How to Design and Build a Home for Retirement

August 4, 2015

best-kept secrets for exceptional retirement living, for more than two decades. Known as the Pacific Northwest’s “banana belt” with the same average annual rainfall as Los Angeles, Western Washington is an adult playground for retirees with fishing, hiking, boating and much more practically at your doorstep. Here are a few tips for designing and building a home for your retirement years.

Quality Construction

Penny pinching on the home you build for your retirement years can have disastrous consequences. Years after you move in unforeseen repairs caused by poor construction can be a drain on your retirement income (not to mention the time it will take away from the golf course). When you select a builder there is no such thing as being too diligent. Some signs of a quality builder include:
  • Time in business: A builder that has been in business for several decades has homes that are several decades old. How well do those homes stand up over time?
  • Customer testimonials: What do existing customers have to say about their home? How satisfied are they with the quality years after they move in? (See more than 100 Estes Builders customer testimonials.)
  • Industry recognition: How well are they respected within their industry for construction quality? (See Estes Builders industry accolades.)

Energy Efficiency

One of the best ways to protect your retirement savings is to keep monthly cost-of-living low. There is no return on investment for money spent on higher electricity and gas bills. Talk to your builder about green building materials that can help keep costs under control while keeping you warm and cozy.

Intelligent Use Design

We have all lived in homes that had rooms that were rarely used. Maybe it’s a formal living room, bedrooms that serve little purpose after the kids move away to college, or a dreary basement that continues to accumulate more stuff year after year. At Estes Builders, we think you should love every inch of your home all year long. Intelligent use design focuses on creating exceptional spaces that you use everyday. That means less space to furnish, less space to heat and cool, less space to clean, and more time for doing what you love.

Easy to Manage

Whether your idea of the dream vacation is a month in Paris or a week visiting the grandchildren, retirement is a time when you can enjoy more freedom to travel without worry. After all, what’s the fun of a gondola ride in Venice if you’re worrying about whether the lawn has been mowed while you’re away? Design a home with low-maintenance decks and porches instead of a yard to create a home that makes lock-and-leave living almost effortless.

Flexible Design

It’s inevitable. The kids you send off to college today return as adults with families of their own before you know it. Think of “expandable” home design that’s easy to manage everyday but can also accommodate visiting kids and grandkids. A study that can also serve as a guest room, a walk-out basement that can also be used as a playroom, and privacy suites that feature a bedroom with an attached bath. Flexible design can also ensure that your home is the perfect fit even as your own needs change. A main level master suite, a walk-in shower with seat, and open and accessible living spaces give your home a timeless functionality. How does a home that’s all about you look and feel? Tell us! Schedule a free Project Analysis in person or by Skype. Whether you have just a few vague ideas or a meticulously crafted plan, we can help you turn your ideas into an action plan for your new home. Estes Builders is an award-winning design build firm that specializes in custom homes in Western Washington. We have earned more than 130 customer testimonials and a reputation as Western Washington’s most trusted custom home builder. We build custom homes in Sequim, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Port Ludlow, Bainbridge Island, Kingston, Silverdale, Port Orchard and surrounding areas. Contact us for a FREE Project Analysis to discuss your project.]]>