What’s trending? Homeowners building a new custom home rather than buying an existing property to eventually renovate. The type of custom home homeowners choose to build depends on their needs and goals. Starter custom homes allow young homeowners to invest in their first custom property that they will eventually sell. Forever homes are properties where homeowners plan to stay for many years and design their custom homes to be both functional and allow for active aging. Forever homes will be with you through all stages of your family’s lifestyle; from raising a family to settling into retirement. Click here to learn more about actively aging in your forever home.

Building your forever custom home is one of the most important investments you can make. You’re not just building a home, you’re building a place that emulates and speaks to your family’s lifestyle and passions. A Calgary custom home builder can help you build the perfect custom home. Proper guidance from a professional custom home builder can provide you with the best advice and expertise. Sunset Homes can help you take the stress off during the design and building processes, so you can look forward to making memories that will last a lifetime in your forever home. We’re here to tell you that your home can be exactly what you’ve dreamed of!

At Sunset Homes we have extensive experience as Calgary infill home builders, we have built many forever homes, and we know it can be an overwhelming but truly worthwhile experience. This blog will guide you through the essentials of building your forever home in Calgary.

If you want to take a look at some of our current and past projects to get ideas for your custom home design, click here.

If you are Building Your Forever Home, Then you Need to Choose a Forever Location

Location is so important when building your forever custom home as this will be a place that you live for many years. We suggest narrowing your decisions down to the following:

• Urban, suburban, or rural: Would your family’s lifestyle better suit inner-city Calgary? The outskirts? Or out in the countryside?
• Demographic: Are you a young family that would like to be surrounded by other families of this nature? Or are you looking for a community to retire in? Do your research on the neighborhoods in Calgary and area and consider which neighborhood demographic suits you.
• Neighborhood: Are the amenities you need nearby? Are you looking for a neighborhood with large trees, nearby parks? These are all important things to think about when choosing the location of your forever custom home.
• Proximity to work and school: Is it important that you live close to work and school? Keep this in consideration when choosing your lot for your custom home build.

Always ask for help from your chosen Calgary custom home builder, even at the earliest stages of your project. Bring forward your current and potential lifestyle. Also, bring your list of must-haves and potential locations. Your Calgary home builder can help you find the perfect location to accommodate your custom needs. At Sunset Homes, we want to build a strong relationship with you from the get-go, being your go-to source for help at all stages of your custom home build. If you want to learn about the role you play in your custom home design check out this blog.

Thinking About Your Needs While Building Your Forever Home

As a bespoke Calgary inner city home builder, we guarantee that your forever custom home will match your lifestyle seamlessly so you can age in place. A bespoke custom building approach is for homeowners looking for a custom and unique feel to the design of their space. We are here to help you create a home that is particular to your tastes and requirements.

You should always build a home taking into account what kind of place you want to live in, how many family members will inhabit the space and how will you use each room. These are your current needs. But when building your custom forever home, you also need to take into account your future needs. A Calgary custom home builder can help you design a custom layout that is versatile enough to adjust as your needs change over the years.

Pay particular attention to the way you create your kitchen, bedrooms, bathroom, laundry room, and exteriors, as these are the areas whose purposes will change dramatically as the homeowners age. If you want to learn even more about preparing to age in place click here. 

• Kitchen: Think about functionality in your kitchen! Consider incorporating a pull-out or walk-in pantry. Keep the sink near the stove for easy flow while cooking. Think about changes in mobility over the years by including rounded counters, shallow sinks, and low-placed appliances. We recommend considering installing more drawers than doors as they provide easier access. Consider your island seating, your senior or young family members may not be able to sit comfortably at a tall height. We have a blog about designing the perfect custom kitchen in your new home build, click here if you want to read further.
• Bedrooms: We recommend adding a bedroom on the first floor in your custom home design. Maybe you don’t want it to be the master bedroom right now, but it can transition to this if mobility restrictions require it to be. This bedroom can be used as a guest room or hobby room for the time being. Your Calgary custom home builder can give you great tips on functionality ideas in your custom home build.
• Bathroom: We love the look of a walk-in shower with no clearance, but guess what?! It allows for active aging as there is no step into the shower. Access to the shower won’t be an issue as you age in place in your custom home. Choose a toilet that provides a higher seat.
• Laundry room: For active aging in your custom forever home the laundry room is a great place to incorporate design elements for functionality. Purchase a front loading washer and dryer and set them side-by-side. Have low placement cupboards and perhaps pull-down shelving. You could even consider a platform for the washer and dryer to sit on. A Calgary custom home builder can help you situate the laundry room close to the bedrooms to help you smoothly age in place.
• Exteriors: Consider your landscaping, installing native plants will reduce a commitment to expansive maintenance in your later years. A Calgary custom home builder can also help you design an entryway and driveway that will allow easy mobility and functionality in the years to come. Our blog on landscaping can give you further ideas for your yard and exterior, click here to read more.

Looking for The Perfect Amount of Space to Age Well in Your Forever Home

As professional Calgary custom home builders with many years of experience, we can help your design a forever home with the perfect amount of space. What should you consider when choosing the size of your home?

• Think about your current home: What are you lacking or what could you go without in your current home? By analyzing your current home it will help you bring a vision to your Calgary custom home builder. If you feel like your current home is missing a home office, or has too much floor space, a custom home builder can help you create a design that shines in your new build.
• Storage: Think about the amount of space you will need to store your sentimental, seasonal, and hobby items. A Calgary custom home builder can help you design unique storage spaces that won’t take up lots of square footage.
• Family size: Is your family going to expand or decrease in the years to come? Think about how many bedrooms, bathrooms, and additional living spaces you will realistically need. Will this amount also transition as family members move out? Remember, a  children’s bedroom can turn into a hobby room. Your custom home builder can help you design multi-use spaces so that your home allows you to age comfortably in place.

We suggest our homeowners look for the middle ground. A well-planned forever home is a home that offers enough space to live comfortably according to its homeowner's lifestyle but requires low maintenance over time. Think about the lifestyle that you want to have and design your forever home according to it. Maybe you would love to have extra bedrooms to host your children or grandchildren during the holidays, but you don't need to have a bunch of unused rooms. A great idea is to have a multipurpose room; maybe a home office or craft room that transforms into a bedroom when needed.

Planning for Good Mobility and Accessibility in Your New Custom Home

One of the most critical aspects of a forever home is the mobility and accessibility it will provide to homeowners in the future. It is a fact that as we age, our mobility and that of our friends are more limited. That is why it is essential to plan for more accessible spaces at your home. One smart move among many homeowners is to ask their home builder in Calgary to create an open floor layout. This layout is trendy and mobility-friendly.

Electrical outlets and switches are often overlooked! Remember to consider easy access to plugs and switches. They should sit not too high, or too low and shouldn’t be tucked away in hard-to-reach places. At Sunset Homes, our homeowners are extensively involved in their custom home projects allowing them to choose exactly where their plugs and switches are located in an electrical rough-in walkthrough.

It is also vital to add large doorways, walkways, and hallways that are great for both strollers and wheelchairs. Some homeowners even opt for building a one-storey home to limit the number of stairs. If you build the closet space to align on both storeys of your custom home, an elevator can be installed effortlessly.

If mobility and accessibility features are a must in your forever custom home design check out this blog for further suggestions.

Don’t Forget About Your Future Custom Home Appearance and Maintenance

In many cases, homeowners build their forever home with aesthetics in mind. This is a good idea as the style of your overall property is something you will have to live with for many years. Of course, you can change your home decoration and room use in the future, but the truth is that the structure and layout of the home must keep its charm over time. As experienced Calgary custom home builders, we suggest you go for timeless finishes that will pass the test of time. Without compromising your taste, also consider neutral materials and simple structural components.

Another essential aspect that you shouldn't neglect is the maintenance of your forever home. When discussing your project with your chosen Calgary home builder, prioritize the durability and maintenance of your future home. This means you may need to invest in high-quality and low-maintenance materials and finishes that are more expensive, but that will save you money in the long run. Pay particular attention to the finishes you choose for your kitchen ―especially your countertops― and your floors, which should be comfortable and non-slip.

Did you know that sustainably built homes are very efficient and cost-friendly? Check out our blog to learn more. Since this is your forever home, you may as well incorporate sustainable, earth and pocket-friendly materials and options in your custom new build.

Extra Ideas to Age in Place in Your Calgary Custom Home

Always consider and spoil yourself with the tiny details especially if you are planning your forever custom home. What are some extra ideas for aging in place in your custom home?

• Choose lever-style door handles instead of small knobs, as they are easier to grip for children and seniors.
• Install paddle-style faucet handles as they are user-friendly.
• Technology can be your best friend! Smart thermostats allow you to control your home temperature right from your phone. You can also get sound systems with speakers throughout your house that work from an app on your phone. Why not add Wi-Fi sprinkler systems to keep your yard under control at any age? The possibilities are endless with technology. Your Calgary custom home builder can give you many great options for accessibility and functionality with the use of unique technology features.
• Designing a breezeway to connect your home to your garage with limited stairs can help with mobility and functionality, especially in the cold Calgary winters. Bonus: include a mudroom in your custom breezeway design for added functionality.

There are so many things to consider and include in your forever custom home design. Remember to think of your location requirements, specific lifestyle needs, the space you will need, future maintenance needs, and any extra ideas you may want to include in your custom home design.

Ready to build your forever home? Contact Sunset Homes today! We will prepare a class 3 estimate for your project, and provide you with the right tools for every step of the custom home building process.

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Too Long Didn’t Read (TLDR)

When building your forever home in Calgary, it is vital that you take into account your current and future needs and that you pay particular attention to the property's location, size, style, maintenance, accessibility.