When deciding what type of a house to build, one of the major decisions you'll have to wrestle with is how big your dream home should be. Like most people, you may want your house to be large and imposing. However, other factors will pull you in the opposite direction, nudging you to be more conservative. In this article, learn about the key factors you need to consider before making this most important decision.

How many people will be living in the house?

First, evaluate how big of a house you need, not want. This should be dictated by the property's use. That is, how many people will be living in the house? If middle-aged, you may have a full-time family staying with you. If you're young and without a family, then you will have to envision how large your future family will be. If retired, your kids may have moved out of the house and it's just you and your spouse. With those considerations in mind, evaluate how many bedrooms your house needs and how large the common spaces, e.g. living room and dining room should be.

What are the prevailing building costs?

Building costs are always going up due to increased labour costs and the rising costs of materials. So as much as you may not want to acknowledge it, building costs will affect how big of a house you can build. The key question here should be how big of a house can you afford to build. How much savings do you have, or how much financing can you secure? Have a quantity surveyor or a building consultant compile the total building costs and see if they match your financing.

How much outdoor space do you want?

The size of your house and the size of your outdoor space are inversely related. That is, increasing one tends to reduce the other. If you build a very big house, therefore, you might end up remaining with very little outdoor space. It's therefore important to evaluate how much garden and lawn space you would wish to have. If you have limited space and would like a big lawn or plenty of parking, therefore, you might want to consider builder smaller, or building upwards (storied house).

How much maintenance are you willing to put up with?

As any building consultant or big-home owner will tell you, large houses need more maintenance than smaller houses. For example, there are utility costs for items such as bulbs, curtains, carpets, etc. Then there are service costs for painting, cleaning, and repairs (structural, plumbing & electrical). Not to mention energy costs for cooling and heating the extra spaces. So, how much maintenance are you ready to take on?

Of course, your final decision will not be easy. However, after evaluating the above, you will make an informed decision no matter what size of house you build in the end. For assistance, talk to a building consultant.