What Makes a House Plan Affordable?

In this blog post, our expert technicians discuss the factors that are essential to prepare affordable house plans.

There are many particulars that have to be considered while designing house plans. Square footage may seem like the biggest factor in the cost to build for the average consumer but that is not necessarily the case. Sometimes, the design of a small but complex structure can be expensive while the design of large but simple one may have a more attractive price tag.

You can make your house plan more efficient by making simple design changes. For example, plumbing isn’t cheap but grouping it together can help you save on installation costs. Having the hall bath and the master bath back-to-back across a shared wall will help consolidate the pipes and water lines.

Considering multiple house plan layouts can help you address various needs under your budget.

Energy efficiency is very essential while preparing your house plan. All new homes in Canada are now required to follow 9.36 of the National Building code to meet minimum standards. New Houses are constructed using minimum 2x6 exterior walls which have been optimized to offer much better insulation and air barrier effects than the 2x4 walls used prior to the 1970’s. Windows, furnaces, and foundation insulation also contribute to efficiency which in turn saves you money. Your builder/designer can advise you on how to orient the house to facilitate passive solar heat gain in winter while blocking the harsh sun from heating the interior using reflective window glazing.

Even with an affordable house plan, you can go over budget by selecting expensive products. This doesn’t mean that you have to skimp on what’s important. Ensure you are realistic about what you actually need and the price of quality finishes.

Maintain an account of everything from windows to doors, roofing, flooring, fixtures, appliances and decorative elements. Durability should also be prioritized to minimize maintenance. Do not trade quality for price point. Remember anything you can see in a finished house is changeable (flooring, paint, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, etc) but everything that is not visible will be expensive or impossible to change later.

Classic Residential Design Inc provides services that surpass expectations by providing excellent design and high-quality technical drawings backed up by continued support for successful execution of the project. You can look into our portfolio to know more about our work.

Read our blog post - What You Need to Know About Designing Your First Home - for knowledge on designing your first home.

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