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Building a Home

Guess the square footage?

redheadeddaughter

11 years ago

Happy weekend everyone! Just wondering if anyone might take a guess at the square footage of these "inspiration" homes? I know it's difficult without multiple angles...

Also, as we are picking the "shape" or footprint of the home, is there a great cost savings in going with the more colonial box vs. the more appealing farmhouse t-shape (or connected/intersecting boxes?). Do sunrooms add a great deal of cost? I imagine all those windows would make it so. Sorry if there are too many questions in one post... trying to nail down some things before our first meetings with the professionals. ;)

https://www.houzz.com/photos/lake-elmo-greek-revival-farmhouse-traditional-exterior-minneapolis-phvw-vp~3201118-ELMO-GREEK-REVIVAL-FARMHOUSE-traditional-exterior-minneapolis

http://www.barnesvanze.com/html/newsite2010/projects/trad_ren/trad_ren_proj_01/images/trad_ren_proj_01_01.jpg

http://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffeeart4u/works/3791523-the-new-farmhouse-at-blackberry-farm-hotel

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Comments (4)

texas_cajun
11 years ago
Those homes are beautiful. I couldn't see the middle one (my firm blocks the site for some reason) but they both look 4000+ to me, particularly the 3rd one. The 3rd one also looks like it might have a slate roof or something like that, it doesn't look like shingles to me.

I thought the sunroom was too expensive (I was going to just turn our porch into a sunroom) because the windows were pricey and the heat/air conditioning loss is high. We are in a hot and humid climate so I was worried about it making the house a sauna. I was also already over budget when I mentioned doing it, so other things were just more important to me. It's not insurmountable or anything.
zone4newby
11 years ago
I'm not sure how big your inspiration homes are, but the architect for the first one has a house plans website. I found a couple T-shaped farmhouse style plans there-- I'll post a link in case it's helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Simply Elegant Designs Withrow Farmhouse
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Comments (7)
There is little concensus on how square footage should be calculated. Is it possible there is a legitimate reason for the discrepancy? The generally accepted way to calculate squate footage in our area is to measure the OUTSIDE of the living space (heated, finished, not porches, not garage, not attic unless finished, not basement even if finished, etc.), then subtractions are made for two story spaces that are material. They generally don't subtract for foyers that are two story, but would subtract for a room that had a ceiling going to the second floor level. Subtractions are not made for space within the living envelope that is not livable (insides of walls, etc.). My house is somewhere between 3798 (my calculation) and 4300 square feet (tax assessor). There appraiser said it was somewhere in between. That's a pretty big difference, IMO. If I was going to sell I guess I could use the higher square footage and get away with it.
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Comments (23)
I appreciate the offer, but we are three hours from Charlotte. It will be at least another 1 1/2 years before we're ready to put the house on the market. We still have a child in high school and don't want to move until she graduates. We haven't even decided where yet. We just know this property (acreage - barn - pasture, etc.) has about gotten to be too much maintenance for us "old" people. I've been researching everything and noticed the difference in the square footage and wondered how it worked. We've also been looking at houses in another part of the state and the advertised square feet there match up pretty close to the tax records, but not so around here. And no - we haven't measured our house. Probably should to at least see if it matches up with the specified dimensions, The interior room dimensions look right. But I wouldn't know how to calculate square feet with the way this place is laid out. It's all on one level and sticks out all over the place. I guess I'll just have to be patient and see what it comes out to. But now I know that the agent is supposed to measure for themselves.
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Comments (20)
From my past house-hunting experience in older neighborhoods, old houses built before WWII often have layout quirks. Bathrooms off kitchens, bathrooms that can be entered both thru living room and dining room, steep stairs to the attic (e.g. you have to hold on to the steps with your hands), stairs to the finished attic from a bedroom or laundry room, a finished bedroom in an otherwise unfinished basement that can be entered only from outside (and no bathroom in the basement at all!), a gas furnace and water heater in an attic above the garage that is accessible only by a ladder thru a trapdoor, etc. There's a clear tendency to include any space that has a floor, ceiling and four walls in the total square footage. Cramped attics and dungeon-like basements are touted as spaces with "lots of potential". Thankfully, garages aren't included so far. The only way to figure out the layout and size of old houses for sure is to tour them.
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Comments (33)
Definitely think the kitchen and nook layout is pretty awkward in the expansion. If you don't have any ability to modify the plan except with the builder approved upgrades I would skip the nook and go with the 9' ceilings, which can't be done later. If you have the money in the future and find that you want more space you could always add a 3 seasons room or small addition off of the dining room. As far as the other upgrades, I agree that I would much rather have a real wood floor instead of laminate, and I think it would do more for your house value. If the builder doesn't offer that option, I would take the carpet and upgrade to wood in a few years. The fireplace depends. Do you think you would use it? Does your furniture layout work with it taking up space on the wall? Do houses in your area usually have a fireplace. Here in the Midwest a house is usually considered missing something if it doesn't have one, so it may hurt you in resale, but it other parts of the country it's not an expected feature. I generally prefer a stair railing over a half wall, but in your case the half wall will give you an additional surface to place furniture and art against in the living room, and assuming it will also be on the upper landing can help give the upstairs a little more privacy (and to some small extent, deflect some of the sound transfer). I would skip on the railing.
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redheadeddaughter
Original Author
11 years ago
Well I guess this answers my question for one of them:http://www.traditional-building.com/palladio/pw2005p2.htm

Phew. 6300 sf.! We are wanting more like 4000 tops.

Thank you zone4newby! I had seen Ron Brenner's plan site before, but for some reason never looked at this particular plan. It might work for brainstorming for sure. I like the shape!
melsouth
11 years ago
The last house was built at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee and was designed by Atlanta architectural firm Spitzmiller and Norris.

The link is to an Architectural Digest article with some photos.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blackberry Farm

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