Mother-In-Law, Granny Pods, In-law Floor & House Plans

What are some important things to you as you are building a home? Your answer will probably depend on what you are trying to achieve with the home you want to build.

For a family that has 2 kids at home and a couple planning on living there, the needs are very different from others. Are you looking to retire in the house that you are building? There may also be some concerns surrounding accessibility that you would want to consider.

Building a house that has a mother-in-law suite has a lot of advantages. There are many other features for you to consider as you find the design that is right for your family:

We have some great plans available if you consider building a home for your mother-in-law. These homes also serve a range of other functions. They’re great when you want to have someone close by without having them run around the house the entire time.

We will look at some of the features you might be interested in. We will go over some of the things usually included in the design for someone aging. If you know your mother-in-law will be using the unit, you may even want to talk to her. Figure out some of the things that she believes would be good to have.

The units featured on this page also serve another range of functions. You can have a teenager living in them. If they get to an age where you are otherwise having too much friction between the two of you, these units are great.

Living under the same roof as a teenager can be tough. These units can also be a great place to use for your guests. Sometimes you will want guests to come over. You would rather make sure that you aren’t starting to get on each other’s nerves. It happens when people are forced into too small a space for too long.

These units can usually be referred to granny pods or mother-in-law houses, with corresponding plans. We also have various options that include mother-in-law suites. Those aren’t standalone units but houses with the amenities to comfortably host another person living with you. Some people refer to these units as mother-in-law cottages.

Who is it for?

• Individuals looking for a rental property that’s away from the main house
• Multi-generational families that live together
• Elderly parents that want to live independently

Benefits of having an additional bedroom inside your existing house

There are many ways to host guests, but having them in a separate unit will give you advantages over other options. For one, it is easier to give them a key and be comfortable with their coming and going as they desire. They’re great if you know your guests are coming in late in the evening when you cannot go and pick them up.

You won’t have to leave the main house unlocked but can leave this individual unit unlocked. By doing so, they can come in after you have gone to bed. You won’t have to worry about waking up in the middle of the night from the noise arising. You will also feel safer going to bed knowing that you locked the door to the main unit.

Having this additional unit also means that they won’t end up having to go to a nearby hotel. It’s great at the end of the night when everyone may have had a couple of glasses of wine with dinner.

It provides you more freedom knowing that you can have as much wine as possible. No one will have to drive anywhere. It is some of the freedom it allows! You are more likely to let guests stay for longer periods when you know they can do things independently of your plans. You won’t have to coordinate and make sure that someone is home when they plan on coming home.

When the space isn’t being used, it can also serve other purposes. Building an additional unit close to your house can be a good financial decision. If you live in a city with many people traveling through it, you can generate a side income from the unit.

If you plan on renting it in the future, make sure you include some of the amenities that other units include. You may be building an amicable place for seniors. You might want to make sure that it is still appealing to someone interested in renting from you.

Think about balancing how modern the finishes are if you plan to keep the place for 20 years before selling it. There is a high probability very modern finishes end up going out of fashion again before you sell the house. More traditional finishes don’t have the same risk.

You may be stuck with a piece of real estate where you don’t recoup your investment if you go modern. You are not building a big luxurious home. You are still building one that serves different purposes.

Benefits:

• Cost-effective option for multiple generations
• You’re near your family if anything goes wrong
• Potential rental income
• Ability to be close but not too close

Cons:

• Costs of maintaining separate living quarters
• Limited outdoor recreation space
• There may not be space on your plot of land
• Some loss of privacy if the family moves in

Some of the most common features

Mother-in-law houses are made to have different members of the family living very independently while still interacting. They have a lot of the same features that some of our smaller homes may have.

If you don’t find what you are looking for on this page, look at our other options. We have great 800 and 1,000 square foot options that could work as in-law homes. A lot of them are very similar. They’re smaller than our common L-shaped homes. Those are our most popular options on this platform. A small home could be a great alternative to Mother-in-law’s house plans.

These structures have certain features perfect for both your in-law and a rental unit. They tend to have a kitchen that is a bit on the smaller side. It still provides the ability to make a lot of culinary magic. They also have a small living space where someone can sit and take the time to relax.

Your in-law could move in on your property because they are an age where it is nice to have family closer. These homes are still designed to ensure many aspects of everyday life can still be ensured. Just because they are reaching an age where things are harder does not mean they won’t value privacy.

Designed with accessibility in mind

Certain things naturally get harder as a person gets older. These designs have many of the same features to consider if you build a home you can retire in.

2-story and 3-story homes may have been a great idea earlier in someone’s life. They also pose various problems as someone gets older. With age, it becomes harder to climb the stairs of the house. You may have previously enjoyed the terrace you have on the top floor. Getting there isn’t quite as easy when the mobility starts being worse than before.

It doesn’t matter if you’re building it for yourself or someone you love. It is often hard to accept when you start feeling that you are no longer as mobile as you used to be.

It is better to build for the function to have significantly better outcomes. Your terrace on the top floor may have offered amazing views. There is no reason you should be depriving yourself of the possibility of sitting outside and enjoying breakfast.

It may not quite offer the same views. Building a home with a wraparound porch will at least ensure that you have somewhere cozy to sit in the morning. On top of that, it is also very accessible.

These units are a great way to make multi-generational living easy without everyone getting on people’s nerves. These designs have been specifically designed for someone getting a little bit older. The final house you end with can still be done in a way that serves many purposes.

Features to include:

• Separate entrances
• Technology for safety
• Accessible amenities
• Proper ventilation
• Focus on accessibility

Building for someone who is getting older

It is important to remember you are only buying the house’s framework when buying the design from us. There are still things that you need to consider throughout the building process. These are considerations that we can’t make for you. The structure may be important to provide the level of accessibility needed. So are the interior finishes you install, which we have no control over.

Consider installing a walk-in bathtub instead rather than installing a normal bathtub. These may commonly be associated with someone a little bit older. There is no reason not to embrace everything they offer.

They are a great way to lower the risk of slipping and falling significantly. They fill up a lot quicker than a conventional bathtub. They are usually associated with senior living.

They could make it easier for you to get your kids to take a bath as they allow them the opportunity to sit down fully. An added benefit is that they don’t use the same amount of water as a normal tub. Nor do they take the same time it would otherwise take to fill a tub!

These bathtubs don’t require someone with limited mobility to make acrobatic moves to get over the edge of the tub. You are largely limiting the possibility that someone ends up getting hurt.

Whenever children use the bathtub, they face some of the same issues seniors may have. They don’t necessarily have the same mobility issues. They may not be as aware of what they are doing and potential slip hazards in the bathroom.

They are forced to let the bathtub drain before leaving with a walk-in bathtub. At this point, they can open the door and exit through it.

Ensure that the bathroom is safe to use for someone with limited mobility. You will want to ensure adequate grab bars in the bathroom. They can be useful in situations where someone is trying to maneuver.

Install a couple close to the bathtub that can easily be helped for stabilizing. The walk-in bathtub will make it less likely that they slip and fall. An additional grab bar is an easy fix to add a tiny bit of additional safety to the space.

The bathroom must be designed conveniently for someone getting older. It is the place in the house where the biggest hazards lure. It’s not the bathtub that may be a potential issue. There are other things to think about as well. Normal toilets are good for someone with normal mobility.

They may be problematic for getting older. That’s the reason some toilets are made taller than usual toilets. It makes them easier to use them. Even if you plan to rent out the space when it is not being used, no one will mind an elevated toilet. A walk-in bathtub is also a great feature if the unit is well kept and has all the needed amenities.

Just because you’re building for someone getting older doesn’t mean you aren’t getting the features you want. Has a double garage with a daylight basement always been your dream? Now’s the right time to build it!

Mistakes to avoid:

• Not having enough outdoor space
• Not considering aspects of a potential rental
• Ignoring accessibility and safety requirements
• Not considering changing needs in the future

How to finish the home with features that will help ensure the best possible functionality

The bathroom isn’t the only place where you need to make adjustments if you plan on using the space for someone aging. It may be the place with the biggest safety hazards. When building for a senior, we recommend always building a single-level house. All the important features need to be on the ground floor. Make sure that you make these adjustments as you are building. It’s better than adjusting the house later as you are saving yourself a lot of money!

You should make sure you have wide enough doorways for someone using a wheelchair. Doorways need to be easy to get through and still be comfortable. A wheelchair may be able to get through a more narrow door.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that it is an ideal situation and will be easy for someone. Wheelchairs can be hard to maneuver. If you accidentally install normal doorways, you will not just have to take the existing ones out.

You will have to finish the entire area around the space again afterward. It includes new paint and drywall, affecting the electrical work. At that point, it ends up becoming very expensive.

It is even more imperative that seniors don’t get exposed to more slippery surfaces than they have to be. No one wants to slip and fall. It is especially the case when you are at an age where it can be hard to get up if you fall. There are especially slippery and just certain surfaces.

Some of them are outright dangerous when they get wet. Instead of installing hard stone floors, you should start looking into vinyl and linoleum ones. They are safer in many instances. While these floors may have previously been associated with low-quality floor materials, it is no longer the case.

Not only are these types of materials less slippery. They are also a bit softer, meaning someone who falls won’t get injured quite as badly. It means the number of potential fall accidents decreases significantly. They also have an advantage over carpets.

They trap significantly fewer allergens and are easier to keep clean. When preparing delicious recipes, you don’t want to worry about stains. It will be a much smaller concern if you install a piece of flooring material that is not just slip-resistant but also easy to keep clean!

If you are building for wheelchair use, include a good material for wheelchair use. Carpets do not cut when it comes to wheelchairs. Vinyl is once again one of the materials we find people gravitating towards.

The kitchen

Maybe you like cooking at present in your life. Maybe you are a person who prefers to eat out a lot. There is no denying that someone a bit older will also have more time on their hands.

They need to figure out what to do with it. Taking up cooking is one of those joys you may have when you find yourself with a lot more time available. It’s relevant even if you are retiring.

There is a reason you always loved your grandmother’s cooking as a child. She had the time to put the love into the cooking that it deserved. When it comes to accessibility, you want to install both countertops and cabinets that can be accessed.

If you have ever endured standing on a stool to reach the back of the cabinets, you will know it is not fun. This task is hazardous for someone who is a little bit wobbly on their feet. Make the cabinets more accessible by having them hang lower.

It is easy to ensure that the kitchen becomes a safer place. Rather than installing cabinets at their usual height, consider installing ones at a lower height. No one will have to get on a stool to access all the goodies at the back of the cabinet.

If someone uses a wheelchair, you must have a countertop that accommodates those needs. There are functional ones that will allow a wheelchair to go underneath it. The risks of cooking are greatly reduced.

If you decide you still want a home with multiple floors, you may include an elevator. Some of the house plans that we have available here offer elevators. You can either access those by using the search function or going directly to the category with those.

Some other options can also be retrofitted to have an elevator added. You may be able to build a bigger home, even if you are building on a plot of land that is relatively small.

Homes built to be mother-in-law suites don’t just have to be your average-styled home. Here are some funky looks you can consider to let that in-law stay in style.