Multigenerational Home – How To Build It & Create Your Ideal Living Environment

As we grow older, our style of living changes. We transition from one house to the next, leaving the communities where we’ve formed strong bonds, and end up living farther from friends and family.

The question to answer is if there was a way to stay rooted in one place through all stages of life? Also, it is important to know what would this type of home look like?

What Is A Multigenerational Home?

The idea of multigenerational living is that at least two adult generations live together. Grandparents, parents, kids, even the in-laws, can all live under the same roof. If you aren’t too fond of that last group living with you, bear with me.

1 in 5 Americans is living in multigenerational homes. The key to multigenerational homes is architectural designing spaces that make sense. When a home is geared toward comfort, privacy, and accessibility, living with family can be comfortable and convenient.

Homes that are designed with more than one generation in mind mean you can live with multiple generations while keeping your peace of mind.

Designing Your Multigenerational Home

When designing your multi-gen home, there are three main things you need to ask yourself:

• What is the size of the home you desire?
• Do you want to live in one main house or have a detached guest home?
• If your home is under one roof, is there a private entrance?

The size of your home is the most important thing to consider. Let’s say you’re looking to move in with your parents and your significant other’s parents. What if they have pets? A living situation like this may require a living space of over 6,500 or a larger square foot home.

Next, decide if your family will be living under one roof, or if there should be a separate living area with a separate entrance. Moreover, your family could grow. Factoring in a room to grow is beneficial, especially as your kids grow older and start their own families.

Lastly, if you decide to live in one main house, is there privacy between hallways, so that your kids aren’t constantly evading the space of the grandparents? On the other hand, are there enough private spaces for your growing children to have friends over?

The Benefits and Challenges Of Living In A Multigenerational Home

Living in a multigenerational home comes with many benefits. Firstly, your children will grow up around their grandparents. You and your significant other now have extra childcare in place. Studies show that when you’re around your family, you are healthier and happier.

On the other hand, challenges can arise, such as, who is responsible for everything? How do you handle the carrying cost of living in such a large home?

The Necessity Of Careful Estate Planning

Patience and open communication are crucial to the success of living in a multigenerational home. A carelessly arranged real estate acquisition with family members can have adverse effects from an estate planning standpoint, creating unforeseen legal liabilities, leading to trust and estate litigation incidents.

However, with careful planning, the law-related pitfalls of multigenerational households can be avoided.

In case you have architectural, structural, and MEP design requirements, or home renovation, feel free to contact us.  We provide you with the full permit set design + T24.