Our new home is right at 1600 sq ft. We have an open floor plan with a kitchen, dr and living room. Ikea cabinets and butcher block counter tops + alot of DIY. We have an entry foyer/mud room, adjacent full bath and laundry downstairs, upstairs two bedrooms, a nursery (teeny room) and full bath. Unfinished walkout basement. We love our Ross Chapin design!
We compromised - there's no master suite(shown on plans)in order to have a full basement.

Here is a link that might be useful: To our plans and other small homes

Well... my intentions were small, smallish.

We are at an awkward stage. Not quite empty-nesters. Probably not for another 5 or 6 years. And now some that have flown out, have flown back in....

And the ones that have flown out, have multiplied.

So my intentions were a house with everything my husband and I would need on one level. I thought we could get by with 1200sf or so. But the house plan came back in with 1800 and I loved it, but was able to scale it back to about 1700, which I have since learned does not include things like closet space. Nor does it include the garage.

We also wanted a full basement. That is where the one son who is still at home will spend most of his time. Lots of "family" space down there. So, that doubles the space. We also made a Storm/Safe room under the garage.

Then I thought we could just tuck a couple of guest rooms in upstairs, and should be able to get a bonus room over the garage...... well that has taken on a life of it's own also.

So basically, I feel like I am building a 3 level apartment complex. Which really though, I am okay with. I tend to try to help my family out too much, my kids, my sisters, and rather than trying to help them keep up with their montly expenses, if worst came to worst, I would have a place big enough and we only have to maintain one roof.

I dont know if I am being selfish, or if I am being unrealistic, but this house will be energy efficient, it will be paid for, so even if some day it were just me and my husband, it is affordable, and we can close off unused space. But in the event that family needed a place to go, we would have the room.

But I also picture grandkids visiting alot, especially as they grow older. I see them spending a few weeks a year with us, since we are in the country and they all love the horses. Building a pond too, and hope to keep it fairly clear for swimming, or it is a short horseback ride to the river.

So, I don't know. I tend to be alittle OCD, and I tend to over do it, but for the right reasons. I have one sister that is barely in her home. Her husband is disabled, she should be classified as disabled and probably will be soon. I just dont know how they will make it.

I have even planned my space so that I could put in an elevator in the future. I stacked some closets. But I am going to revisit my numbers and see if maybe I should just go ahead and plan for it now.

So, while it isnt really shrinking... I may be reverting back to the Waltons. Everyone could have their own private space, but some shared major items like one geothermal, one complete spray foam, one full kitchen, the use of the wrap around porches, etc.

Forgive me for typing so much. Maybe I am trying to convince myself this is what I want to do :-) But I wont turn away family, and since I can see it happening, already happening with daughter and grandson, only a matter of time I think for my sister, so I just want us all to be comfortable and have our own space and not get on each others nerves. But I dont want to keep handing out money to keep them in their homes either. Would rather just have one nice neat little package. Energy efficent, warm in the winter, and cool in the summer. A place we can all enjoy.

I should probably just commit myself right now..........

The last census figures show new homes averaging 2,438 sf in 2008. That would be claustrophobic for our family of six. We're at 4,200 sf plus finished lower level.

If I had the right lot, I'd go at least 5,000 s.f. plus and just cut down the finishes that no one outside of me appreciates anyway.

One of the offers we've had on our current home was from a buyer who kept wondering why we chose slate flooring for the Great Room and was anxious to remove the thousands of dollars worth of faux stone from the walls and arches. Sheesh!

intheville - I like Ross Chapins house plans - would love to see pictures of yours.

I agree on cutting down to only the things that I like.

My core systems are pretty pricey, that no one will ever see.... but the rest of the house will be modest in order to get more square footage.

I think we are coming in around 5500 with another 1200 of covered porches. (hoping my husband doesnt add up the numbers) :-P

But we chose to build sufficient for us on the main level, then build down and up for the extra space, rather than to build out. A friend just built a 1700 sq foot for him and his wife, on a crawl space. And high dollar all the way. I have shopped hard for good prices I could live with, found some great bargains, and we will be spending about what he spent. But I also kept track of the items if I had paid full price, or gone with the highest bid, and we are saving a TOOOOOOOOOOOON of money.

But not everyone can do that. This is my "job" for this year. So I have tried to get the most bang for my buck, knowing that I didnt want to cut back on the square footage.

I also didnt want to heat and cool a monster, so energy efficient everything. That is where the big chunks of the budget have gone, but will be so worth it in the long run.

I kind of worded my first sentence wrong, on the cutting back. I had two thoughts going at the same time.

Initially, I was wanting to "wow" my friends. Now I realize that all I need to wow is my family. So what if it is laminate, if I like it and it is functional, then go for it. That frees up more money that can be used in other areas. So while I could import from Italy and I would be pleased with that, at the end of the day, my kids dont really care where it came from or how much I spent.

I do try to keep resale in the back of my mind, but for the most part, I am building a house that we will be happy living in for years to come, so you wont find alot of high dollar anything, unless it was on sale :-)

"The last census figures show new homes averaging 2,438 sf in 2008." Something not right here, the last census was taken in 2000.
My original post was only meant as a statement of fact, but since others are offering their experiences, here's mine...
I designed my house to have flexible use and energy efficient.
It has 1300 ft down and 800 up. My wife and I live down and the up is only used with company. The HVAC are two separate units with a door at the top of the stairs. Here in S Texas when temps get to upper 90s regularly, with abundant insulation over the second floor, upstairs has never seen over upper 80s, and that is the attic to my first floor. Wouldn't you like an attic that never gets super hot? Bottom line, highest electric bill has been $135, this month, in the worst heat/drought conditions in South Texas since the 50s. So I'm real proud!
For those people who have youngsters it's just a two story house. When you become empty nesters, you shut down the up and enjoy the savings. No need to sell and find a smaller home. You still get good appreciation from a standard sized house...in this case a 3 bed, 3.5 bath setup.
The combo of SEER 13 A/C units, less square footage, shade trees all around the house, porches, and state-of-the-art construction methods all share credit for the results.

"The last census figures show new homes averaging 2,438 sf in 2008." Something not right here, the last census was taken in 2000.

The Census Bureau doesn't shut down between decennial censuses. For the entire year 2008, the median new home size by completion was 2,219 s.f.

I swore that I only needed 1800 sq. However, someone wrote on here that "you should get everything you want now because this may be your last address before the nursing home". I turned 49 in June and decided to take his advice.

I'm up to approximately 2100 and counting in an attempt to get everything a single woman with 1 cat could want. When the builder gives me my estimate, I maybe doing away with the exercise room. Since all my equipment has at least 2" of dust, the garage will probably be fine.

I live in a climate where it cost pretty big bucks to cool the house, others have to heat the house. That, along with property taxes, insurance, repairs, and financing costs make me want to have a modest house. I'd rather have $1000 in savings than pay those people....hey, maybe even have a better retirement! That's just me though. You could find a compromise by combining uses in each room, exercise space with office space etc. I tried to make the rooms I spend the most time in the more spacious, and vica versa.

gopintos,

My thinking was similar to yours. We built a house about the size you're talking about, and it is extremely energy efficient.

Before we were even finished building it, my daughter got divorced and asked if she could move in with her 3 pre-school children while she does a job change and gets another college degree. I'd anticipated just about everything but this! However, things are working out better than we'd expected, largely due to the layout--2nd floor bedrooms for them, lower level family room, kitchen, TV area, guest bedroom and bath. 2 sets of carpeted stairs by the garage entry to get them up and down!

Anne

I find this to be very interesting, as we are thinking about building a house that we will live in for a long, long time...we have young children, but one about to be a teen, so by the time the house is built she will only have a few more years at home and then college. I want a house that will be good for the teen years, but also great for the empty nester years. It seems like a common theme that kids will inevitably come home for some period of time after graduating from college; I have observed this with my neighbor's kids.

Our thought is a 5500 sf house with master on the main, three bedrooms up plus a kids den up, and a patial basement with a guest bedroom and sitting area. Like someone said, kind of a three story living set up, but very flexible for current and future needs....love the idea of planning for an elevator even if it is not installed for many years.

You might be interested in the best-selling books of Sarah Susanka on designing the "Not So Big House." Her first came out in 1997 I think and she's built quite an extended following, including me, lol.

Our thought is a 5500 sf house with master on the main, three bedrooms up plus a kids den up, and a patial basement with a guest bedroom and sitting area. Like someone said, kind of a three story living set up, but very flexible for current and future needs.

You might be interested in the best-selling books of Sarah Susanka on designing the "Not So Big House."

Intentional or not, that was funny.

I have a couple of her books. I should have read them more carefully and thoroughly.... ha

Mine really doesnt sound all that big, and we have footings and walls in, and it doesnt look all that big either.......but when I add up each level, it kind of adds up fast :-/

Maybe it's that pa(la)tial basement with a guest bedroom and sitting area.

Or was there some other spelling you had in mind?

actually... that was thingsthatinspire.... ha

mine ended up with 2 guests, one bath, family room, pool table area, kitchenette/bar area, pub/card table, and an exercise room.

found out the other day, i can add a heater/ac/dehumidifer thing that will make the safe room under the suspended garage all useable space, so giving that to my husband... I know, very nice of me ;-)

yes i def. should have read it better..... but it still looks bigger (although not even close to the mcmansions) but it looks bigger on paper than the foundation that is going in. What's up with that?

Here is a link that might be useful: Floor Plan

Sssshhhh. The basement doesn't count. ;-)

We're building a modest 2200 sf walkout rancher. Never mind that fact that we have 6000 total sf of slab in the basement ,attached garage, and attached shop. To quote the owner of the framing company, "My kind of place. More garage than house."

I'm sure that some of our neighbors who saw the slabs think we are putting up a monster. We probably won't convince anyone otherwise until we do a house warming party.

BTW, I like your design. And it really isn't that big.

It's only shrinking in places. One thing you have not addressed are that lots have to be taken into consideration when building. We're on a shady lake lot, with a lower level that is open on three sides. But because it is built into the lot (front sidewalk has only two steps up to the veranda/main level) it stays pleasant year round. We're in central Alabama, so we get the same temps you do, only with humidity. We have 16 SEER ACs. This house is twice as large as our last home, but the heating/cooling bills run the same or less psf. Like you, we also have large verandas that also shade the main rooms. We could basically live on our 3K sf main level, and not worry about the lower level.

Since we were doing a lower level, we did away with the upstairs bedroom/bath and room over the triple garage, which is on the main level. We also have a single lower for storage. Could we have built a smaller home? Sure, but 2 of our 3 went to colleges out of state and have settled there (San Francisco and Chicago), and #3 is considering a move to Boston, so we wanted room for them and future spouses/family. *Notice I do not call it a basement. I had a basement in our last home for 20+ years. Our lower level is finished with the same quality finishes as our main level and we poured 14ft concrete walls to allow plenty of ceiling height after the HVAC and plumbing was installed.

Our property taxes are less than before, even though the house is larger and we're on more land. A perk of moving out of the town where we paid higher taxes for the school system. Insurance is not high, imo, and I have to agree with you about paying the financing cost - we paid off our mortgage after 18 months.

but it still looks bigger (although not even close to the mcmansions) but it looks bigger on paper than the foundation that is going in. What's up with that?

Once the framing begins, it will start to look bigger again. That is a common thread here in BAH! LOL The vastness of the open space around the slab gives an optical illusion of a smaller slab.

When we sold our last home, one reason was to downsize. A smaller 1300 + walk-out LL grew to a 1500, one-bedroom - MB on main level. We came up with an almost entire open first floor centered around stairs and 1/2 bath. Lower level will have additional bedrooms. We have attached 2-car+ garage and 54'x36' shop on nearby property. This is our final home on our dream property, so we are not concerned about resale - we are building what we want. Lots of space, good usable finishes, quality windows and roof, covered porches and only one step to entry.

In our area (Iowa), we get weather extremes: 90-100 with humidity in summer -20 or colder in winter. DH is GC and insulation technician, so house (2 x 6, high-density fiberglass in walls,Pella windows) will be easy to heat/cool.