Don't Be A Slave To Your Big House, Consider Building A Small House

If you are thinking about building a small house, hooray for you!
Building a small house has many advantages. For starters, small houses cost less. First, there is the expense of construction. Building costs are typically measured by the square foot. If construction costs in your area are $200 per square foot, a 1,200 square foot home will cost $240,000. A 1,500 square foot home will cost $300,000. Just a small increase in area, adds quite a substantial amount to the construction cost. Money saved = fewer hours working to pay off that mortgage!
Small houses also cost less over time. If you pay property tax, your annual tax bill will be smaller because just like construction costs, property taxes are derived from the home's square footage. Maintenance?, it will be less. With less volume to heat and cool, lower utility bills.
Small houses are easier to clean. I mean really, who wants to spend all weekend cleaning their house? Clutter is not a pretty thing in a small house, there just isn't room for it. If you are moving into a small home from a larger one, you really have to spend some time thinking about what is of value to you and what isn't. It might be hard at first, imagining your life without all the things that you've become accustomed to, but living with less can be a rather freeing experience. You learn what works and what doesn't and you don't spend time on the things that don't work.
Small houses are perfect for those small or unusual urban lots. In many cities there aren't big lots available, never mind that big lots are more expensive. A lot that is always overlooked because it is small or oddly shaped might be just perfect for you, especially if it has great views and is within walking distance of the things you love.
Small houses aren't as attractive to thieves. Maybe it's because it's obvious that you can't fit too many large screen TV's into your house.
With fewer TV's and physical proximity to each other, it's likely that your family may develop a closeness that you wouldn't otherwise enjoy. Parents may also appreciate knowing what the kids are doing and knowing where they are.
It's possible to pack more quality into a smaller home. Covering every square inch of a big kitchen with granite and tile is a lot more expensive and difficult than doing the same thing in a smaller kitchen. Same holds true for all the other rooms.
I encourage you to consider building the smallest house that will work for you. There really isn't a reason to build big if you don't need it. A big house may impress the neighbors, but the question worth asking is do you really need all of that space and what is it going to cost you in terms of time, money and quality of life?