet, more drywall and more concrete. They cover more ground and generate more construction debris. When completed, they will require more energy to heat and cool.

    

   A house's size has a greater impact on energy and resource use than any other factor, including insulation, equipment efficiency and windows.

    

   "Building small makes 'natural sense.'" says Duo Dickinson, a Connecticut architect and author. "First, you build what's needed and then what's wanted. The problem is that many people don't know the difference."

    

   It would be impossible to get universal agreement on how "small" a small house should be. Prison cells are small, but hardly livable. "For the designer, the key is to make the house fit the clients," says Dickinson. "A house fits when living in it is effortless." Like a tailor fitting a garment to the exact dimensions of a human form, a designer should strive to size building elements for the occupants' values and way of living.

    

   Spec homes can benefit from many of these ideas, too, although the house may not achieve the same level of space efficiency. By using design savvy, instead of adding space, a spec builder can make a house feel better, work better and sell faster.

    

   Space Design Savvy Tips

    

   Smaller is often better, but actually cutting square feet out of a house plan can be difficult. Here are a few ideas that can help. You may find that several of these ideas can be used in a given plan, although you certainly wouldn't use them all at the same time.

    

   • Share space between different uses. A home office and guest bedroom is a common combination. Also consider using a hall or stairway as a library or gallery, a landing can be a reading nook, the laundry can be a mudroom. Replace individual rooms for "media," exercise and others purposes with built-ins and storage for special equipment.

    

   • Add double-height space. Smaller rooms need not feel "cramped." High vertical spaces add an airy feeling.

    

   • Fill the entire building volume. Much usable space can be lost to attics. This space under the roof can be used for visual appeal, loft space or heated storage. Cathedral roof trusses with ceiling insulation, stick framing with insulation between the rafters or structural insulated panels can all provide full insulation while embracing the volume under the roof.

    

   • Reduce circulation paths. Shorten or eliminate hallways, unless they serve a dual purpose. Traffic patterns can cross rooms, so the extra space adds to the visual size of the room.

    

   • Build furniture into rooms. Cabinets, bookcases, benches and eating nooks use less space when they become part of the structure. Recess bookcases or display cases into interior walls. Large storage drawers can be installed under the stairs right down to floor level.

    

   • Remove formal spaces. Most people gather in kitchens and family rooms. Formal living and dining rooms are seldom used. So why have two spaces dedicated to essentially the same activity? Avoid showcase rooms.

    

   • Use bedrooms for sleeping. In a small house, the bedrooms should be used for sleeping, dressing and little more. Massive "sanctuary" bedroom suites, some as large as entire homes, are wasted space.

    

   • Provide ample storage. When people want a "bigger house" they may actually need more storage. Even if a house is small, careful planning and good organization can provide densely packed, three-dimensional storage.

    

   • Enhance trim and detail. High-quality details can be a key benefit of a small house. High-quality hardware, molding and other aesthetic touches can draw attention away from the larger space and to the details.

    

   • Add a focal point. Each room should have one attractive feature. This can be a building element, built-in furniture, a work of art or a dazzling light fixture.

    

   • Invite natural light. Careful selection, sizing and location of windows and small skylights can flood a small space with natural light without increasing energy use. Artificial light works, too, if it's carefully designed.

    

   • Bring in the outdoors. Locate windows and glazed doors next to decks, patios, courtyards and porches. This extends the living space past the outer walls during fair weather. Even during bad weather the visual extension continues.

    

   • Reveal the structure. Exposed beams, posts, joists and other structural elements can define individual areas within a larger space. They also add texture or interest, and can serve as a focal point. Be careful, this approach can also be distracting. Use color. Most small spaces will benefit from lighter-colored or white wall paint, because it gives a spacious feeling. Use dark or warm colors only for accent.

    

   • Tie spaces together. Similar materials, such as flooring, wall coverings and trim, tie spaces together visually, giving the overall impression of greater space.

    

   • Separate spaces. Dissimilar materials set one space off from another. Instead of building a wall, change floor coverings, expose a beam or a hang a pot rack. Changes in color and texture also define spaces.

    

   • Be playful and imaginative. Examine the occupant's personality to find a fun or humorous touch that can set the space apart.

    

   • Plan for flexibility. The design should allow for changes in lifestyle. A young couple may have children. Grown children will leave the nest. A business could be born in the kitchen and grow in the guest bedroom. Plan for these changes. Identifying a future addition is one way, but consider ways new uses could be accommodated inside the existing footprint. The upstairs could become an apartment for an aging relative. Walls could come down. Some designers suggest long-span structures so that interior walls can be repositioned with fewer structural limitations.

    

   While there has been growing interest in environmentally friendly construction, it seems that many of these projects are just too big. On the other hand, there is a smaller countertrend. Some architects and builders see smaller homes as a benefit. Smaller homes are challenging to design, but often more rewarding.

    

    

   Riversong HouseWright

   Design *  * Build *  * Renovate *  * Consult
   Solar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes

4. 
   Riversong | Feb 08, 2008 05:03am | #4

   As for specific room sizes, you might keep a tape measure with you as you visit other people's homes and see what feels right to you.  The following range of sizes gives some idea what's considered "acceptable", though some of these are larger than what building codes consider a minimum functional size.

   ROOM SIZES

   The size of a room is determined by the function of the room and by the furnishings that go into the room. The list of typical room sizes shown below should be used ONLY as a guide for general planning purposes and to determine overall square footage of a proposed plan.

   FOYER

   • Small - 6 x 6
   • Medium - 8 x 10
   • Large - 8 x 15

   ENTRY CLOSETS (24" minimum inside dimensions)

   • Small - 2 x 3
   • Medium - 2 x 4
   • Large - 2 x 6

   POWDER ROOM

   • Small - 4 x 4
   • Medium - 5 x 5
   • Large - 6 x 6

   GREAT ROOM

   • Small - 16 x 18
   • Medium - 18 x 24
   • Large - 20 x 28

   LIVING ROOM -

   • Small - 12 x 18
   • Medium - 16 x 20
   • Large - 22 x 28

   DINING ROOM

   • Small - 10 x 12
   • Medium - 12 x 16
   • Large - 14 x 18

   FAMILY ROOM

   • Small - 12 x 16
   • Medium - 14 x 20
   • Large - 16 x 24

   
    

   RECREATION ROOM

   • Small - 12 x 18
   • Medium - 16 x 24
   • Large - 18 x 30

   MEDIA ROOM

   • Small - 10 x 14
   • Medium - 12 x 16
   • Large - 14 x 20

   KITCHEN

   • Small - 5 x 10
   • Medium - 10 x 16
   • Large - 12 x 20

   EATING AREA

   • Small - 10 x 10
   • Medium - 12 x 12
   • Large - 16 x 16

   PANTRY

   • Small - 2 x 2
   • Medium - 3 x 4
   • Large - 4 x 6

   LAUNDRY

   • Small - 3 x 6
   • Medium - 6 x 8
   • Large - 8 x 10

   UTILTITY/MUD ROOM

   • Small - 5 x 6
   • Medium - 6 x 8
   • Large - 8 x 10

   REAR ENTRY CLOSETS (24" minimum inside dimensions)

   • Small - 2 x 3
   • Medium - 2 x 4
   • Large - 3 x 6

   GARAGE

   • Small - 12 x 20 (one car)
   • Medium - 20 x 20 (two car)
   • Large - 24 x 24 (two car w/storage)

   WORKSHOP

   • Small - 6 x 8
   • Medium - 8 x 10
   • Large - 12 x 16

   STORAGE ROOM

   • Small - 6 x 6
   • Medium - 8 x 10
   • Large - 12 x 14

   HOME OFFICE / WORK ROOM

   • Small - 8 x 10
   • Medium - 12 x 14
   • Large - 14 x 18

   MASTER BED ROOM

   • Small - 12 x 14
   • Medium - 14 x 20
   • Large - 16 x 24

   WALK-IN CLOSETS (24" minimum inside dimensions)

   • Small - 4 x 6
   • Medium - 6 x 6
   • Large - 6 x 8

   MASTER BATHROOM

   • Small - 6 x 9
   • Medium - 8 x 12
   • Large - 10 x 16

   BEDROOMS

   • Small - 10 x 10
   • Medium - 12 x 12
   • Large - 14 x 16

   CLOSETS (24" minimum inside dimensions)

   • Small - 2 x 4
   • Medium - 2 x 6
   • Large - 2 x 8

   GUEST BEDROOM

   • Small - 10 x 12
   • Medium - 12 x 14
   • Large - 14 x 18

   GUEST CLOSETS (24" minimum inside dimensions)

   • Small - 2 x 3
   • Medium - 2 x 4
   • Large - 2 x 6

   FULL BATH

   • Small - 6 x 9
   • Medium - 7 x 10
   • Large - 8 x 12

   GUEST BATHROOM

   • Small - 5 x 9
   • Medium - 6 x 10
   • Large - 7 x 12

   LINEN CLOSETS (12" minimum inside dimensions)

   • Small - 1 x 3
   • Medium - 2 x 4
   • Large - 3 x 6

   DEN

   • Small - 10 x 10
   • Medium - 12 x 12
   • Large - 14 x 16

   STUDY

   • Small - 10 x 10
   • Medium - 12 x 12
   • Large - 14 x 16

   LIBRARY

   • Small - 12 x 12
   • Medium - 14 x 18

   Large - 16 x 20

    

   Riversong HouseWright

   Design *  * Build *  * Renovate *  * Consult
   Solar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes

1. 
   CaptainMayhem | Feb 10, 2008 07:39am | #31

   Thank you all for input, and the small b-fest at the end there. At this point in my "design process" I have a few certain ideas(that yes, were infact approved by the wife first),  but really needed a few builders to confirm what I may or maynot have already known. (I am down with broken bones until summer so I have no work boys to run stuff infront of on a daily basis).

    

    

1. 
   BillHartmann | Feb 10, 2008 08:36am | #32

   You might want to get a copy of A Pattern Langue http://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Language-Buildings-Construction-Environmental/dp/0195019199From the library. If they don't have it get it on inter-library loan.I don't agree with all of it, but it is interest look at the usage of a homes and how the parts relate..
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

1. 
   dovetail97128 | Feb 10, 2008 09:45am | #33

   I agree , good book to read through and garner thoughts from.
   They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

5. 
   calvin | Feb 08, 2008 05:09am | #5

   Captain,

   Build as small as you can, but study your decisions b/4 you finalize them.  We lived in a 900 sf house b/4 we built.  It was easy to  want to expand that for a family of 3.  Open areas downstairs with the living/dining/kitchen pretty much one big room with "suggested" boundaries like level changes, closet/island.  You know how you live, you know what you got.  Take a day and layout your dream rooms in the area you're in now if you can.  Transfer that to paper.

   Cooking doesn't take up much room/storage is a must.  Opening up the kitchen (where all those guests seem to want to congregate) helps give it a big feeling.

   8x10 bath can be spacious if laid out properly.  Do you need that much room?  How many baths are you thinking of?  We've got 3-sort of.  2 up for the girls, 1/2 down close to the laundry/mudroom/man shower.

   10x12 BR isn't much.

   Best of luck.

   A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   http://www.quittintime.com/

    

6. 
   Jim_Allen | Feb 08, 2008 05:54am | #7

   I just got back from a cruise and the full bath was about 4x5. I loved it. I had to have an extended stay on the throne and I was able to lay my head on the vanity top and sleep.

   I could spend a couple months every year in that cabin...if you'll pay the bill.

   Bob's next test date: 12/10/07

1. 
   Riversong | Feb 08, 2008 06:20am | #8

   There are few "living" spaces more well-designed and compact than boat cabins. 

   A California company that applies those principles to truly small houses offers some little darlings: http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

   View Image  View Image

   View Image

   Edited 2/7/2008 10:21 pm ET by Riversong

2. 
   joeh | Feb 08, 2008 07:16pm | #12

   Bring your own chow next time?

   Joe H

1. 
   Jim_Allen | Feb 08, 2008 07:26pm | #13

   The chow was great but lets face it: they are feeding 4700 people every day. My experience there was about equal to what I experience at home here. The food was great. I only gained 7 pounds though..I was careful. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07

7. 
   IdahoDon | Feb 08, 2008 09:18am | #9

   Go to some open houses this weekend and take your tape measure.  Often the rooms still have beds and whatnot in place and you'll know right away what fits the big picture in your head. 

   There is no substitute for seeing and walking in a space to know if it's what you want.

   Good luck

    

   Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.

8. 
   Henley | Feb 08, 2008 04:06pm | #10

   I think River song has some very helpful info that will help you design a practical and livable home. Yet I have found that identifying your budget first is vital. This has obvious implications as to size, finishing choices etc. Any time you can define your parameters it will guide you through the less clear decisions.

9. 
   dirtyturk | Feb 08, 2008 06:18pm | #11

   Riversong is giving seminars again! And he and the others referenced have it right!

   I design and direct construction on a couple of  high end homes a year and more often than not I'm telling the new owners to go out and walk through a few spec houses and visualize using each room. Then make a list of what you like and dislike about your current home. Usually they have been in some overblown home and thought that's what they want.....until I show them how much space(square footage) is wasted on poorly thought out layout.  ("I really don't think you understand how huge a 28x42, 2story family room is". I say that a lot. ).

   Now I will defer to the seminars provided by others. Apply them and you'll find the process a lot of fun. Seriously.

   Oh, if you are married get your lady involved up front...her needs will differ a lot from yours.

   ciao, ted

1. 
   JDRHI | Feb 09, 2008 07:23am | #21

   Oh, if you are married get your lady involved up front...

   That's the best advice anyone has offered thus far.

   J. D. ReynoldsHome Improvements

    

    

10. 
    frenchy | Feb 08, 2008 08:16pm | #15

    CaptianMayhem.

      Small and compact certainly has it's appeal, however too often it's done for budget reasons rather than for the more important lifestyle reasons..

      Look at closests as an example.. you can make large closets and just toss stuff in willy nilly untill it's full.

     Or you can make small closets hold everything you want to keep out of site if you design them to hold exactly those items and nothing more..

      So you need to understand who you are first and then decide on the approach..

      If you are neat and tidy then small and compact will work for you.. I lived for a long time in a 16x8 foot travel trailer.  You can't believe the stuff I had stored in that place and yet it always wound up neat and tidy. It had a bathtub and full bathroom as well as well as two beds, a full kitchen etc..

     True to get anything required I removed a lot of stuff first and then put it all back, but I accepted those limitations.. ( my wife on the other hand hated the place and the fact that she endured it as long as she did is testamony more about her tolerance than anything else)..

      

       Now how much bigger?

        Well remember it's always cheaper if you work to 4 foot multiples.. don't make a room 5 feet because that wastes 3 feet of a sheet of plywood which you may never use anywhere else..  Most material is made on a 4x8 size.. so work with those..

      Next,

       Control your costs..  don't buy stuff that several people have to handle  before you get it.  An example is wood..

      Some sawmill makes some wood and it's shipped to someone who can dry it, sort it ,and grade it.. then it goes to someone who bundles it together and sells it to a middleman who sells it to the store that ultimately sells it to you..

      Eliminate all those middle men.. Buy it yourself from the sawmill.  I did and saved more than 2/3 of the cost of buying it from a lumberyard or Big Box store like Home Depot or Lowes.

     Actually even more than that! because I bought my wood from a sawmill that sells wood to pallet mills and railroad ties..  Hardwood!  I used some pretty fancy wood but you could buy Ash right now at extremely modest prices because of the ash borer is tearing thru forests..

      Right now the price of  mill run ash is  26 cents per bd.ft. according to the hardwoodmarket report.   a typical 1500 sq.ft. house could be made with about 10,000 bd.ft.  which is $2600.00

      Want to double the size of the house and buy 20,000 bd.ft?  you will spend $5200.00.  Since you are using hardwood you can make flooring, cabinets doors and windows etc.. from it..  OK you'd rather have Oak?  white or red?  white sells for about 80cent's a bd.ft.   While red is closer to a dollar..

        There are plenty of other ways to save money building a house.. but they are outside the box.. 

      

        

     

       

11. 
    susiekitchen | Feb 08, 2008 08:51pm | #16

    I have to concur with most of the replies you've gotten so far, especially the lists of guidelines. I've thought for a long time that we are building way beyond our capacity to sustain and much more than we actually need, wasting materials and resources along the way.

    I'm a kitchen/bath designer and space planner by trade, and here are my suggestions:

    1. Find out what you can afford. Once you know the approx square footage you can pay for you can begin to build a plan within those limitations.

    2. In small spaces think "FUNCTION - FUNCTION - FUNCTION"! If you can't get the required furnishings and elements in a space and get people through the space comfortably, it's not going to work and that's money wasted.

    3. Know the basic requirements. Go to the library and  get the Architectural Graphic Standards book in the reference section. You'll find accepted guidelines for space planning and room sizes as well as standard sizes for all interior furnishings.This is the architect/designer's go-to reference to find out how much space something takes.You've absolutely got to know how big the things are that you need to accommodate in each room.

    4. While at the library, check out all the books available for small homes. I especially like Sarah Susanka's "The Not so Big House". For a little psychological background into homes, read "Home: A Short History of an Idea" by Witold Rybczynski. Been out awhile, but should still be available. Look at all the plan books available for houses - you'll find lots of ideas. Start a design file to keep copies and clippings.

    5. Assign square footage to spaces according to what's important to you. If you can live with standard bathrooms, do so. If your needs/wants include a shower and a tub in the master bath, then that's what you do. If you don't need a master bedroom big enough for 3 cars (and no one does!), then scale it back to put more in the bath.

    6. In the kitchen, the work triangle is a guideline. So much more is involved in a good layout, such as traffic flow, storage, etc. There are lots of books, you can check out the National Kitchen & Bath Association website nkba.org for consumer guidelines, you can always ask me :o) ...Everything in a small kitchen has to work and you need to get the most out of every cabinet. Consider deep drawers and roll-outs for base cabinets to give complete access to all the storage in them. Assign storage for items and provide the right cabinet for them. I can't tell you how many people I know who won't pay for any interior accessory, then go out and spend hundreds on these wire racks to provide better storage in a kitchen they just paid $18,000 for. And, you don't always need cabinets. Lots of very functional kitchens use open shelves and hanging systems for pots & utensils.

    7. Borrow light from other rooms whenever possible. Nothing says that all walls have to be solid. Providing interior "windows" or using French doors inside can bring light into all rooms. Likewise, cabinet doors and pantry doors with clear or frosted glass don't stop the eye like a solid door, so the mind thinks the space is bigger.

    Hope these help!