Get rid of the angled walls.

And what's your experience building?

Which direction is north?

The plans are too small to read.

I'm no pro, but having a tight budget demands that you have an architect or good designer to help you plan spaces, solve problems and save money. You'll get results that are better than what you shared above. The design for my project (https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6140835/rural-mediterranean-review-take-2#n=71) was improved because the design done by a professional and reviewed by a second architect on the community's design review committee.

I'm a control freak with strong opinions when it comes to the design; however, I also understand that architects a better space planners and problem solvers than I will ever be. The design process is collaborative. I've come up with great solutions that my architect hadn't considered, but at the end of the day, it's the professional that makes it all work together. Get an architect or designer and avoid costly mistakes and regrets.

Unless you live someplace where large families are the norm, resale value of a house with that many bedrooms may be an issue no matter how the house is configured, and especially in 10+ years. We recently sold a very large house, bought for reasons other than its size. We lost about 1/2 of what we had in it and were thankful to get a buyer at any price. Most people were horrified at the idea of its upkeep and operational costs.

The most cost effective shape will be a 2 story rectangular box. That's what makes a difference. Fancy sinks are not that expensive compared to a complex roofline.

Build it as a 3 unit building. If you look hard, you may find something that works. Look at modular home plans for ideas. As to heating, I would use baseboard hot water heat as it can be broken into as many zones as needed. I would also plan on having the electrical for each unit separate. In, fact separating those utilities out would be wise, especially if thinking of resale. For resale purposes think of it as if a landlord, or owner occupied landlord will own it. They will want as many utilities as possible separate. Zoning could potentially be an issue.

I know angled walls are not good, and waste, but I see it as a necessary evil to make the structure sort of fancy without being just square. Also, I need them to add some distance from the inlaw section, the further the better, but still close by to them. They are our family after all.

I have worked as handyman last few years, and have done everything but framing and concrete.

I have been living in small houses since having kids, and feel so tight in current homes, everywhere I go, I bump into kids. Hence the very large bedrooms and other rooms. My math , and I am good at it, has about 15k in materials for basic construction. Just walls, floors, insulation, hence adding a few ft here and there didnt seem much. I have added too many ... got carried away. I would rather have some more space than a 10k tub being wasted in the bathroom.

I have seen a few million doll homes in my area, 3k-5k sq ft and they all had lots of underutilized space. Bedrooms were small and could hold two queen size beds.

There are lots of Asians in our area and many, not just them actually but also many Americans , take care of the elderly in the family. We, wify and I, mostly myself, thought that inlaw section and large bedrooms would be a positive when trying to sell. Yes, upkeep for a stay at home mom would be too much. What are the kids for?

I like the water heating idea. Have thought of it briefly, but will study it in more details.

Don't know where you live, but 15K for materials is not likely to get you very far along with the project in this economy!

You don’t make a home fancy by having angled walls. Why not do a U shape opening to a central shared courtyard or meeting space that has covered areas and then outside space too. Each line of the U can be essentially it’s own unit but the home would look cohesive not fancy. Or even and L shape but two floors.

Since you are in the planning stages I recommend the book The Not So Big House by Susan Susanka. Well worth the time to think about some of her ideas for making a home more functional, no matter what its size. Getting the most out of your square feet.

I am guessing that many people are fine with more but smaller bedrooms because they will not be putting 2 queen size beds in them. So your preference may not align with every buyer in future.

One thing to think about could be the space you have set aside for guest accommodations. Could this be combined with other space in the house? Is it more cost effective find alternative accommodations for periodic guests rather than purpose-building for them?

I understand you want something that doesn't look plain, but I think you have better options than the angled approach.

Is there a style of house that is attractive to you? Cottage style, or stately formal look, or Atomic modern?

What is the site like? Flat or sloped, and what direction does it face? How to best make use of the sun. What is your latitude or closest big city?

Getting a feel for the project and you from what you are saying, and taking a peek at your plans, it seems the best solution in this case would be to have a prefab metal shell built for you. A large one and a small one. Then you can lay out and build out the insides within each footprint, even build a connecting breezeway. Phase construction if that's what the budget dictates. Think barndominium, but at a smaller and more basic level.

I know angled walls are not good, and waste, but I see it as a necessary evil to make the structure sort of fancy without being just square.

That's not what makes good design "fancy". That's a builder's cliche. Also good design doesn't need gimmicks like angled walls that only waste space.

Also, I need them to add some distance from the inlaw section, the further the better, but still close by to them. They are our family after all.

Then design breezeways between the sections of the house. And do it creating a U or T shaped house.

I have worked as handyman last few years, and have done everything but framing and concrete.

So you really don't know what you don't know. There are 100's of decisions that need to be decided on with building a house.

I have been living in small houses since having kids, and feel so tight in current homes, everywhere I go, I bump into kids. Hence the very large bedrooms and other rooms.

What you need is not so much big rooms, but well designed spaces. This is NOT it. As someone else suggested, start by reading Sarah Susankah's book, The Not So Big House.

My math , and I am good at it, has about 15k in materials for basic construction. Just walls, floors, insulation, hence adding a few ft here and there didnt seem much. I have added too many ... got carried away. I would rather have some more space than a 10k tub being wasted in the bathroom.

I don't know where you came up with 15k but I'm guessing you're not even close and especially with the size house you're building.

I have seen a few million doll homes in my area, 3k-5k sq ft and they all had lots of underutilized space. Bedrooms were small and could hold two queen size beds.

Yes way too many homes nowadays are poorly designed. You don't need bigger, but better. Again start by the book we suggested.

My grandparents built a multigenerational vacation house for themselves and my parents/me; it had 3 stories: theirs (baths, beds, kitchenettes and little sitting rooms off bedrooms), my parents’ (same); and common area with big kitchen, big living room, library, pool and outdoor living room, etc. This kind of thing works super well. What also would have worked well for my family that might be good for you—several houses in a compound.

Whichever you choose, have a pro design this for you! You’ll like it better and it will be more cost-effective.

Ummm... check your compass N, S, E and W... :)

Ummm... check your compass N, S, E and W... :)

OMG!

That may explain the angled walls.

I don’t know much, but I do know that recent upgrades to my wood deck (12x18 deck with one new wood 6’ privacy wall, new wood railings, and associated screws, brackets, etc etc.) cost me $1,000 in materials. It doesn’t have a roof and I made no changes to the deck floor.

My 12x18 deck is 216 sqft.

Remember - I spent $1,000 in lumber and materials. I don’t believe there’s any way you can build 5,500 sqft for $15,000 in lumber.

I spent more than 15K on building a garden shed. Add a 0 to the material cost and another decade to the self build and you might still be ballpark low. You'd be way ahead just to do your own mobile home park. Zero resale for that as well. But its better than losing your health, your savings, and your job, trying to go this route.

@Rose Moor you are right to be concerned about the heating and cooling inefficiencies of a very long house. A full 2 storey is more efficient, also has the smallest roof per square feet. On the main floor I would put the in law suite, large kitchen with one extendible table and a small island. Full upper floor would have primary bedroom suite, laundry, and 2 larger bdrms plus one smaller bedroom. Full basement with an office, bath and guest room with big window. Do you have a lot and is it flat?

The open to above foyer is a waste of space, also makes the house very noisy which with 5 kids is an issue. A more functional design without the open space would use the square feet more efficiently.

Lots of things don't say "tight budget" with this plan. 4 car garage. Double height foyer. Dedicated guest suite. And 5536 square feet is a very large house.

"You'd be way ahead just to do your own mobile home park. Zero resale for that as well."

To the original poster -- For those of us with a bunch of kiddos and multi-generational needs, Verbo's option should at least be given a little consideration. :-) With 2 acres, depending on the shape of the lot, you should have sufficient space for multiple manufactured homes (maybe arranged around a central courtyard, or a mini-cul-de-sac...).

I wouldn't necessarily say zero resale, since an intimate, cozy park with only 4-8 units might not be a bad thing for a future investor/family. HOAs might be a hurdle, though.

If manufactured housing isn't going to work for you, the same smaller-houses-sharing-a-courtyard/gardens concept can still be applied.

You lost me when you said there would be a crawl space, slab on grade and basement in the same house. Ditch the DIY design approach.