Reduce home size

[edcsteve]

Is it possible to reduce a home plan size from say, 3,000 sf incrementally to 2,500 sf by just shrinking the entire plan? I cannot get transform replicate to allow me to do it, it acts like it will but then makes no difference.  Thoughts.

[JiAngelo]

Your wall widths, doors, windows, cabinetry and fixtures don't get proportionally smaller.

 

Hallways generally stay the same size and 2 foot deep closets don't get reduced either.

[JiAngelo]

On second thought.  You could make a perimeter building polyline of the outside of the building.  Then reduce just that polygon 5/6 (=2500/3000)

Change it to a different color and position it over your 3000sf floorplan.  First decision you'll need to make is ensuring the garage size still works inside the smaller space.  Once that at least meets the minimums, then start adjusting all the remaining rooms until they fit in your 2500sf box.

 

  

[DBCooper]

The edit area tool can sometimes help with this kind of thing.  You can shrink or stretch various parts of a house by creating an edit area polyline and then moving it around.

 

[CharlesVolz]

6 hours ago, edcsteve said:

Is it possible to reduce a home plan size from say, 3,000 sf incrementally to 2,500 sf by just shrinking the entire plan? I cannot get transform replicate to allow me to do it, it acts like it will but then makes no difference.  Thoughts.

1. I  assume by your question's wording that your reason for thinking of doing so is budgetary. not space constraints.

2. Like John said. You cannot achieve your goal by just proportionally reduce the size of cabinets, appliances and supply lines, plumbing fixtures and supply/waste/vent lines, doors, windows, wall thickness, hall widths, stair width and length, etc. due to the availability of items, the workability of others and safety and code requirements.

3. Furthermore, shrinking a floor plan does not save a proportional amount of cost as some people might think when they start the process. Kitchens, baths and laundries usually contain a majority of the more expensive items like cabinets, plumbing fixtures, appliances, countertops, lighting, electrical outlets, etc. So one would have to reduce those items and not just take floor space out of oversized living areas and bedrooms. Taking floor space out of large rooms is the least saving per square foot in cost.

4. Other items that can effect the cost, but usually minimally like reducing floor areas of large spaces, is reducing ceiling heights and roof pitches and overhangs.

5. Structural schemes can save money. Basically, columns are cheaper than beams. Shorter spans are cheaper than longer spans. Trusses, if easily available, can save money and time (more money) over stick-built roofs and floor platforms.

6. Materials for, and types of, cladding, millwork, doors, windows, cabinets, countertops, appliances, plumbing fixtures, etc. can make a significant cost difference.

7. The shape of the house determining the exterior's perimeter per the interior's area.

8. The foundations type and materials versus the soils, weather and terrain can make a difference in the cost.

9. The function of the home's layout may be studied to find wasted space that can be eliminated. Sometimes completing a programming chart where spaces are determined that they need to be "adjacent" to, "near", or "far" from every other space in the house will uncover a flaw in the layout that may affect efficiency.

10. I expect this process to require the owner to prioritize items, areas and spaces over others.

 

These are just some items that come to mind after reading your question and thinking about it for a moment. I suggest a qualified designer take a holistic approach to reducing the cost as needed. Again, I am assuming that the cost is the problem, that the size directly.

 

 

Another (partial) solution may be to build in phases. Like build a detached garage later. This is my least favorite solution because:

A. It will cost more later due to inflation, but also because it is now a smaller different type of job. A small portion of a larger job benefits of the material costs, the speed and sophistication.

B. Different companies and crews typically do garages vs houses and they usually cost more and are less attentive because it is a small job and less sophistication and size is required.

C. Not building a portion when a big effort is made building the rest can mean that portion never gets built or becomes a negative drain on the owners caused by years of delay. Building a garage separately can be a headache. (Ask me how I know.)

 

Best,

Charles