How much square footage would you want for a family of five?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think, for close-in DC, 2000 sq ft plus a finished basement is reasonable for an upper-middle class family with 3 boys. Agree with PP that a lot has to do with well-designed spaces and flow. (Those who need 2500 sq ft + need to expose themselves to better architectural design and get acquainted with urban residential reality.)

3000 sq ft+ is really for people who either have a lot of $$$ and can afford large homes close-in, or who are willing to spend more time on commute. On the latter, I would take into consideration--as your boys get older--the fact that they will have to DRIVE if you want more space vs urban location. Do you really want your high school boys spending that much time on the road just to see friends and get to school/activities? There's a good reason why car insurance rates are highest for teenage boys--they are the most likely to get into fatal car crashes. And, when you add another teenage passenger to the car, statistics show that the rates for car accidents for teen drives increases dramatically. No, thank you.

I agree with every word of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3000 SQRFT is still a bit small i would say 3500-4000

Who ARE you people? And the 5,000 sf poster? Seriously!

Do you mean 5000 above grade or including a finished basement? If above grade, that would be 7000+ total living space and that seems excessive for a family of 5.

Including a finished basement with media and exercise rooms and a guest bedroom. Maybe we'll downsize later; maybe not.

[Anonymous]

2650, with a finished basement and a soon-to-be finished attic, feels just right to me. We are a family of 4.

[Anonymous]

We have 2 parents and 4 sons in our family. Our home is 2400 sqf. plus a finished basement. It is more space than we really need.

[Anonymous]

2400 sounds perfect for me too, but as PPs note, it depends on how it's laid out and used (and also what's in that square footage---2400 with one bathroom? No way!)

For me, I'd want a 3 or 4 BR with two full bathrooms in about 2400 sf of space, with a family-oriented layout for the kitchen and living areas, a finished basement or some other sort of kid-friendly rec area, and some sort of room or office with a door that closes that a parent could use (could be one bedroom).

I honestly can't fathom 5000 sf. That's literally 1000 sf per person...!!

[Anonymous]

We are a family of 5 and have 2300 square feet, and it feels just a bit tight. Our house could be laid out just a bit better, and one of the kids has ADHD, so needs open spaces. We have three bedrooms upstairs and I would like 4, and we need a full finished basement. (along with a house keeper).

[Anonymous]

We have family abroad that comes to stay so we need room for them too- basement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3000 SQRFT is still a bit small i would say 3500-4000

Who ARE you people? And the 5,000 sf poster? Seriously!

+1
And to answer your question? They are Americans. Citizens of the Capital of Consumption.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in a 2400 sf house with one sibling, and it never seemed cramped (and we didn't even have a finished basement). The house was well designed, with plenty of closet and cabinet space. I think storage and a smart floor plan are key--way more important than having a media room or 5000 sf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have family abroad that comes to stay so we need room for them too- basement?

Only if it's walk-out. It's illegal to use basements without proper windows as a bedroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have family abroad that comes to stay so we need room for them too- basement?

Only if it's walk-out. It's illegal to use basements without proper windows as a bedroom.

Illegal to use them as a bedroom or illegal to market them as having a legal bedroom?

Just wanted to know before I'm carted off to jail for letting friends sleep in the den.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a 2400 sf house with one sibling, and it never seemed cramped (and we didn't even have a finished basement). The house was well designed, with plenty of closet and cabinet space. I think storage and a smart floor plan are key--way more important than having a media room or 5000 sf.

Who says you can't have both?

[Anonymous]

We have 2300 or so sq ft (which includes finished basement). Our layout is rough, though. Closed in Colonial style home but we do have a great backyard. We also have 3 boys and the outdoor space has become very important. They also use the walkout basement alot. We've cleared out a lot of toys and "stuff" down there just to make it more open and accessible. I wish they each had their own room, but it's not going to happen. Frankly, it doesn't seem to bother them much because they don't seem to spend a lot of down time in their rooms. Could be a chicken/egg thing though. But I digress, in the end, I'd either want a more open layout or an extra bedroom. Then it would be ideal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:3000 SQRFT is still a bit small i would say 3500-4000

Who ARE you people? And the 5,000 sf poster? Seriously!

? Why are you angry? Some of us prefer to live with more space. I would say 10,000 would be ridiculous, 3000-5000 isnt that big.

Sure, it's a preference. But your need to live with more space might anger some people because it uses large quantities of finite resources and contributes more than a smaller house would to climate change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Sure, it's a preference. But your need to live with more space might anger some people because it uses large quantities of finite resources and contributes more than a smaller house would to climate change.

Right, so they should all downsize to a house that just happens to be a size that YOU can afford. Seriously, if you believe this, have one kid or no kids and go live in a fucking cubicle.