5.5- that’s the number of homes the average Canadian will own and live in during their lifetime. That’s five moves, five mortgages, and a lot of money lost in commission, fees, and tax. Factor in climbing housing prices and limited inventory and it’s not hard to see why more families are shifting focus from finding the perfect-for-right-now home to building their forever homes.
Upgrading your home as you build up equity may seem like a smart move, and it is certainly wiser than overreaching for a home that’s out of budget. However, each time you pack up and move on, you throw money away on realtor commission, notary and banking fees, and land transfer tax. On a million-dollar sale and subsequent purchase, these fees can easily top $50,000 each time you move. Across five moves, you could be looking at over $250,000.
Custom house builders can provide buyers with a better and more sustainable solution. When envisioning their perfect home, most buyers consider their short-term needs, whether this is more space, a better layout, or newer shinier finishes. The problem is that your needs and wants will change over time, and if the pandemic has taught us anything, so will how you use your home.
Working with custom house builders can help you plan not only for right now but also for the future, whether it’s adding more kids to your household, making room for parents, or eventually aging in one place. Building a custom home allows you to maximize today’s function and provides flexibility and security for tomorrow.
Custom House Builders and Future Proofing Your Home
Designing and building a home might sound overwhelming, but it is entirely possible when you partner with the right builder. Kitchens and bathrooms can always be updated but getting the framework right matters the most. Here are a few ways custom house builders help build you your forever home.
Energy Efficiency
Sustainability is a growing trend in residential buildings and that includes not only the use of environmentally friendly materials but thinking about ways to improve the efficiency of your home. From the foundation to insulation, siding, heating systems, windows, and everything in between, your custom builders can help ensure your home is built for maximum energy efficiency.
Mult-Function Rooms
The way you utilize the rooms in your home is likely to change as you age. Bedrooms may one day become offices, crafting rooms, or home gyms meanwhile a basement suite may be able to provide mortgage assistance when you need it and become a residence for aging parents later. Factoring those future needs into how rooms are designed today can allow flexibility in utilizing these spaces for maximum functionality for tomorrow.
Doors, Floors, Hallways, and Staircases
Mobility may not be an issue when you’re young but it could become one as you grow older or have elderly parents come and stay. Incorporating larger hallways and wider doors may do nothing much to affect the aesthetics of your home as you’re using it now, but will provide built-in flexibility should you ever need to make room for a wheelchair or other mobility assistance devices.
Main Floor Washroom
Having a main floor washroom on multi-level homes is a must for most families but becomes even more critical when planning for a forever home. If stairs become challenging, you’ll be grateful not to have to climb up and down them several times a day.
Wet Room
A wet room is a washroom entirely constructed with materials designed to get wet and they often include free-standing tubs and curbless showers. Not only do wet rooms provide seamless accessibility for when you may need them, but they are also easy to clean, make rooms feel bigger, and are very much on-trend.
