House Plans For Narrow Lots With & Without Front Garages

We may not all have the luxury of owning massive lots to place whatever house you wish on. You might be living in an area like New York where lot prices are through the roof. You’re looking to maximize the bang for your buck. This could mean building a 2-story or a 3-story house. That is, instead of keeping it more flat. However, you could also find that you’re looking for a duplex. They do not require space between each property. If you build a duplex, you can choose to live in one and rent out another. It will help cover your own cost of living there!

Certain features are more obvious to consider when building on a narrow plot. However, here are some things you may want to think about having. You can also consider a row house.

You may want to have a taller house than it is wide. You may still wish to have a parking spot you can use, even if you’re building a modern beach retreat.

We have combined a range of different narrow lot house plan options for you to consider—some of them with a front garage and some without. We’ve got you covered when you want to have a narrow lot house plan. We can help. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a 2-story or 3-story. It won’t be an issue if your lot is long and narrow or simply small.

Who is it for?

• City dwellers
• People wanting to downsize
• Investors that rent out houses
• Someone that wants a more efficient house
• Someone with a narrow lot

Long and Narrow Shotgun layouts

These are also often referred to as shotgun houses. The real name may stem from the word “shotgun” instead. Narrow lot houses are usually no wider than 12 feet. On the other hand, they may be significantly longer if the plan isn’t to build towards the sky.

They may be long and narrow, but they can still be unique in making. A common feature is to drive under the section where the family’s car is parked. The living room and bedrooms are on floors higher up. Even if you have to build on a small lot, you may not necessarily want to forego your garage. We also have a wide selection of row houses. Having a narrow house does not necessarily mean that that is what you’re confined to.

They may also have the same floor layout since many are built simultaneously. They usually look very much alike on the outside as a consequence. Their layout offers unprecedented ease of building.

We are giving you the option to create something unique that fits your taste and needs. It’ll take the limitations of the lot into account, too. Very common variations featured here include 20×40 ft, or others being 30×50 ft.

Front garages

You may be building a slim design. It doesn’t mean that you’re not looking for some of the same amenities as a more traditional, detached home. With these narrow lot options, the most popular place to put a garage is in the front. It makes it the more practical choice to go with.

You do have limitations with a lot that is confined by its size. More so than you would have with one that could easily fit a U-shaped or L-shaped home. It does not mean you have to give up on those features you value so dearly. You may have to be a bit more creative in the way that you choose to incorporate certain aspects into your living situation. It could mean the best option is to include a front garage on the lower level of the home. At the same time, you’ll have the living area on the levels above it. It can be especially convenient if your lot additionally has exterior elevation on top of being narrow.

Benefits:

• They’re very efficient at using limited space
• Low-maintenance home
• Low construction costs
• Several homes can be on one lot
• Eco-friendly home

Cons:

• Not a lot of outdoor living area
• Not great if you have bulky furniture
• Planning is important
• It can feel cramped
• It may not be great in terms of parking

Drive under houses

The drive-under option has the garage on the lowest floor. It’s very popular when it comes to narrow lot options. Other scenarios may benefit from it, too. You’ll end up being higher up. Bedrooms and entertainment options are placed at higher elevations. It will provide you with great views!

It is popular with these designs because of its functionality to spaces with small lots. It ensures that you’re not using square footage on top of the actual lot. Rather, you get convenient access to parking for your car.

Easy access to a lake or beach?

Lots situated on either a beach or a lake are usually incredibly expensive. It is especially the case if you’re in parts of the world where land prices go through the roof. Examples of this include California. We understand your desire to access all facilities, and we do not blame you at all.

We may all want that contemporary U-shaped house on the beach. Lots are often prohibitively expensive for most people who haven’t invented social media apps. The same goes for the variation with an additional 2 legs, the H-shaped home. It takes up more space than most have near the beach. That’s why you might be looking in the direction of something more modest. You’re looking for something that still gives you those beautiful views that you crave.

The options here could still provide you with what you’re looking for at a more reasonable cost.

Features to include:

• Clever floor plan layout
• High ceilings can make the space feel bigger
• Multi-use spaces that have flexible designs

Zero Lot-Line

Zero-lot-line designs are a variation that is often used for narrow lots. The house borders the property line to better use all the land available on the lot. Suppose that is what you’re looking for. In that case, we also encourage you to visit our page dedicated to row houses. The selection of plans available on that page may better answer your curiosity. Another common type with that feature is townhomes. They exist in both attached and detached residence variations.

Narrow lot homes can be great but can also have their limitations. If you know that you’ll use it as a beach retreat, there are certain things you want to consider as you choose the design. Here are some special factors that may impact your decision, whether you’re building narrow or not.

Small and rustic

The typical design included here is likely smaller than your average 3 or 4 bedroom design. You can find great narrow options and their respective floor plans with a bunch of various features. These include varying levels of rustic or bungalow style.

Mistakes to avoid:

• Putting too many things in
• Not having enough light come in.
• Not adhering to zoning regulations
• Not including energy efficiency in the equation

20 x 40 and 30 x 50

You might be interested in knowing that the most common variations include the 20×40 ft and the 30×50 feet. If you build a couple of stories tall, you can get more than 1,500 sq ft using these designs. It should be enough for an average-sized family.

Duplex & Triplex

Make sure that you’re not just building what you want to build. You could additionally focus on the return on investment of your project! We encourage you to look at the plans, including our dedicated duplex and triplex page. They are perfect for narrow lots and give you opportunities to start recouping an investment while living there. Our system is set up so that you can use various filters. Sort by going straight to the home category you’re interested in, as that will save you a lot of time.

Single-Story or Two-story?

The two-story options are our most popular subcategory on this page. You may avoid some of the potential foundation issues from building even taller. You’re still managing to get the necessary square footage on a lot of a limited size.

If you’re building these in the middle of the city, you may also realize that single-story homes have limitations. They won’t provide you with the same amount of privacy you may want, especially for your bedrooms.

Luxurious and contemporary

We’re not saying that one type of home fits everyone. We want to make it abundantly clear that you must find the home that best matches your needs. Keep the limitations in mind that you can’t get out of. We also have those designs if you want luxurious and modern. Maybe you want a 4 bedroom, Craftsman’s style. Maybe you want a coastal home. You might be getting a little more specific than what we can offer.

Dimensions

The good news is that you can get the plans altered if you have specific wishes you want to be incorporated. There are naturally some limitations when choosing such a specific category as this one is.

Whether you’re building this as your lake retreat or a full-time residence, we can help. When you’re done with your build, we hope you’ll send us the messages and share your happiness with us.

There are various types of building terminology. If you’re in various states, there are even different standards for what is defined as a narrow lot. The definition that we go by on this website is that you operate with a narrow lot less than 50 feet wide.

Building on a narrow lot requires a lot of strategies that you wouldn’t consider if you had a bigger lot. When you’re building there, your best strategy is to think vertically. Seek out the design options on the site. Keep your plot’s dimensions in the back of your head as you’re strategizing. You want to make sure that you are about to build something that works with your plot. You also want to make sure that you’re finding something that works in terms of style.

You are typically operating with a deeper lot than you may otherwise have access to. It lends itself to options that have deeper designs. You may be able to find designs across the platform that will work for plots more narrow than 50 feet wide. The ones that we have listed on this page are ones we have chosen because we believe they’re the best-suited ones for you.

Your options may be more limited with a narrow house. There are still a lot of styles to consider.

Energy efficiency

You can get many benefits from building on one of these plots that some believe is more difficult. However, building vertical can be extremely advantageous for energy efficiency. There is a lot more surface area when you have a ranch. It means your house will be a lot less energy efficient than a tall house.

You don’t want to forego privacy, high ceilings, and open spaces. Building vertically shouldn’t mean sacrificing everything. It does mean you will want to consider the layout of the design. You want to make sure it has the necessary open spaces and windows, allowing you to keep your privacy. If you’re putting in big windows in front, you will naturally be giving up some of that hard-to-earn privacy. With narrow-style homes, you don’t have an abundance of it either.

You will want to ensure that the narrow house you’re building has all the necessary features. If you’re building it on the beach, you will want it to have all the features that any beach retreat would have. It’s no different if you’re working with something more narrow than typical homes!

Narrow lot homes come in various shapes and forms with many features. You can even get ranches for narrow lots as well as multi-family options. You can find them with rear or side garages if that is what you’re after. You can get something luxurious or made with great features if built on a lake.

Do you want a bungalow or an option with a Mediterranean feel? From 2-family to contemporary or corner lot, we’ll help you find the right option for you. If you’ve got a long plot, you will also want a long narrow design. L-shaped homes for narrow lots work great when you have lots of waterfronts.

Good luck with your project, and happy browsing!