Can Your Dream Home Fit In Your Daily Budget?Ten Tips for Choosing a Truly Affordable House Plan

When you're preparing to build a house, you can choose the plan of your dreams. But can you tell if it's truly affordable?

We've detailed 10 features to look for in an affordable house plan, along with some advice for going REALLY low-budget. You don't need to find all 10 features in your dream plan: Decide what's important to you, and spend your money there. Just keep in mind that the more affordable features you look for, the more likely the plan will fit in your budget.

Here’s what to look for in an affordable house plan:

On the Outside

1. Low square-footage - less than 1,500: If a plan is less than 1500 square feet, it will cost significantly less to build than a larger home. That's because builders assign a per-square-foot cost that goes up as the plan becomes more complex, which larger plans tend to do.

2. Small footprint on the lot: If your budget is tight, chances are your lot size is too. House plans with a small "footprint" - the perimeter measurement of the house's foundation in relation to the land - can fit on a modest lot, while also meeting local building codes for clearance on all sides. Also, a small, self-contained footprint can be situated to fit the lot as needed for example, on a narrow, rectangular lot where the short side faces the street.

3. Building up, not out: A two-story home with three bedrooms on the second floor costs less to build than a spread-out single-level with all living and bedrooms on one floor. You can build an attractive Cape Cod, for example, with one-and-a-half stories (the second floor has sloped ceilings to accommodate the roofline), one bedroom/bath downstairs, and the other two bedrooms and second bath upstairs. If you're looking for a little more square-footage, you can choose a full two-story Colonial with 800 square feet on the first floor, 800 on the second. Either way, you'll spend less than you would on a sprawling French Provincial.

A note: Yes, the one-and-a-half story "expansion" plan costs less to build than the full two-story. It's called "expansion" because you can decide to finish the upstairs at a later time. If you're looking for a starter home, the expansion plan lets you "start" with one bedroom and full bath on the first floor.

4. Simple, not complex, rooflines: Interesting rooflines add curb appeal, but simpler ones cost less to build. However, don't sacrifice an eye-catching exterior - you can perk up a simple slope with a dormer, adding character to the outside, light and charm to the room inside. (A dormer is a window set vertically into a small gable projecting from a sloping roof.)

5. Porches, garages and bonus rooms: Porches and a garage are not costly features in a house plan, because they don't count as "finished" spaces, nor do they require heat. But they can add terrific curb appeal (a side-facing garage, for example, can balance a bedroom wing) and, of course, superb functionality (imagine dining al fresco on your lovely covered porch).

Bonus rooms, often built over a garage, can take advantage of a higher roof pitch, which allows for living space and adds aesthetic value. To give the bonus room even more space and light, you can consider adding a dormer. You can decide to finish a bonus room immediately, or at a later time, depending on budget and living requirements.

On the Inside

6. Controlled hall space: Halls are useful for directing traffic, but pull space from living areas. Choose a plan that keeps hall space to a minimum, but creatively uses other features, such a segregated bedroom wing, a wall of closets to buffer a bedroom from noise, or extra doors that easily lead you to other parts of the house.

7. Consolidated plumbing: A single plumbing core can cut costs dramatically. Look for a plan that backs a bathroom against a kitchen wall, consolidating the plumbing configuration, or, in a two-story, for bathrooms stacked above and below, sharing pipes.

8. One fireplace: Fireplaces are charming - and expensive to install. Affordable plans have one, usually in the living room or family recreation area.

9. Simpler fixture: Built-in fixtures - bookcases, an entertainment center, kitchen cabinets and counters, a computer desk, pantry and linen closet shelving - can save living space, especially important in a more modest home. Just keep them simple, to avoid expensive carpentry. And if an island counter in the kitchen is important to you, cut out elaborate built-ins elsewhere.

10. No basement: A slab foundation is much less costly than a full basement. However, you do give up valuable work space and storage. If you choose a no-basement plan, opt instead for eave storage and a two-car garage, plus an extra utility closet or garage storage alcove for your water heater, furnace and washer/dryer. (Eave storage refers to the space directly under the lower slope of the roofline, which provides low-ceiling storage space.)

If You REALLY Need to Control Costs

Consider building a garage plan first. A two-story garage gives you storage and utility space on the first floor, and room for comfortable living quarters on the second. Many garage plans these days come with very attractive exteriors, and can be built quickly and economically.

In Conclusion

Now you realize that making your dream home a reality does not always have to break the bank. With some careful planning you can accomplish a lot of house for not-so a lot of money.

Archway Press House Plans has been selling affordable, single-family home plans and garage plans since 1946. Richard Campen, president, has more than 30 years experience working with customers, builders and architects to develop plans that meet the varied needs of Americans at different times in their lives. His commitment is to helping people realize their dream home in the most affordable way.