SMALL FOOTPRINT HOUSE PLANS
Since the 1950s, the average size of a home in the U.S. has more than doubled. Past generations wanted larger and more spacious homes, but today’s buyers are often looking for small-footprint, low-impact properties in Park City and other communities. In fact, there is a current move towards smaller homes, both in condos and in single-family houses.
What is a Small Footprint House Plan?
Small is in the eyes of a beholder. A tiny house can be 400 square feet or smaller while a small footprint home can be 2000 feet or more. Small footprint house plans make the best possible use of space, often with open concept plans and creative design to create the sense of a larger home.
Why is it a Good Idea?
Small can be mighty in real estate. While some homeowners want a larger space for a big family or for entertaining, there’s a reason why more homebuyers are interested in small footprint house plans:
The best small house designs offer luxury, style, and a terrific lifestyle.
These homes are a good fit for our increasingly smaller families and are a perfect solution for empty-nesters, second homes, retirees, and other situations where extra space may not be an advantage.
Smaller homes can mean a more affordable price tag and less money spent on utilities.
According to some research, smaller houses make us happier, in part because they can promote social interaction.
Smaller homes take less time to clean and care for, which leaves more time for fun and adventures.
These homes take up less space, meaning they can help preserve more land and can be a good solution for higher-density areas.
Smaller footprint homes have a smaller impact on the environment since they take up less space and use fewer utilities.
These homes are a great match for minimalism, allowing homeowners to curate open and beautiful spaces with meaningful objects but less clutter.
Small can mean some big advantages, and, in most cases, the smaller square footage doesn’t mean a significant trade-off. After all, in large homes, some of the space may go unused. And with the best small house plans, you have plenty of room for living, entertaining, and relaxing, all with the comforts of high-end finishes and amenities you might find in a larger luxury property.
Why is Park City a Good Area for a Small Footprint House?
Park City is an ideal area for smaller footprint homes. With so many homeowners and tourists attracted by the mountains, many people want to live here and there’s simply no room to build out an endless array of large estates. Smaller footprint homes allow for new builds so more homeowners can enjoy the magic of the mountains.
The Park City area also needs to be protected for future generations. Overdevelopment could harm the thousands of acres of natural beauty, wildlife, and stunning mountain views that make Park City so special. Small footprint homes allow for comfortable living without taking up added space, so more land can be safeguarded for the future. Smaller homes also don’t interfere with the landscape or the views of the valley and mountains.
And there’s a precedent for Park City small homes. Back when Park City was a mining town, small miner’s cottages dotted the landscape. These cottages can still be admired on the annual historic property tour. In a way, the move towards small footprint properties is a shift towards Park City’s roots.
What Does Benloch Ranch Offer in Terms of Sustainable, Low-Impact Builds?
Benloch Ranch is committed to creating a community of low-impact homes that are more affordable than similar properties in Park City but offer a plethora of amenities as well as a real commitment to sustainability. We have poured over the best small house designs to create homes that offer impressive high-quality materials, modern floorplans, an amazing lifestyle, and incredible amenities.
We have a deep passion for sustainability; so much so that we’ve preserved over 900 acres of open land, have sourced sustainable materials, and have planted native greenery. We’ve also conserved rain and have launched other initiatives to protect the area for future generations. We see ourselves as stewards of the land and we’re taking care to be ethical and sustainable in our community. Benloch Ranch even builds homes offsite, which helps us reduce waste and limit the noise and disruption to the community.
Our vision is that the best small house plans don’t compromise and in fact offer amenities to foster a true luxury lifestyle with less of an environmental impact. Our homes start at 2542 square feet and feature large decks and outdoor spaces, spacious kitchens, thoughtfully-placed windows to maximize views, clean designs, luxury materials, and more. Some of our homes have elevators and other luxury features to help you feel right at home.
We have complemented our small footprint homes with community amenities designed to delight and impress. The Benloch Ranch concierge service, shuttle, camping, indoor and outdoor storage, sports rentals, trails, retail and dining spaces, and many other amenities encourage you to enjoy recreation opportunities right in your yard. And Park City is only 15 minutes away, with ten nearby world-class ski locations and the Sundance Film Festival practically at your doorstep.
We’ve built small but have dreamed big to create a community for adventurous souls, dreamers, and those who are passionate about living well while protecting the land. If you’d like to join us or are interested in learning more about what we have to offer, contact Benloch Ranch today or sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date about our future plans.
