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OptimalDesigns
Joined: 30 Mar 2009
Posts: 1
Location: Medford, Oregon
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 Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 4:32 pm Post subject: Lot size? |
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I'm thinking of building a home. Where does one start the process?
My requirements: 2+ bedrooms, 2.5 bath, 1 office, 1 porch w/hammock, & large living room.
Things we would like to include: 1 wood shop, kitchen island, porch looking south (for great sunshine thru-out each day), running water in creek or fountain, 1+ ever-green trees, low maintenance front yard, vegetable & fruit patch in back or side yard, 1 bay window, solar panels, etc. Plus, go green.
How much land/lot would be required for such a home?
If my home is XX sqft, what size lot would be required?
Thanks,
Phil |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 832
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:42 am Post subject: |
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Welcome to the Forum - Hope we can give you some direction.
You have a good start with your program..... that's everything you want to include in the house. But now you need to begin to define things. Such as.... how big do the bedrooms need to be.... what furniture are you putting in them. King size beds, one dresser, a sitting area? This will begin to inform you as to the size of each room. You could start by drawing your different rooms or spaces on graph paper to assist you. So at some point you can say, I need a Master Bedroom that will contain these furnishings and the space needs to be approximately 12 x 15 or 180 SF.
You'll go this exercise for each space until you have a list of room with associated sizes/areas, then you can add them up - add 25-40% for structure and circulation (depending if you plan on have an open plan and so on). At this point you be able to know that your new house should be in a range of say.... 2,200 to 2,500 SF.
This will then allow you to start looking for property. The realtor or developers should be able to advice you if the property is large enough for your proposed house.
You should also start reading about house design. I typically direct my clients to read Sarah Susanka's Not So Big House
All of this should get you started. |
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justellus
Joined: 22 Jan 2009
Posts: 203
Location: World Wide
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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If your house is one floor, it is good to think of the house using maybe at the most 40 -50% of the lot at the most. If it is two floors, it is suggested that the total built area of the ground floor should still be at a maximum of 50% of the lot. The more land remaining, the better for gardens, back yard. So whether it is one or two stories, it is good to think of the house using 40% of the lot, as you will have 60% still left. Include in your total house size the recommended 25 to 40% extra for structure and circulation. If your house is efficiently designed on the inside, you can set aside less area to circulation. Do-it-yourself home design is not recommended, so it be best to contract a actual house design when you are ready. Since you are in the planning stage, this should get you started looking for the right size lot, once you know how many square feet your house will be. It sounds like your house will be about 1500 sf at least (possibly plus garage). So figure maybe 1800 sf? (Could be a little larger also, depending on your budget). The lot then could be 3500 sf to 4500 sf or about 40 x 80 or maybe 50 x 90 ft deep, for example. This is just a suggestion. Lot sizes vary in size. About the cost to build, it varies per region. It is possible to calculate average cost for your area based on building statistics. A builder or building professional can help in this, or an architect. Costs vary and typically can run at $84 to $90 per square foot, depending. (Or even more for high end custom homes).
According to the opinion of some, manufactured homes are an option for those seeking ultimate economy:
| Quote: | Manufactured Homes Start Getting Attractive Now
Joseph Moore's American dream was pulled by a tractor-trailer to his 1 1/2-acre tract in rural Richmond County.
The 31-year-old father of three bought the manufactured home -- what some people refer to as a "mobile home" or "trailer" -- four months ago rather than hire a contractor to build a home from scratch.
As with many people who choose factory-built housing, Mr. Moore was motivated by price. The land and the 1,800-square-foot house he picked from a south Augusta dealership cost him about $65,000, 2 1/2 times less than what he estimates it would have cost to build a comparable home.
"Why build at 84 to 90 dollars a square foot when I can get the same thing for 35 to 40 dollars a square foot?" said Mr. Moore, an employee at the Augusta Newsprint paper mill. |
http://www.buyincomeproperties.com/vbforums/5284-1-post.html
It is best to have a professional assist you along the way, to make sure you comply with codes and get the house you need to meet your needs, regardless of the type of home you build.
JT, Architect, Designer |
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nanrehvasconez
Joined: 25 Feb 2008
Posts: 329
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:57 am Post subject: |
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I'm thinking of building a home. Where does one start the process?
My requirements: 2+ bedrooms, 2.5 bath, 1 office, 1 porch w/hammock, & large living room.
The selection of the land for your dream house should be determined in the kind of neighborhood you want to call home.
A very small urban lot (+/- 5000 SF) will be great if you want to live near downtown, public transportation, the convenience of shops, markets, movie houses, etc.
You may have to build a multi story home, 2 or 3 stories high to have all the amenities you listed. This location will have all the public utilities you need, such as water, gas, electricity and sewer services.
If you prefer country living, the land nees to be a much larger parcel (+/- 10000 SF) assuming that water and electric public services are readily available, to build a one story home.
Oregon and Washington states are GREEN states requiring on-site private sewer system with septic tanks, primary and reserve drainage areas).
Oregon and Washington require rainwater from the roof and
non-permeable areas retained within the property in infiltration pits. |
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mod
Joined: 24 Mar 2009
Posts: 3
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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Phil,
You are getting some good information here, as generalizations. Your best course of action would be to work with a designer, so that your requirements for the home can be successfully configured with the lot and your budget. That said, it is helpful to gather as much information as possible. Maybe look at architect's/designer's websites or stock home plan sites to get a general idea of size for your requirements.
Regarding lot selection, concentrate on the area you want to live in-within your budget. If you already have a relationship with a designer you can ask for advice about each of the lots you find. You and/or the designer can do a zoning code search and feasability study at that time to insure a home with your requirements can be designed for that lot.
Furthermore, look for a lot with good solar access. A lot that will allow a rectagular house shape with it's long dimension oriented east-west is best. This will allow a long south facing wall (and roof plane) for optimal solar gain. Also no tall obstructions to the south to block the sun.
I would be happy to explain any of these concepts further or provide additional information regarding shaping your house style and design, green building systems, or Oregon code requirements for you, or be your consulting designer. Drop me an email.
m.o.design@comcast.net
I am specifically a residential designer designing modern, contemporary, or traditional homes-and always focused on sustainability-located in Portland, OR
my website (it is still under construction): www.modabydesign.net
Previous firm I designed for (shows some of the more traditional work I was involved in, that's not shown on my website): www.mascordefficientliving.com
Cheers!
Matthew O. Daby |
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