Small House Plans and Designs
Small house plans and designs are taking a front seat now days
to designing mansions and other large dwellings. Tough economic
conditions, a high unemployment rate and environmental concerns
alone dictate the need for conservation in all spheres of life.
A very significant step in this direction is the Small House Movement,
a drive to encourage people to build smaller homes to save resources
and the environment.
The philosophy behind the Small House Movement is that people
often do not realize the fact that they can live comfortably in
houses that are almost 1/2 the size of their current home.
Small house plans and designs are aimed at providing comfort
and ambience by making maximum use of the space available. The
Small House Movement gained popularity after the Hurricane Katrina
as many people found this option much more affordable.
A 500 square foot house or even less sounds cramped and unappealing.
However, innovative architects make sure that the small house
plans and designs are both as spacious and stylish as possible
to give the home an open look. Small house plans and designs are
crafted to utilize space properly and the material used for construction
is cheaper as the quantity is needed is less.
Small house plans and designs can help you lead a debt free and
mortgage free life as they are cost effective and one does not
need to borrow as much money. Mortgages are lower and can be paid
off more quickly with 15-year or 20-year loans common. A small
house of 500 square feet can be constructed at $30 - $60 per square
foot if simple material is used which means that the entire house
can cost as little as $15,000 - $30,000.
Small house plans and designs are created to make sure that your
style and comfort requirements do not have to be compromised.
There are many architectural firms in the market that are advertising
their innovative and chic small house plans and designs. The plans
for such small houses can be purchased for as low as $500, with
the instructions to help you do the construction.
Small houses also help reducing the electricity bills to a great
extent (as low as half the original amount) as both cooling and
heating such small areas do not require much energy. Small homes
conserve energy and are often insulated to make sure that the
temperature remains steady, thus reducing the need for artificial
conditioning.
Small houses also help you in being environment friendly as the
construction based on small house plans and designs requires minimum
use of material which translates into conservation of natural
resources and smaller carbon footprint. By living in a small house
you can not only lead a well balanced and economical life but
also help in reducing the stress on environment. Many people prefer
to use recycled material for construction of small houses and
designs which are also available.
Even if you have not considered moving into a smaller sized house
until now, it is not too late. Depending upon location, you can
build a small house for less than half of the amount for which
you sell your present house. You don't have to be elderly to downsize
your living quarters. It's a matter of preference and you have
control of your destiny when it comes to owning a small house.
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