How Many Bedrooms Do You Need for Your House? ABHP (2024)

October 3, 2023

Determine the ideal number of bedrooms for your new home with our help. Explore factors like family size, budget, and future plans to decide.

Are you at the point in your house plan search where you’re asking yourself: How many bedrooms do I really need?

Before falling in love with a particular style or dreaming about the perfect furniture arrangement, your first step when approaching the home-building process should be to define your goals and priorities according to your current stage in life and the upcoming future. Why do you want to build a house? What are some of the things you would like to do in and with your new place? What are the main priorities in terms of space, features, and amenities? Determining these necessities takes a little foreshadowing in order to figure out what your family might need in the future.

Perhaps the most important factor to determine is the number of bedrooms needed in your new house. Why is this so important? Because a lot of space issues tend to relate to the number of bedrooms your family requires. Bedrooms (obviously) house people, and as your family grows and matures, you may require additional space related to the number of bedrooms. So, how many bedrooms do you need?

Here are a few tips to help you decide how many bedrooms you need:

1. A commonly asked question is how many bedrooms are required by law? There’s no universal legal requirement that dictates how many bedrooms must be in a home. Most building code requirements are to make sure the safety and livability of the house are up to code rather than dictating something like the number of bedrooms.
2. Look at the number of people currently in your family. If you have a family of four, with two children, you will probably prefer 3 bedrooms if you want each child to have their own room. Will your family grow further in the future? If there is any possibility for additional children, you may want to consider selecting a house plan with a greater number of bedrooms.
3. Do you need a guest bedroom? Do you often host family members or friends at your home for various lengths of time? Make sure they are comfortable by having a dedicated room exclusively for guests.
4. Typically, most residential homes tend to have 3 or 4 bedrooms. Homes featuring 3 to 4 bedrooms are commonly associated with having the ideal amount of room for most average-sized families. Homes this size are nice and comfortable for most families! If you’re looking for a little more living space, consider looking at house plans with 3 or 4 bedrooms and an office, or house plans with 3 or 4 bedrooms and a bonus room.
5. If you have a family of 6, 7, or 8, you may be wondering how many rooms larger families should have. Of course, the amount of rooms you’ll want depends on individual preferences. If you’re interested in every family member having their own rooms, there are house plans that offer 6+ bedrooms already drawn in. If you’ve fallen in love with a plan that doesn’t meet the number of bedrooms you need, modifying the plan to have the perfect amount of rooms is always an option! If you want a more budget-friendly option, you can always get a home with fewer bedrooms and encourage family members to share and optimize the rooms. Ultimately, the number of rooms in a house for a larger family should align with the family’s lifestyle and preferences.
6. Do you work from home and require a home office? This may require a quiet location in an out-of-the-way area of your home; therefore, an additional bedroom may function as a home office, or you can search for house plans that have a dedicated office.
7. Will you possibly take care of an aging parent and/or grandparent at some point? If there is even a possibility of an elderly relative coming to live with you, building a home with that extra bedroom space, typically on the main level, will be very helpful in the future and make that transition much less stressful. Consider house plans with an in-law suite, or house plans with two primary bedrooms.
8. Do you have a hobby that requires its own space? Like exercising or crafting, some hobbies are space hogs, and having an extra bedroom or even a bonus room will make continuing that hobby easy in your new home.

The Layout:

Once you’ve considered all the factors in determining how many bedrooms best suit you and your family’s needs, the next thing to determine is the bedroom layout. With over 20,000 house plans and counting, our house plans deliver a wealth of interior layouts from which to choose. From the popular split bedrooms to traditional layouts to the master on the main floor, we’ve got you covered with all types of layouts.

The split bedroom layout is a popular choice and is found throughout many of our house plans. This bedroom layout is typically found in one-story house plans and is a popular feature because it grants privacy between the master and secondary bedrooms by splitting them off on opposite ends of the home.

For those looking for a two-story home, having the master on the main floor while the secondary bedrooms on the second floor presents another option for privacy. The traditional layout, on the other hand, groups all the bedrooms together on one side of the home, making it easier for parents to keep an eye on younger children.

Another layout to consider is having additional bedrooms in the basem*nt. This option is great for those in need of an in-law suite, guest bedroom(s), or additional bedrooms for those with bigger families. As you explore the many layouts we have to offer, you’ll discover unique and useful bedroom features such as plans with two owner suites, Jack and Jill bathrooms, and more!

Our Best Selling 4 Bedroom Plans:

If four bedrooms are all you need, search through all of our best-selling four-bedroom house plans HERE.

Our Best Selling 3 Bedroom Plans:

If three bedrooms are all you need, search through all of our best-selling three-bedroom house plans HERE.

Our Best Selling 2 Bedroom Plans:

If three bedrooms are all you need, search through all of our best-selling two-bedroom house plans HERE.

Our Best Selling 1 Bedroom Plans:

If three bedrooms are all you need, search through all of our best-selling one-bedroom house plans HERE.

As you build your home, plan for the long term by selecting the correct number of bedrooms. Determine all the factors necessary based on your current and future needs, and once you’ve decided, start your search through our over 20,000 house plans. Make sure to keep your budget in mind when finalizing the number of bedrooms you want, and remember to enjoy your search!

Brandon Hall

Our "go to guy" and company expert, Brandon is the visionary and dreamer of all we do here at America's Best House Plans. He manages quality assurance, audits existing processes for maximum effectiveness, and develops strategies to increase productivity and efficiency. With over 15 years experience in the home design industry, Brandon has a hand in every aspect of the day-to-day operations of our company, in addition to ensuring an unparalleled level of service to our customers.