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susan_i59

Building a small house

last month

Building a small house for me so daughter and family can move into the big house. Would like some design ideas for the tudor look on the outside. It will be a one story home around 1350 sq. ft. 2 bdr, 2bth with office.

Comments (21)

  • last month

    Talk to a local architect about designing an appropriate ADU or guest house for your specific/unique property.

    Find out what your local zoning laws are before you talk to the architect. Some areas are very restrictive with ADUs and some areas aren't.

    Get a survey of your property with all easements, structures, trees, setbacks, etc clearly marked. Your architect will need this.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    ^^^^^ in addition to what chispa has included in her comments, you should start looking for inspiration photos to provide to your architect.


    There are many websites where you can put in the details of what you are looking for in order to find some plans that may give you an idea of what you'd like to have. The websites also allow you to add the width and depth for the house + whether you want/need a single or double garage.

    This first one would need to have extra sf added in order to have a 2 bd/2ba single story house with an office.





    This one is a bit larger than what you're looking at building - but it could be adjusted - you could use it as an inspiration photo for how you'd like the outside to look (if you like it).


    You really need to just look around at sites that have plans + houses that are for sale that have an exterior that you like + are around the same size as what you'd like to build. You can then bring your inspiration ideas to an architect to have a house drawn especially to fit your needs/wants.

    No one on this site will be able to come up with the perfect house and perfect layout for you - you have to spend the time looking for inspiration houses/house plans.

  • last month

    I can't imagine a single story tudor. I thought the signature of a tudor is a pitched second story roof.

  • last month

    ^^^I agree - it was difficult to find the few plans of a tudor style home with only one story that I posted in my comment.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    We’ve always lived in old homes and are just now building a new lake cottage (never ever wanted to build a house but here we are 😅) best thing we did early on was get realistic building costs (per sq foot) for the area so we understood the budget ramifications for the size home we wanted, once we came to grips with that, we found the architect for design, then builder.

    Depending on constructions costs a 1350 home could cost $337k ($250/sq foot which is on the low end) or $540k ($400/sq foot) which is midlevel in our area.. to upwards $500/sq foot and beyond. The costs surprised me given we are building in a smaller midwest community - but it helped us be realistic about our wants/needs early on so we were really focused when we met with the architect

    Eta: love this author and all her books - lots of ideas for how to live graciously in a small space



  • last month

    Thanks for the book recommendation la_la girl, my library has this book.

  • PRO
    last month

    Chispa is correct you need to see what you can do before any plans can be made . I dislike Tudor wannabes so explain why that style too. Get an architect please , small homes demand real planning to make them function well I have just moved into a 1200 sq ft home from a 3200 sq ft home and this one is so well designed it functions for us as well as the big one did.

  • PRO
    last month

    A few ideas for style...


  • last month
    last modified: last month

    These shrunked Tudors remind me of the Hansel and Gretel house at Storybook Forest playland where I went as a child. Some styles do not lend themselves to being shrunken down in size.


    Is this smaller home going on the same land as a tudor home and is that why you want this particular look?

  • PRO
    last month

    1300 sf is not a small house. It is too large to meet most regulations for ADU’s. IF your location allows larger secondary living structures, then there are plenty of existing plans for post war bungalows that can be adapted to todays living. Back then, everyone thought of that as a regular sized house. Heck, even a kids playhouse, or a summer house, can fit as an ADU accessory structure.


    First, find out your actual size limit for an ADU.

  • PRO
    last month

    What a lovely vision! A compact, one-story Tudor-inspired home with 2 beds, 2 baths and an office is totally doable with the right design approach. First things first: start with site and regulation checks, zone rules, setbacks, allowable accessory dwelling unit (ADU) sizes, and all the utility/servicing constraints.


    Next, instead of hunting for a “perfect plan” off a shelf, I’d partner with an architect who can design for your specific site, lifestyle, and constraints.


    On the exterior style: you’re right to be cautious about the typical Tudor look on a single story, many in the thread agreed it’s hard to pull off the signature steep roof and half-timbering in a one-level home. But you can lean into Tudor cues in your detailing (window trim, gables, brick or stone accents, decorative timbering) without forcing full imitation.


    Last but crucial: get realistic cost estimates per square foot early, before settling on your layout or finishes. One commenter admitted how surprised they were by construction costs even for a “small” home, and how that clarity helped them set priorities.

  • PRO
    last month

    A single floor "Tudor" is going to look odd. Really odd. Better to have the secondary caregiver's bed and bath tucked away on a top floor, to give the home some dimension and height, with the first floor being the fully accessible design. That starts with the lot, and the placement of the current home, as well as the zoning regulations and setbacks. None of that is known. It all needs to be know, as well as 700 other factors. That's the beginning of designing this.

  • PRO
    last month
    last modified: last month

    Please get an architect to the site? A good home is a marriage of site, inside layout, exterior elevation. Also the wish list you create and deem suited to how you live.

    This is not a question for a crowd source event for an imaginary site, an imaginary home from which you will move - let alone

    any new home to be built on what we imagine to be the same property.

    It's wind whistling : ) pouf...

  • last month

    It's often useful to look at designs and plans to start to get a sense of what that size house will look like, what rooms it might have, etc. Better to have a good idea before you meet with the architect.

  • last month


    This goes with the plan I posted above.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    Is the big house also Tudor? Are you going to be on the same property?

    If so, think about caretaker style or carriage house style. A new space that complements the big house without looking like a playhouse version of it.

    And, as mentioned above, definitely do research about your local ordinances before you get too deep in the process.

  • PRO
    last month

    You've been given some good suggestions here. They should provide a good starting point for you. There should be companies with construction document sets for sale that might have a small size Tudor. Of course, if you want a custom house I would contact a local architect.

  • PRO
    last month

    When you meet with the local architect make sure you convey to them what you feel makes a "tudor look". Some designers may think "tudor" means you want a front door and back door.



    (raise your hand if you did not get that last sentence)