To Build or Buy? What Must Haves Do I Need?

[LaLa1923]

We are looking to buy a home soon. DH is pickier than I am so we might decide to build.
I cannot wait to have my own daycare space! We have 5 kids now, so we have a family of 7.

My must haves for our house include-
1. Mud room (I have no space for jackets, book bags or shoes!

2. Open concept floor plan.

3. Kitchen pantry!

4. Island with seating

5. 5-8 bedrooms, 4.5 bath ( I know this is a tall order, but we would at least need to buy a home that we can expand).......

6. Basement with separate entrance

I can't decide if I want to have my daycare in the basement or buy a house with an in-law suite? Typically, homes that have an in-law suite are like apartments with separate entrances. What do you think?

[Blackcat31]

My DH and I just built our own home about 5 years ago. We had a laundry list of things we wanted similar to yours (just not as many bedrooms LOL!) and after all is said and done, the only piece of advice that I would say is an absolute must for me if given the choice is single floor living.

You might not notice it now because you are young but having to go up and down stairs every single day, multiple times will wear on you and will do so quickly.

Our home is single floor.

If I were you I would opt for a home with a in-law suite long before I would ever choose a basement for daycare.

Just my

[melilley]

An in law suite would be awesome!!!! That way you are right near home, but it's separate. Unless you would need to be home with your kids or they could just go to the suite with you, but that may be a pain. Are any of your kids with you all day? If they are I would do basement, if not suite!

[countrymom]

the only thing about having everything on one floor is that I would find that my kids could not have privacy. I have 4 kids all our bedrooms are upstairs. I love the fact that my kids can go upstairs and be away from the daycare kids. I rarely go upstairs during the day because only our bedrooms are upstairs.

I would also add that I have 4 bathrooms and love it, cleaning is a bit a pain but I love it.

I would also add that you need to have a decent laundry room. I wish I had a place to fold clothes and iron and have a door that can close.

I would do the inlaw suite (is that like a apartment downstairs) because then you would have a full kitchen and when your are done, you can close the door and go upstairs. Unless your kids are like mine and would use it after hours.

[itlw8]

If you want to keep the childcare out of your family area a bathroom and kitchenette are a must.

[canadiancare]

I use the main floor of my home for daycare. I live in a subdivision cookie cutter type house and use what is supposed to be the living room as the playroom/sleeproom.
The daycare kids also use the washroom on this floor and the kitchen.

If you have the choice I would definitely opt for the in-law apt. keep all your daycare stuff in that space- you could even have a separate entrance and should you stop doing daycare you could have it as a private space for your teenagers or actually as an inlaw space.