The secrets to a home build – Part 1
The Planning and Layout: Designing Your Dream Home in Southwest Manitoba
Are you looking to update your current home or planning for a new build? Sometimes the hardest part is getting started, making a plan, and knowing what needs to happen next. As a designer based out of Southwest Manitoba, I understand the challenges of finding the right professionals for your project. Here’s a guide to help you kickstart your journey towards creating your dream space.
Determine Your Building Location
First things first: where are you building? Do you have an acreage, a plot in town, or is it at the lake? Knowing your location is crucial as it will influence many aspects of your design and planning process.
Consider Your Lot Size
Understanding your lot size is essential, whether you’re planning an addition, building a new home, or constructing a cottage. You’ll need to check with your municipality to understand the regulations regarding how close to property lines you can build, plant trees, or even construct a lane.
Visualize Your Living Space
When dreaming of your new living space, consider these key factors:
- Lane and Visibility: Where is your lane? Do you want to be able to see who is coming into your yard from your kitchen sink? Perhaps you want to see the bus arriving to drop off your kids from your office.
- Views and Placement: Do you have a view of the town baseball and recreational fields? Do you want to see the diamonds from your sunroom? Think about where you place rooms like powder rooms or large fireplaces so they don’t obstruct your ideal view. You may want specific rooms south facing as you love to soak in the sun. Will your home have a basement, or a second story? What do you need in a garage?
- Bedrooms and Future Planning: How many bedrooms will you have? Will there be a main floor primary suite? Consider how long you plan to stay in this home. Think about living in place and accessibility as you get older. Will you have lots of family staying over? You might need a bunk room for all the grandkids and sleepover fun.
Create a Rough Layout and Research
Once you have some ideas for your home or cottage layout, you can make a rough drawing of what direction you’d like your home to face, and compile your list of dream home wishes. From here, you can look online at home plans to find one you like or for inspiration. If you go with a ready-drawn plan, adding tweaks and customization is a necessity for it to truly meet your functional and lifestyle needs. Finally, line up with an engineer and draftsman or talk to your bubbly, neighbourhood designer (that’s me!) to walk you through the next steps of planning for your new home build.
A helpful list of spaces to consider their size, location and your needs within:
- Mud room
- Entry
- Kitchen
- Pantry
- Dining Room
- Living Room
- Powder Room
- Laundry Room
- Primary Suite
- Children’s Bedroom
- Guest Room
- Clothing Closet
- Broom Closet
- Family Room
- Sunroom
- Home Theatre
- Home Gym
- Full Washroom
- Garage
- Utility Room
- Water System
- Holiday Storage
Starting a new build or updating your home can be overwhelming, but with the right planning and a clear vision, you can create a space that perfectly fits your needs and lifestyle. If you need help with any step of the process, don’t hesitate to reach out. Happy designing!
