Design Strategies for a Cost Effective Home
Good design is more than just how a home looks or accommodates the needs of its dwellers-it's the most powerful tool for controlling construction costs. Thoughtful design decisions made early in a project can significantly reduce both upfront building expenses and long-term operating costs. Here’s how smart design strategies help keep a new home on budget:
Right Sized Design
Despite shrinking households, the average new home in the US continues to grow larger. But designing a smaller, more efficient floor plan is the most effective way to reduce costs. Do you really need a large foyer, separate dining room, or a formal living room separate from the main living area, or are those in the category of "nice to have"? A well-designed smaller home can accommodate the functional, emotional, and aspirational needs better than a larger home designed without concern for how it will actually be used.
Simplified Design
Simple designs with fewer corners, bumpouts, and complex roof forms are another way to realize cost savings. Likewise, simplifying the exterior and interior details will save on costs. In a home designed with a modern aesthetic, simplified, minimal details can not only save money but complement the home's design concept.
Reduce Concrete Foundation
Recent experience has shown that the volume of the concrete basement or crawlspace can have a huge impact on cost. One strategy to address this would be to incorporate a second story that covers the full footprint of the first story. This saves on foundation costs while maximizing floor area, with reduced roof area as a bonus. Additionally, building on a flatter portion of a site versus a sloped portion will generally reduce the heights of concrete foundation walls and therefore reduce costs.
Cost Effective Energy Savings
With Washington State recently adopting one of the strictest energy codes in the country, it's important to think about cost-effective ways to meet code requirements while also saving on long-term costs. In recent experience this has been accomplished using air-to-air heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and waste water heat exchangers in order to meet the code-required number of credits for energy savings measures.
Additionally, consider using the "Total UA Alternative, Whole Building Trade Off Analyis" instead of the more commonly used Prescriptive Path method of demonstrating energy efficiency requiremnts. This is a spreadsheet-based tool that allows you to calculate the accumulated performance of walls, windows, ceilings, and so on. One benefit of this is that you may be able to meet the code without the considerable cost of exterior continous insulation that is required by the Prescriptive Path, potentially a 5-figure savings.
Design for Future Upgrades
Another powerful way to reduce initial costs is to defer "nice to have" elements to a later phase. This could include having iniitally unfinished attic spaces to be completed later, carpeted rooms to be upgraded to hardwood, and reserving space for later casework and built-ins.
Conclusion
Good design is not about cutting corners- it’s about making intentional decisions that maximize value. An archtitect can help you determine priorties and save on costs while providing a beautiful, functional, and inspirational home.
