How Much Square Footage Do I Need for My Custom Home?

Written By Zach Weaver

Determining how many square feet you need to build a house will be driven mainly by price. The size and amount of square feet you choose for your home is ultimately up to you, but there are a few considerations to think through to help you fine-tune the square footage of your new home.

 

Square Footage for Number of Rooms in a House

2 Bedrooms, 2 Bath

1,000 - 1,200

3 Bedrooms, 2 Bath

1,200 - 1,700

3 Bedrooms, 2 Bath, Flex Room

1,700 - 2,000

4 Bedrooms, 2 Bath, Flex Room

2,000 - 2,300

4 - 5 Bedrooms, 2.5 Bath,
Flex/Game Room,
Possibly 2nd Dining Room

2,300 - 2,700

Lot Size:
How Big of a Home Can You Reasonably Build on Your Lot?

The size of the home you can build on your lot depends on a few factors: 

  • Your neighborhood or lot deed restrictions, which may limit the size of the home you can build.

  • City requirements for maximum lot coverage. Cities often limit the percentage of the lot you can cover with the home, and with paving.

  • The side front and rear setbacks. 

For example, on a 50' x 125 lot in A-5 zoning within the city limits of Fort Worth, Texas, you could build somewhere between 5,000 - 5,500 square feet of living space. On a one-acre property in Johnson County, you could build that big or bigger. 

In many developments, there are minimum home sizes. You can verify this in your deed restriction document by searching "minimum" in the pdf. 

Options & Upgrades:
What Extra Features Are You Wanting in Your Home?

Consider the options and upgrades you are wanting for your house. If you want a large master bathroom with two closets, a stand-alone tub and a shower, you will need to factor that into the square footage of your house.

Here are a few upgrades and features that add some square footage to your home: 

  • Walk-in master shower

  • Double-bowl master vanity

  • Covered patios and porches

  • Three-car garage

  • Wood-burning fireplace

  • Enhanced laundry and mud rooms

  • Kitchen cabinet upgrades

Zach Weaver