Houses - How big is too big?

[mountainsoft]

Yesterday a house under construction about a 1/2 mile up the road from us burned down.

Fire destroys Livingston Mountain home under construction, threatens nearby properties

Camas-Washougal Post-Record

www.camaspostrecord.com

Another large home nearby burned down last year also.

Camas-area home destroyed by ‘fast moving’ fire

A home in a gated community north of Camas was destroyed last week by what fire officials said was “a fast moving fire” in an…

www.camaspostrecord.com

Obviously these are terrible situations for both owners, and any fire up here brings back worries from the Nakia Creek forest fire a few years ago.

However, I couldn't help but notice the size of these homes. This one was 12,000 square feet, and the one last year was 8840 square feet. While many homes in our area are 4000-5000 sq/ft or so, even those look small compared to the ones that burned down.

By comparison, our little home is under 1500 sq/ft and it feels massive to us compared to the 750 sq/ft homes we lived in previously. Which makes me wonder just what DO you do with that kind of space? For a family of three, our 1500 sq/ft house worked out to about 500 sq/ft per person. That 12,000 sq/ft house could accommodate 24 people using the same space ratio. That's a big family.

Indoor pool, spa, home gym, home theater, music room, massive closets, possibly a home business? I have no idea. I'm betting there are lots of hallways and other dead space that serves no real function. Every "street of dreams" home we toured always had wasted space like that.

Considering all the people who are homeless or even those just struggling to pay rent for a 1 bedroom apartment, I just don't understand the justification for a massive home like that. They take up large plots of land, cost a fortune to build, use up lots of lumber and other materials, and require a great deal of energy to heat and cool. Not to mention the furniture that would be needed to fill the house, and probably require hired help to clean and maintain a place like that.

Obviously it's their money to do what they want with, but to me it screams selfish excess. While 1500 sq/ft suits us perfectly, 2000 to 3000 sq/ft seems reasonable to me for an average family. How big is too big for you?

 

[Aerides]

I'm sure there are plenty of folks comfortable at a variety of home sizes. Many of those with larger homes might entertain or have a large family that visit regularly, or, the location is perfect and that's just how big they are there.

For example, a family I know that are quite well off due to a business that took off recently bought a large expensive home: 6k sf, 5 beds, 7 baths, but they wanted the location and deep water access for their boat. With 3 sons around HS/College age, the bedrooms are mostly in use. But the boat access means you are in a premium area, and the only sub-2k homes left there are originals that need a tear down, or are gonna get snapped up for one right away.

They can afford it, and they love it. And all that land and materials and furniture means money going into the economy, and yes it means that housekeepers and maintenance folks are employed.

For me I find our 1800sf to be the smallest I'd want for DH and I. I know I want a bit bigger for our next home, probably over 2500sf, but probably not more than 3k.

One man's wasted space is another's hobby/guest/netflix room.

 

[aja8888]

I have a 1,459 square foot home for me and my dog. It's too big. I should have bought one smaller. The largest home I have ever owned was 2,600 square feet for our family of four at that time.

 

[38Chevy454]

Those big houses probably have much larger rooms, every one of them: bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, family room, living room, dining room, office room, laundry room, etc. Usually at least one bathroom for each bedroom. Might have extras like a movie/entertainment room, maybe a gym room, or multiple living rooms.

As for me, I think think over 3000 sq ft is more than me and DW would use. Our current house is 2400, but 500 of that is a large enclosed back patio room. So the actual house part is more like 1900. But with a full basement that is partially finished as well. I would not want to clean and heat or cool much bigger than what we have.

 

[Dtail]

We are at 2,886 sq ft. I could certainly live in less, but the fiancee loves the house. Plus her son is with us (temporary)?, plus my brother is with us permanently.
I personally have no issues with mansions. Even this site has threads of larger houses and smaller houses.
To some folks, buying a mansion is a sign of making it, while others especially among some of the more severe LBYM types here, it can be wasteful.

 

[Jerry1]

For me I find our 1800sf to be the smallest I'd want for DH and I. I know I want a bit bigger for our next home, probably over 2500sf, but probably not more than 3k.

Me and DW are struggling with this right now. Our current home is just over 1700sf. Realistically, that’s plenty but, it doesn’t have a basement so storage ends up in the bedroom closets and the garage. Totally acceptable, especially for two people, but not ideal. I think our next home will be over 2000sf but we’re grappling with whether or not it’s time to downsize. I’m sure we’d be fine in a smaller home with a basement, but we’re drawn to bigger. We want a bigger kitchen and master bedroom and we both like having our own office (bedroom). The best layouts we’ve found are unfortunately in a condo and I’m not ready to go that route yet.

As for the original post, I have no problem with people buying whatever size house they can afford. Just don’t live in a big house and tell the rest of the world to be environmentally conscious. That would be just a bit too hypocritical.

 

[Pointby2]

Our place is 2,600 sq. ft. but I would love it if my office was twice as big so I could put a rower or treadmill in it. My wife would like her sewing room at least 50% larger too. Also the bathroom and walk-in closet could be much larger. So, an extra 500-1000 sq ft would be great. Larger than that would be wasted.
Our ideal floorplan would be new construction, but they hard to find with a view and with a decent lot for gardening and privacy.

 

[MarieIG]

Our sweet spot for our next house is 2,500 to 3,000 square feet.

As for other people, as long as they are not running a criminal enterprise out of their mansion, I don't have a problem with it. People with those size houses tend to employ staff and have hot and cold running contractors to keep up with the maintenance/ repairs (i.e. generate employment).

 

[MC Rider]

Those big houses probably have much larger rooms, every one of them: bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, family room, living room, dining room, office room, laundry room, etc. Usually at least one bathroom for each bedroom. Might have extras like a movie/entertainment room, maybe a gym room, or multiple living rooms.

Yes they do. Much bigger rooms, and more of them. Def lots of toilets to clean. We are at a bit under 1400 SF, plus a shed and 2 car garage. Plenty of room for us and things to maintain. No need for hot and cold running contractors. LOL.

 

[Aerides]

Our place is 2,600 sq. ft. but I would love it if my office was twice as big so I could put a rower or treadmill in it. My wife would like her sewing room at least 50% larger too. Also the bathroom and walk-in closet could be much larger. So, an extra 500-1000 sq ft would be great. Larger than that would be wasted.
Our ideal floorplan would be new construction, but they hard to find with a view and with a decent lot for gardening and privacy.

My laundry list:

Inside laundry room (mine is currently in the garage)
The 2nd-4th bedrooms larger than the standard 10x12 type typical here, 12x14 would be nice
A 3rd bathroom - or at least a 1/2 bath
A 4th bedroom that is reserved as a guest room, vs. me clearing out of my office when guests are here
A bigger kitchen...mine is about 10x10, which means limited storage, counter space, etc.
Storage! My primary bedroom closet is technically walk in, but it's really "ok two steps in maybe if you are short", so it's really pushing the definition!

Those little things easily add up to 1000sf, and they aren't extravagant.

And I know I like a space outside. So many mcmansions are on top of each other, I don't get it. Why buy a 3M, 5000 sf house if you can look out your window and into your neighbor's kitchen?

 

[rk911]

Color me "I don't get it either'. A former co-worker and his wife came into some $ a few years back. They have one daughter that libes with them part-time. They moved into a 7000sf home a year or two ago. We're very happy for them and they have a beautiful ho,e but my wife and I would be lost in 7000sf. We have a very adequate 3BR, 2bath 1600sf home in a middle class neighborhood that more than meets our needs.

 

[MC Rider]

A lot of the super size places seem to be designed with entertaining in mind.
Welcome to our grand ballroom.

 

[GoBears]

We are in the process of downsizing from almost 3100 square feet to a bit over 2000 square feet. In the current house, the two of us only use 2 bedrooms (1 for guests), an office, a couple of bathrooms, laundry room, the kitchen and a small dining area. So, that’s what we looked for in the new house (along with DW’s non-negotiable need for a walk-in closet in the primary bedroom).

 

[Breedlove]

Well , our house is 900 sf . We have a 300sf workshop garage . We have a condo in Galveston 576sf . There are lots of people that live there year round . A few retired people a few tourist people and a bunch of med students , UTMB . ….We had the big house , big taxes , big energy and big maintenance …not for everybody but for us why ?

 

[RetiredHappy]

I have mentioned previously that we live in an affluent community/development, $100+M and Billionaires around. There are quite a few 12K to 20K sq ft homes. We are not one of them. Our home is about 3000 sq ft, downsized from a 4600 sq ft home in California. It is comfortable for us.

 

[Gumby]

The young wife and I make do with 2505 sqft. That's not counting the attached two car garage with walkup storage and gym space. We use every single room in the house on a daily basis, with the exception of the guest bedroom, which only sees use when we are sick and sleeping apart or when we actually have guests. The most important room in the house is the kitchen, which is about 500 sqft.

 

[reneeh63]

I have a smallish house of 1,600 sq. ft. for me and my SO - 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths. There's a full basement but unfinished so not counted in square footage. Nearly all of that space is used by my borderline-hoarder SO for his servers and other hardware. I'd love to toss all that in the garbage but I don't actually need the space.

 

[RunningBum]

Run for the county planning commission, or whatever group sets the rules for such things. Otherwise, it's not really your business what someone else does.

 

[Gumby]

...(along with DW’s non-negotiable need for a walk-in closet in the primary bedroom).

We turned the smaller of our two guest bedrooms into a giant walk-in closet.

 

[Ronstar]

We are at 4,000 sf. Walkout basement has family room, home office, exercise room, my bathroom, laundry and my bunker playroom. Upstairs has living room (never gets used), dining room (once a year), kitchen, breakfast nook, master bedroom and bath, guest bedroom and bath, and another bedroom that has never been slept in since we built the house 31 years ago. Attached garage is 30’x 32’ and houses 4 vehicles and yard tools. And my detached workshop at 450 sf.

Some extra space that we don’t need. But there is also some extra space that I like and use daily.

 

[JackJester]

The answer to OP's ? is "701 sqft is too big". We are in the process of downsizing from 3000 sqft to 700 sqft. Just DW and I and our Border Collie. 700 sqft is perfect. We have 3 rooms and a bath in that 3000 house that we never use. Its a waste of space and the cost of taxes and maintenance is not worth the large yard and views we have. And we know 700 will work because we also have a vacation condo that is 530 sqft. So we know we can live comfortable in that smaller size. When you travel and really are only at your primary residence for 6 months of the year on and off, then all that size is unnecessary. As we prepare for the downsize move, it has been extremely liberating going to Goodwill and the local dump to get rid of all the stuff we have accumulated over 30+ years.

 

[pb4uski]

~2,000 sf is comfortable for us. Our main home when kids were growing up was 4 bedrooms, 2-1/4 bathrooms, 2 car garage and lots of space.. about 2,500 sf as I recall. Our current main home is 2 bedroom and a flex room, two bathrooms and two car garage and ~1,969 sf. Our summer home is also 3 bedrooms, 2-1/4 bathrooms and about 2,000 sf in the main house and 400 bonus space with 1/2 bath over the 2-car garage. Our Florida condo was 1,444 sf and two bedroons, 1-3/4 bathrooms and quite comfortable for us.

Funny story. About 3 weeks after we moved into the 1,444 sf Florida condo I'm walking around thinking that it must be something about the design or something but it "feels" very spacious compared to our summer home in Vermont. A few weeks later it dawned on me that while we have 2,000 sf in the main house in Vermont, we principally live on the main floor when is only 1,000 sf and rarely go downstairs to the walkout basement other than to do laundry... so no wonder the 1,444 sf felt bigger... it was almost 45% more space.

 

[Teacher Terry]

The biggest house I’ve ever lived in was 2k with 5 people. Once the kids were gone we downsized to 1400. We each had our own office and mine doubled as the guest room. It was a perfect size for 2 people.

Once divorced I would be uncomfortable in a house that big. I live in a 855 condo that’s plenty big for me and my two dogs. I needed 2 bedrooms because I have frequent overnight guests.

I did consider a 480 studio condo but decided against it because I like to have people for dinner and to spend the night. I was also worried about it feeling claustrophobic.

 

[rembrandt]

This is too big.

 

[Koolau]

1100SF Condo. Need more storage space - or less stuff.