You’ve secured the perfect acreage with ample space, a quiet atmosphere, and plenty of options. Blending privacy, nature, and personalized design, building a custom home on an acreage helps you craft a lifestyle that fits your unique needs and wants that suburban lots simply can’t offer.
Here, we’ll uncover what to expect when designing a custom home on an acreage including:
- Benefits of acreage properties
- Initial considerations
- Designing for the landscape
- Custom design choices
- Working with the right team
Benefits of Acreage Properties
Calgary offers both the vibrancy of downtown living, suburbs, and large areas of land on its outskirts. This means you have many choices. Owning an acreage can be incredibly appealing if you’re attracted to the idea of peace and quiet and extra space.
The whole list of benefits that come with acreage properties include:
- More land space than downtown properties
- Lower population density
- Increased privacy
- Decreased noise
- Higher property value
- Improved natural scenery
Initial Considerations
Designing a home can feel overwhelming. With so much to consider, where do you start? Starting the process with Ellergodt Design means ensuring no detail is missed.
Zoning & Legal Restrictions
First things first, we’ll check the zoning laws, building codes, and possible developer and architecture control in your area. Understanding these will help you know what you can and can’t do on your acreage. Typically, acreage properties in rural areas have fewer regulations, which means shorter approval times.
Access & Infrastructure
We also suggest thinking about how you’ll reach your new home. Are the roads paved, or will you need to plan for something a bit rougher? Don’t forget about essentials for modern living like utilities and internet.
Environmental Considerations
Building on an acreage often means dealing with untouched land. You might need to consider soil stability, water sources, and how to preserve the natural landscape around you. But don’t worry, we’re here to bring out the best in your purchased lot or help you decide on the right one for your needs.
Designing for the Landscape
In Calgary and the surrounding area, the landscape can be quite diverse. Ranging from incredibly hilly to dead flat, your custom home must be designed for your unique lot. This includes the following considerations.
Topography & Site Planning
Take full advantage of your surroundings. Position your home to capture the best views and sunlight, and think about how the land’s natural features can enhance your living experience.
Home Size & Features
You can do a lot with an acre. From a substantial-sized house to extensive landscaping and extra space for gardens, outbuildings, and recreational areas, you’ll have enough room to get creative.
With that said, just because you have all that space doesn’t mean you have to design an incredibly large home. Custom homes don’t always mean huge. We often design homes in the 1,000-5,000 square foot range. For many of our clients, it isn’t about size, it’s about quality design that reflects their lifestyle.
Integrating Indoor & Outdoor Spaces
Consider seamless transitions between the indoors and outdoors. Large windows, covered patios, and strategically placed gardens can all help tie your home into the landscape.
Sustainable Practices
Consider eco-friendly options like solar panels, geothermal heating, and rainwater harvesting to reduce your environmental footprint and potentially save on utilities.
Custom Design Choices
Choosing to design a custom home in Calgary over a stock plan or pre-built home means getting a home that’s unique to your needs and wants. In the initial stages of your design, you’ll consider everything from your preferred features to overall style.
Customizing to Personal Taste
Whether you’re imagining a modern minimalist design or a rustic log cabin, your home should reflect your personal style. During the initial stages of your custom home design, we welcome as many images from our clients as possible. This gives us an idea of what kind of style you like best.
Functionality & Flexibility
It’s important that the spaces in your home cater not just to your current needs but also to potential future changes. Flexible room uses, expandable areas, and adaptable designs can accommodate life’s unpredictability. Now’s the time to think about the future—whether that’s aging in place or multigenerational living.
Material Selection
The materials you choose to build your home should complement the aesthetics of your acreage and stand up to the ever-changing local climate. From high winds and hail to extreme hot and cold temperatures, the materials your home is made from matter.
Experienced designers and custom home builders in Calgary can help point you in the right direction.
Working with the Right Team
The team you choose to design your custom home build on an acreage matters. The right team will help deliver a smooth, collaborative process—not one you feel you have no control over.
Choosing Your Team
The success of your project depends heavily on the team you choose. Look for home designers and custom acreage home builders in Calgary who specialize in acreage homes and have a good understanding of the local environment and zoning laws.
Communication & Collaboration
Regular updates and an open line of communication can ensure your project stays aligned with your vision. At Ellergodt Design, we live and breathe collaboration. We work closely with our clients to design homes that reflect their unique lives, lifestyles, and needs.
You are an integral part of the design process, and throughout our time together, we’ll ensure your needs are heard, understood, and implemented.
Custom Home Design, Reimagined for Your Acreage
Dreaming of your own acreage home? Don’t just dream—plan! Start by consulting with custom home designers who can help turn your vision into reality.
Contact Ellergodt Design to learn more about what goes into an acreage home design and begin your journey toward custom living today.
FAQ
What Is an acreage home?
An acreage home is a home on a parcel of land 1 acre or larger, usually located in rural or semi-rural areas.
Is an acre of space a lot of land to build a house?
An acre is a generous amount of space to build a house—especially when compared to the average lot size of homes in downtown Calgary. To put this into perspective, an acre is 43,560 square feet. The average home in downtown Calgary is 1,760 square feet. That’s a lot of extra space.