smaller lakefront multi generation home

[Silverwood]

So the title is what I'm looking for and boy is it ever hard to find plans.

My parents are in their early 50's and don't want a huge house. They live in a modular home on the lake right now and love it but because of my dad's business (sewer truck) want to buy a house where they can park the truck (s). They lease the property and there are rules. One of them being no large trucks. There isn't much left but there are a few 3 acre lots.

I live in the city and love being 10 mins from work. However I plan on having a child on my own and have been throwing out the idea of building a home that would fit us all.   It would be an hours drive for me but then again childcare is about 600 a month.

It's just an idea and I like looking at house plans anyway. Mostly cause WTF! The whole master suite on some is the size of the 3 car garage or pretty much the size of my house now.   The layouts don't make sense to me.  The walk in closets could be a kids bedroom. Lol   

Has anyone else laughed at these as well?  Any sites out there that you looked at and liked?

[lakemom]

Have you looked at duplex plans?  Or plans with a defined "in-law" suite?  Alternatively, if you get serious about this a design or architechture firm could design from scratch with the actual lot (level, hill, walk-out, whatever) taken into account.

[Silverwood]

I've looked at a few.  Most just seemed so big. I will look inryo getting an architecture firm to draw up plans. That might be easier as most plans I've looked at would have to be modified anyway

[begood]

I spend a lot of time at houseplans.com, and they have a category for houses with in-law suites. I chose "2000-2999" square feet, but you could tweak that at the site to have it show smaller houses if you want:

http://www.houseplans.com/collection/house-plans-with-in-law-suites#sf%5B%5D=2000&s=MOST_POPULAR&p=1

[Roots&Wings]

These sites also have some nice smaller house plans, including some that might work for multi-generation (I like looking at houses too!)

http://www.perfectlittlehouse.com/designs.php
http://www.rosschapin.com/Plans/plans.html

[MikeBear]

You need to check for what they ALLOW to be built on one of those lakefront sites FIRST.

No use digging through all sorts of plans, finding the one you love, and finding out the restrictions placed on the lot doesn't allow it to be built.

Maybe all your dad needs to do now, is build a pole barn to hide the truck.

[Silverwood]

Well that's no fun :)  but true. Ill have to ask what the restrictions are. He has the truck parked at a farm down the road. 

[Roots&Wings]

Yes, good to be brought back to earth :)  Although since it sounded like you're still at the ideas stage (and enjoy looking at houses), there's also the garage apartment option for multi-generation, depending on what you find out is allowed:

http://www.thegarageplanshop.com/
http://www.smallworks.ca/houses/index.html

[MikeBear]

Yes, good to be brought back to earth :)  Although since it sounded like you're still at the ideas stage (and enjoy looking at houses), there's also the garage apartment option for multi-generation, depending on what you find out is allowed:

http://www.thegarageplanshop.com/
http://www.smallworks.ca/houses/index.html

A garage apartment could also be a money-maker for an AirBnB rental now and again... Especially on lakefront where you can have a set of water toys for them to use with the rental. Of course, that means liability insurance ($1,000,000 umbrella rider added to regular insurance isn't that expensive), but also would allow your perceived value of the rental be much higher than normal. So, easier to rent and get more money.

[Silverwood]

Yeah I like the idea of the garage apartment. It would also be more private to rent out after compared to having a separate suite in the house.