Few things are more important than your floor plan when you are preparing to custom build your next home. The right floor plan design makes all the difference to you and your family. Think about the following when making decisions about your future home:

1. Style 

Consider the exterior style of the custom home you’ll be building. Perhaps you prefer the coziness of a cottage-style house or the classic elegance of French country design. Maybe you’ve always dreamed of a rustic log cabin or you simply want a well-crafted bungalow to spend your retirement in. Research the different options available and narrow it down to a few that are the most appealing to you.

2. Stories 

Many factors go into choosing how many floors your home will have. Generally, one-story houses have fewer rooms, so if you need numerous bedrooms or a lot of space, a single-story home may not be the right choice for you.

Some people prefer to have one story so that they can avoid stairs, which can become problematic as people age. Others would rather have additional stories to accommodate the needs of a large family. Multiple stories also have the added benefit of views you might not get in a one-story home.

3. Bedrooms/Bathrooms 

How many bedrooms you need depends on how many people intend to stay in the home on a regular basis and if each of those people need their own room. A good rule of thumb is to count the number of rooms needed for each person to have their own, aside from couples, and then add an extra room for guests.

Likewise, the number of bathrooms will most likely be dependent on how many people will be inhabiting the house. Most two-story homes, though, should have at least one full and one-half bath so that there is easy access on each floor.

4. Must-Haves

If you’ve fantasized about having a butler pantry, home gym, theatre room or space for a workshop, now is the time to add it to your must-have list. Whether it is space for a built-in closet cubbies or a home bar, make sure to let your builder know what you can’t live without.

5. Square Footage 

How many stories you want plays into square footage, as does the number of bedrooms and bathrooms desired. If you’d like a lot of space but not the stairs that come with it, you need to have a large plot of land to build on on as all that square footage needs to be concentrated on one floor. If you would like a lot of space but anticipate only being able to purchase a small piece of land, you may want to consider multiple stories.

6. Lifestyle 

Once you’ve gotten the basics of your needs squared away, it’s time to make more nuanced decisions about your floor plan design. Consider how you will use your home for daily activities and room proximity for convenient living.

If you love to entertain, you need to have the space to accommodate gatherings. This means at least one large room in which you can host parties and ideally a bathroom or half-bath easily accessed from that room.

Large families may want an open floor plan that allows parents to keep an eye on children as they cook in the kitchen or work on other tasks. Open-concept floor plans also help to make smaller floor plans feel more spacious, maximizing the area you have.

If you work from home, you may want to add a professional home office with ample storage, sound proofing, and outlets to create a comfortable and functional space for maximum productivity.

Also consider your need for special accessibility in any areas of your home. If an elderly or disabled family member may come to live with you in the future, it’s a great idea to plan ahead when building your home so that when the time comes, you are already prepared to accommodate their needs.

7. Budget 

All decisions you make for your future build are dependent upon your budget. Make sure to discuss ahead of time with your builder what your options are with the budget you have at your disposal and speak to a mortgage lender to get prequalified to better understand what you can afford.

If you are looking for a trusted mortgage lender that can help take the stress out of the finance process, look no further than our in-house Wausau Homes Finance Team that is dedicated to providing convenient and easy to understand mortgage options.

8. Lot Restrictions

When you build from the ground up, it’s important to know as much as you can about your lot. That’s why a lot visit is an integral part of our Wausau Homes building process for both you and your builder. During the lot visit, your builder will discuss practical details such as desired home placement and orientation, staking out your lot, tree removal, water drainage, and more. 

Prior to your lot visit, we also recommend looking into any deed restrictions that can limit certain things you can do on your land, such as blocking a view or tearing down trees. This could limit things like porches, paint color or the square footage. Some homeowner’s associations even have it written into the deed that they must first see and approve any building plans ahead of time before building can commence. Make sure you are aware of any lot restrictions before you begin building, so you do not run into delays due to permits or other restrictions.

Build Your Dream Home

At Wausau Homes we don’t build one size fits all homes. Our expert builders pride themselves on designing one-of-a-kind, superior quality custom homes to fit each homebuyers’ specific needs. So, when you are working with your local Wausau Homes Builder, make sure to make choices that can honor both your present needs and your future desires. Whatever you are looking for, Wausau Homes will be happy to help you turn your dream home into a reality.