Which should come first -- Your Land or Your Home Design?

Most people start thinking about building a new home long before they find land to build on. While you’re meeting with realtors to find that perfect piece of property, it’s hard not to start dreaming about the design of your home.

There are many design elements you should start to consider – and yet, there are some aspects of the home design that will depend on the characteristics of your property.

Some design elements you can [and should] consider before purchasing your land are:

• The number of bedrooms and bathrooms you will need;


• Any specialty rooms (craft room, library, workshop, etc.);


• Large storage space requirements;


• Specific design details, such as an end wall stone fireplace, winding staircase, etc.);


• How you would like your rooms to feel (think about room’s purpose, colors, light).

Design elements that will depend on the property:

• Walkout basement: a sloping lot can allow for a walk-out basement, providing more usable square footage for recreation areas or additional guest bedrooms;


• Exact size and height of the home: site or local restrictions may limit the size, height, or even the placement of the home on your property;


• Type of foundation: the type of foundation system you choose may be dependent upon local or state codes, the lot size, slope, and soil type.

Once you have your land, it’s time to put your ideas together with these Home Design tools.