Did you know that last year nearly one million single-family homes were constructed? While most of these homes were made by housing companies, a small percentage were custom-built luxury homes. If you love the idea of a luxury home, you may think it has to be a multi-level, towering structure. This doesn’t have to be the case! Luxury single story homes require proper planning and contractors, as well as specialist home designers like MJS Designers Group.
Just because your home is one story doesn’t mean it can’t be luxurious. So, keep reading to find out how to achieve your dream home.
Craft a Budget
Before you even get started looking, the first thing you need to do is set down a rough budget. We say roughly because, at this point, you’re only going to be dealing with estimates.
The price of a lot might indeed be set in stone, but the specific costs associated with construction and furnishing are on a sliding scale.
According to the National Association of Homebuilders, the average construction cost for a new home is roughly $114 per square foot. Remember, that’s just an estimate.
Things can quickly get more expensive. This is especially true if you’re creating a luxury single story home. These types of homes tend to require materials, lights, and specialty rooms that make them much more costly than the average home.
So, lay out in detail how much money you’re willing to spend on the home.
If you need to stick to a strict budget, then give yourself plenty of wiggle room. Things will almost always turn out more expensive than you initially planned.
Find the Perfect Location
Now that you know how much money you’re working with, you can start to look around for a location. Make sure you consider every aspect of the lot before you decide on one.
The most obvious and important consideration is size. This is especially true when building a single-story home. With these types of homes, you won’t have the luxury of an upstairs or basement to add some more square footage.
That means you need to maximize all of the space found on the first floor. And, to do this properly you will need a location with a lot of land to spread out. That being said, you should also look at factors like:
- The cost
- Proximity to neighbors
- Any slopes around the property
- Where the sun will rise and set
- Any natural surroundings (things like woods, water, or swamps)
- Access to electricity, water, and other resources
- The style of the surrounding homes
If you’re worried you won’t know what to look for, then consider bringing along a professional. Helping you find the perfect location for your custom home is just one of the things a designer can help you with.
Gather Your Team
We’ve mentioned the importance of having a designer in these early stages. You will need an entire team of contractors to complete your house, but choosing the right designer is vitally important. At MJS Designers Group, we have a team of Preferred Builders that we know will build quality homes for our clients. We also are available for any questions you or your contractor may have throughout the building process.
So, who will you need?
For starters, a designer or architect to make your vision into a concrete plan. Make sure to look for designers that have worked with the same types of houses that you want. At MJS Designers Group, we specialize in all period styles of design!
What Rooms and Amenities Do You Want?
Now it’s time to consider the different rooms that you want in your luxury home, as well as their corresponding sizes. All luxury homes will include things like bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.
However, don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Fun, unique rooms are what separates ordinary homes from luxury ones. Here are some rooms you might want to consider adding to your single-story home:
- Large dining room
- Morning room
- Walk-in pantries
- Butler pantries
- Sunroom
- Game room
- Dressing room
- Music room
- Personal gym
- Conservatory
- Home theater
- Library
- Office
- Pools
- Hot tubs
- Basketball courts
Once you decide on the rooms and their sizes, you can move on to the different structural features that will come with each room.
This includes things like the number of closets you’ll have in the bedroom, whether or not you’ll have a kitchen island, and what type of patio you’ll include in the backyard.
Make sure to check out our guide on the twelve home features that you should consider including in a luxury design.
Work with your designer and contractor to decide what type of material will be used in the floors, counters, and walls for each room.
The cost of materials will greatly impact your final price. So, make sure you choose them carefully if you’re on a budget.
Don’t Forget About Function
Have you ever been in a luxury home that feels empty and cold? This can happen when home builders emphasize form over function.
Just because you have a large, luxury home doesn’t mean that it can’t feel warm and inviting. So, make sure you create spaces that your friends and family want to hang out in.
You can do this by thinking about practical things that will keep people in the room. Warm lighting, fireplaces, and built-in entertainment centers are all some great options.
If you love to cook, then include kitchen features that you’ll find helpful. The same goes for your master bathroom. Love a bath? Make sure you prioritize space for a large tub. Remember that you’ll be living in this space. So, you want to make sure that you don’t sacrifice comfort for the sake of “luxury”
Keep Resale in Mind
There’s a reason why eight out of ten Americans believe that buying a house is a great long-term investment. If you need to sell, your home will always be there as an asset that you can liquidate.
However, in some cases selling your custom home might not even be on your mind. If you plan on settling down in your luxury home forever, then resale may not be your biggest concern.
If you think you’ll end up in a different state or city, then you should consider what potential buyers might think. For example, you might love the idea of connecting a man cave to the master bedroom…unfortunately, buyers that want their whole family to have access to that space might not appreciate it.
You may also want to consider picking flooring and wall materials that buyers love.
Maximize Space
Typically, luxury homes have multiple stories for storage. This can include things like a basement, or just extra closets found on the second story. If you’re building single story homes, then you won’t have this option.
So, you will need to make sure that you maximize your storage space. This is especially true if you have a lot of stuff that you keep in long-term storage.
The easy solution is to design a lot of closet spaces in your home. However, you should also consider taking advantage of attic storage. Just make sure you have easy access to it.
And, if you want to store valuable things in the attic, then make sure that it is temperature controlled. Otherwise, things like old furniture and clothing can become damaged.
Alternatively, you can also use a separate storage facility. This is a good solution if you don’t want to design extra storage for your single-story home.
Need Help Designing Luxury Single Story Homes? Contact MJSDG
We hope this article helped you consider some important factors if you’re thinking of building a luxury single story home. As you can see, the most important part of this process is finding professionals that you can trust.
That means a design company that can help you translate your vision into a working blueprint that builders can go off of. So, how do you find a good one?
If you live in the Orlando area, then look no further than MJS Designers Group.
We have over two decades of experience in the custom home design business. So, if you’re ready for the quality that your luxury home deserves, then contact us today to discover what we can design for you!