The HTRC

The Homeowners & Trades Resource Center

Brought to you by:

You are here: Home / Miscellaneous Articles / Building smaller – is it the next big thing?

Building smaller – is it the next big thing?

So what happens when you combine a bunch of designers spread out across the country that have their own blogs, with Twitter? The inventible – a blog-off where great ideas are shared amongst the group and everyone knows who won… (Individually: I did of course, but everyone else’s was really good)While I really cannot hold a candle to their thoughts (or even their writing styles) on tile bathtub shoes, and other great posts this week’s blog-off struck a chord with me. The general theme is building or living smaller the next big thing?

The instigator: Paul Anater at Kitchen and Residential Design, Is Living Smaller the new Living Large?
Veronica Miller at Modenus,  A Small Life is Good, but Slow Down to enjoy it! 
Richard Holdschuh at Concrete Detail, Small is Beautiful but Relativity Rules
Rufus at DogWalkBlog, How much does it cost for you to exist one hour? Size matters.
Nick Lovelady at Cupboards Kitchen and Bath, Is Small Really Realistic?
Becky Shankle at Eco Modernism, Is Living Smaller the New Living Large?
Saxon Henry at Chair Chick, Living Small (and Getting Shagged!)
Cindy Fruen-Wuellner at UrbanVerse, Living Large and Small: Trading Hummers for PUMAs Ain’t the Whole Story

And 1 belated late entry; now while I cry unfair advantage – it is still a great piecs by Steve Mouzon at the Original Green, The Luxury of Small

I have to admit, they are really good wordsmiths & it is interesting to see their takes and reasoning’s on this subject. As a remodeler / builder, I have a slightly different take, as this issue (among other ones) seemingly pops up every few years.  But first, let us take a look at the numbers from the Census department that everyone has been talking about.

The Numbers

This spreadsheet is based off the US Census numbers starting in 1973. These numbers only include new single family dwellings built in that year; not existing houses, apartments, townhomes, condo’s or other multi-family structures. The “Inc %” is the percentage increase from the houses built a decade before, while the “Overall” is the 3-decade percentage increase. Based off these numbers, you can see that year after year the size of new houses has increased approx. 1.3% per year or 46.9% over the entire span of time.

Apples to Apples or to Oranges:

I guess one has to wonder which numbers they are using when they compare us to the French or the British. I can take a pretty good guess that it is the one that includes all the housing stock built and possibly includes the older homes. Do I have any takers on this?

Why the increase?

Generally, no one looks at why the size of houses keeps on growing, they try to point the finger; a homeowner blames the builder and/or architect – “it’s all that they build, or what they designed”; the builder blames the architect and/or – “I build what they design or wanted”; followed up by the Architect blaming the homeowners and/or builder – “they said they wanted…” Amazingly, no one is to blame and no one answered the question –you have got to love modern America.

Part of the reason for the increases is the simple ethos that most Americans grow up with; we have the power, we can build it bigger, better, stronger…  Unfortunately, most people forget, that bigger is not always better. Another popular one is the desire to keep up with Jones’s, in terms of possessions, etc… While a small part of the population maybe fanatical in this area, the biggest problem lies with the architects and builders. Every year, if not every quarter, certain groups run a poll on what would you like to have in your next house. Needless to say, when you see 60% of the people want a great room – you will make sure it is there. My favorite one is a larger closet in the Master Bedroom – that notion in itself has turned a simple 6×8 walk in closet, into a room that requires 2 HVAC ducts and is larger than most Master Bedroom’s in older houses.

The challenges of going small:

The challenges are numerous on many fronts, and we as a society or even just individually have to make a conscientious decision to buck the trend. In some cases, there are actual legal issues that prevent one from doing this as shown in this article from GreenBiz.com & they need to be addressed.

For architects; can you accept that your next project can be smaller, but still better? Bob Borson, one of the architects I like to follow actually had a great article on the challenges involved “Low Cost Modern House Challenge.” I can honestly say, it is achievable but it does take some thinking on one’s part to make everything not only fit in a space, but to be livable & comfortable. (Double Mother in Law Cabin Articles)

For designers; can you truly make a small space feel & look large, while utilizing all the space? If any of them need some idea’s, I would point them  to check out some of the tricks that are used in modern RV’s, boats, and planes where space is at a premium.

For Homeowner’s; the challenge is really up to you – can you find a builder, designer, or architect that can make your vision a reality? Can you really fit all your belongings into a smaller place, or handle the choices you might have to make? For some other great advice on this, you might want to review this article found on MSNBC on “Cut your Square Footage in Half.”

Related posts:

Let’s Blog Off: Dog Shoots Man?
Let’s Blog Off: What kind of Legacy will you leave?
Are you going to use your head for more than a hat rack…?
Mike Hines: Witnessing an Extreme Makeover
Let’s Blog Off: Thanksgiving Leftover’s
Let’s Blog Off: The edge of your world
Looking Back & Moving Forward
Creativity & finding the right people for your project
  •  Tweet
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Articles Tagged With: Blog Off August 10, 2010 By SLS 24 Comments

Featured Posts

January - Mid Winter Maintenance Checklist

Welcome to the start of a New Year, and the first full month of winter. This is the time of the year when many individuals try to wipe the slate ...

Read More

Preventing or fixing frozen water pipes

Updated: This article was originally posted in early 2010 after the Alabama Department of Health issued the following warning via press release: Prolonged period of cold weather ahead prompts warnings to ...

Read More

BS4D: Saving on Heating Related Energy Costs

For the bulk of the year, energy costs are not a big concern to many and instead most calls relate to comfort, safety or health issues. We are now starting ...

Read More

FAQ - Do I need storm doors or windows?

As the weather starts turning colder many start wondering - should I replace my windows, get a storm door, install storm windows, or??? Shoot I live in an area governed ...

Read More

Common Sense Building: Build Radon Out

Common Sense Building: Build Radon Out

As many of you probably already know, January is National Radon Month. Just like CO, it is an odorless & tasteless gas; however, unlike CO there are no warning signs ...

Read More

FAQ: Ceiling fan direction - summer & winter

One of the biggest questions out there is which direction should my fan be running and how can I tell. You look at the switch and realize it isn't any ...

Read More

FAQ on Duct Cleaning: All Hype or Worthy Expense?

It must be spring time... I got the following in the mail just the other day: 5 different ads all for duct cleaning. With allergy season starting along with my ...

Read More

Random Glossary term

  • NFRC

    So what happens when you combine a bunch of designers spread out across the country that have their own blogs, with Twitter? The inventible – a blog-off where great ideas are shared amongst the group and everyone knows who won… (Individually: I did of course, but everyone else’s was really good)While I really cannot hold […]

The HTRC - Copyright © 2006–2021 by TheHTRC.com & SLS Construction & Building Solutions LLC http://SLS-Construction.com