A huge advantage to building a custom home is the ability to design enough space in your house plan for all of your family’s unique needs. A popular request from Quaker homeowners is the addition of a guest or “in-law” suite. A large percentage of American adults are caregivers for their parents, or simply enjoy having them close by. Built-in guest suites provide a private space in your home to comfortably host your family- whether that be year round or on occasion.
As much as we love our families, it can be stressful hosting them when your home doesn’t have enough space. Do one or more of your kids have to bunk in with their siblings? Does someone end up sleeping on an uncomfortable couch or air mattress? Perhaps your parents are early risers and wake the rest of the family up too early when they stay with you. Maybe your favorite cousin is a night owl and likes to watch television loudly all night. All of these anxieties are washed away when you build an in-law suite. If your parents (or guests) are happy and comfortable with their stay, it will make a positive impact on the whole family and increase the amount of quality time you and your children spend with them.
Building with Quaker Homes allows you to deeply customize the interior and exterior of whatever house plan you like best. Here is a great example of a customized Quaker floor plan with a guest suite on the first floor:
This is a real and fully customized floor plan a Quaker homeowner worked with us on. The guest area is intentionally tucked away to the right side of the first floor to provide privacy, yet at the same time, easy access to the outdoors and main areas of your home like the kitchen, family, and dining rooms. The suite itself has its own sitting area, wet bar, porch, and dining area. This makes the suite much more comfortable and inviting for guests, especially older parents who may prefer to eat and relax in their own space. The roomy-ness of the guest suite will also come in handy if your parents are elderly and need in-home nursing care. Ideally, they won’t feel cramped or cooped up in a bedroom because ample space was planned for when building the home.
Whether you call it an in-law suite, or a guest suite, it doesn’t really matter. At the end of the day, the space will increase your quality of life and the experience your guests have while staying with you. When not in use it could easily be converted into a home office, video game den for your children, or even a yoga studio! The possibilities are endless when building your own custom home, so don’t be shy- ask us about including a guest suite in your house plan.