Determining how much square feet your custom home should have is based primarily on your personal needs, wants, and budget. There are a variety of factors to take into account before making your decision, such as the number of people who will be living in the home. This blog explores everything you need to know about custom house sizes and will help you choose the right house square footage for you and your family.
Key Takeaways
Consider Custom Home Costs in Your Area
Custom home costs vary depending on the size, location, and complexity of the building project. In Toronto, the average cost to build a custom home is $400 to $550 per square foot. Your home may cost more or less than the estimated average.
Factors that influence the final cost include the type and quality of materials, labour expenses, and the contractor you’re working with. Certain rooms of your home can incur more costs than others. For example, installing plumbing, electrical, and appliances in your kitchen will be more costly than the expenses associated with constructing a bedroom.
Determine Your Home Plan
House sizes in Toronto can range from 1,500 to 3,000 square feet. Factors that influence the size of a custom home include the number of people in your family and whether or not you plan on growing your family in the future. It’s important to note that while building a custom home opens up near limitless customization possibilities, constructing a bigger house isn’t always the better option. Make a home plan that accounts for your home’s essential spaces, including bedrooms and bathrooms as well as the size of your kitchen. You can then move forward with adding in recreational spaces, such as a home theatre, gym, or kid’s playroom.
Average Lot Size
The average lot size in Toronto ranges from 4,400 to 4,575 square feet. The size of the lot you choose to build your custom home on may be bigger or smaller depending on your budget, where you decide to build, and how much space you need. Again, it should be stated that bigger isn’t necessarily better.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you choose a lot for your custom home:
Additional Features for Your Home
Once you have a clear understanding of how much space you will need to accommodate you and your family’s basic needs, you can move on to adding additional features and rooms. These features improve the comfort of your home and your quality of life.
Here is a list of home features and rooms that can increase the square footage of your home:
Your Budget and House Square Footage
When you’re planning your custom home budget and house square footage, remember to allocate money and space for future upgrades or repairs. It’s common to put aside 10-15% of your overall budget for upgrades. This way, you can expand your home, install new fixtures, or update the design without additional stress or strain on your budget.
Another way to reduce your upfront expenses is to leave rooms or areas of the home unfinished, such as the basement or second-story. This allows you to make the renovations at a later date without having to alter the structure or layout of your house.
Optimal Square Feet Per Person for the Ideal House Size
Ideally, a home should have enough square footage for each person to live comfortably. This means designating a certain amount of square footage for each person. As an example, if you believe 600 square feet is enough space for one person and you have a family of three, then the ideal house size for your family would be 1,800 square feet. The average square footage of a house per person is 600 to 700 on average. However, you may decide that more or less square footage per person is best for you and your family.
Optimal House Size for a Family of Four
The average house size for a family of 4
is between 1,816 and 3,027 square feet. A home that’s too large for your needs can be more a nuisance than a reward. Large homes with unused spaces are a hassle to maintain and can feel empty if you aren’t able to fill every inch. For a family of four, you may want at least two full baths, a spacious kitchen, a moderately sized backyard, and a living room that can accommodate each family member at once.
Is 2,500 Square Feet Considered to be a Big House?
Yes, homes 2,500 square feet or larger are considered to be big houses. The average square footage of a house is between 1,800 and 2,500 for detached homes and 900 to 1,400 square feet for bungalows. However, if you have four or more people in your family, a house with 2,500 square feet or more may be necessary in order to be functional and comfortable.
Plan Square Footage for the Future
The location of your home is an important factor to consider when planning for the future. For example, if you’re going to grow your family in the future, you may be interested in the local school district and whether or not there are parks nearby.
You’ll also need to leave enough room on your lot if you plan on building home additions or any type of accessory dwelling unit in the future.
Lot Size vs. House Size
Before you build your custom home, it’s important to think about your lot size vs house size. Lot size vs house size refers to the total amount of land you have to build your home on, versus the total amount of livable floor space in your house. The size of your lot needs to accommodate the design and square footage of your home, your front and backyard, and your required parking spaces.
In order to determine how large your lot needs to be for your house size, you first need to review the FSI (floor space index) requirements in your area. The floor space index is a ratio that tells you the maximum floor space you can build based on the size of the lot. Different residential zones have varying FSIs. In Toronto, the average FSI is 0.6, but this ratio can be higher or lower based on the zoning regulations.
The following chart lists the minimum lot sizes for different house sizes, based on the average FSI in Toronto:
| Average Residential FSI in Toronto | Total Floor Area | Minimum Lot Size |
|---|---|---|
| 0.6 | 1,500 sq ft | 2,500 sq ft |
| 0.6 | 2,000 sq ft | 3,333 sq ft |
| 0.6 | 2,500 sq ft | 4,167 sq ft |
| 0.6 | 3,000 sq ft | 5,000 sq ft |
| 0.6 | 4,000 sq ft | 6,667 sq ft |
| 0.6 | 5,000 sq ft | 8,333 sq ft |
Additionally, zoning bylaws can require a certain percentage of open space in your front and/or back yard. For example, in Toronto, detached residential lots typically must have a minimum of 50% green space in the front yard. This can influence the design, size, and layout of your custom home.
Custom Home Cost Per Square Foot in Toronto
The cost of a custom home in Toronto depends on several factors, including the square footage of a house, number of floors, architectural complexity, quality of the materials used, finishes, and added luxury features. On average, the cost to build a high-end custom home in Toronto ranges from $400 to $550 per square foot. For a free custom home consultation and price estimate, call Aria Build.
Average House Square Footage for Number of Rooms in a House
When building a custom home, it’s important to have enough square footage to meet your needs and fulfil your desires without leaving too much empty space. Homes that have too much square footage end up with unused space and higher monthly utility costs.
The square footage of a house will depend on the number of rooms you have, in addition to the main living areas, including the kitchen and living room. For example, the average square footage of a 3-bedroom house with 2 bathrooms ranges between 1,200 and 1,700 square feet. You can explore more examples of the average square feet of a house based on the number of rooms in the following chart:
| Number of Rooms | Minimum Lot Size |
|---|---|
| 2 Bedrooms & 2 Bathrooms | 1,000 to 1,200 sq ft |
| 3 Bedrooms & 2 Bathrooms | 1,200 to 1,700 sq ft |
| 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, & 1 Flex Room* | 1,700 to 2,000 sq ft |
| 4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, &1 Flex Room | 2,000 to 2,300 sq ft |
| 5 Bedrooms, 2.5 Bathrooms, & 2 Flex Rooms | 2,300 to 2,700 sq ft |
*Flex Room refers to an extra room with the flexibility to accommodate your changing needs. Examples include home offices, playrooms, libraries, and home theatres.
How Big Can You Build on Your Lot?
Zoning bylaws have rules regarding lot coverage based on the size of your lot. As an example, zoning bylaws in your area may state that you can have no more than 40% lot coverage on a lot of 5,000 sq ft.
This means you could build a home with 2,000 sq ft at most. These rules and regulations ensure that there’s a balance between building structures, paving, and open space. Open space allows for natural environmental elements like natural lighting, air circulation, and greenery.
Average Cost of Utilities Each Month
Every home and household are different and therefore each person’s monthly utility usage and expenses can differ significantly. Toronto’s is also prone to extremely cold winters and hot summers, which will influence how much you run your heating and AC units from month to month.
The size of your home is another key contributor to monthly utility expenses. Larger homes with more household members will often have higher utility bills because of the increased energy usage and because HVAC systems have to work harder to heat and cool the whole house. However, there are a few energy-efficient features you can incorporate into your custom home to lower utility costs. For example, you may consider:
Gain a better understanding of your estimated monthly utility costs by reviewing the following charts.
Here is the average monthly energy consumption in Toronto:
| House Size | Average Monthly Energy Consumption in kWh |
|---|---|
| 1,500 sq ft | 735 kWh |
| 2,000 sq ft | 980 kWh |
| 2,500 sq ft | 1,225 kWh |
| 3,000 sq ft | 1,470 kWh |
Here are the average monthly utility costs in Toronto:
| Utility Type | Average Utility Cost Per Month in Toronto |
|---|---|
| Electricity | $146.40 |
| Water | $90.40 |
| Gas | $221.89 |
How Much Can You Afford?
In addition to local zoning laws, determining the right size house for your custom home also depends on what you can afford. Remember to consider all expenses, including the cost of the lot, design, construction, and utilities, once the home is complete. We’ve put together a chart with estimated construction budget requirements based on the square footage of a house that’s been custom built.
| House Size | Estimated Construction Budget |
|---|---|
| 1,500 sq ft | $600,000 to $825,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $800,000 to $1,100,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $1,000,000 to $1,375,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $1,200,000 to $1,650,000 |
| 3,500 sq ft | $1,400,000 to $1,925,000 |
| 4,000 sq ft | $1,600,000 to $2,200,000 |
*The above chart is based on the average costs of a custom home in Toronto, which is $400 to $550 per square foot.
Start Your Custom Home Building Journey Today
Aria Build is an expert custom home building company. We understand every family is unique and their wants and requirements will differ accordingly. Our entire team is dedicated to fulfilling the needs and desires of our valued clients. Contact our team today to consult with us and determine the right custom house size for you.
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