Low maintenance house - what is it to you?

[iris lilies]

In my modest Victorian house, originally built as upstairs/downstairs flats with exterior staircase, we have no entryway. We do have a covered porch with a roof that acts as the "pause" before one barges into our living room.

But I keep telling myself, we live in an ungraceful house, it's really quite pedestrian.

The other, even plainer and smaller, victorian on our street have no entryway. But the big houses at the end of the blocks have entries with double sets of doors to keep wind and chill and dirt and noise out. But then, those do face the street. Our entryway is on the side of the house so it's a tad more private that street view.

[razz]

I have a new little house that is limiting me to the essentials which is a huge shift in thinking and use of space. I am discarding stuff. I want the minimalist result.

May I suggest that your family look at what they really need and then go from there. Forget what you have now.

[ToomuchStuff]

Low maintenence means different things in different area's. From a house perspective, I see a house as a box one sleeps in. So right sizing needs to be thought out (in part why I keep looking at different plans, a single person, verses the possibility of being married at some point, means needs will change as well as having someone with wants I didn't think of, so no reason to move now).
I've mentioned them before and will do so again, but I would like a Monolithic dome (not the same as a Geodesic). The reasons are:
Concrete structure, (no termites that I am aware of yet, eat concrete)
cave like in maintaining fixed tempeture before heating/a/c (super insulated, and great with radiant heating pipes in floor. Requires much less a/c)
Dome shape, means open layout that can be separated when built, left open, or even done modular if one wanted to change. Also means solid concrete, so no roofing to deal with.

I've been to one and looked at several online and have some of my own idea's. While a mudroom/laundry has replaced a porch in a lot of houses, the one I visited, had an outcroping/adjoining tunnel/vestivule of sorts, as the entry way/pass between the home and garage.
http://www.monolithic.org/stories/do...has-advantages
They also had a shed for things like tractors/shop/etc (lived on acreage in the country). I'd like a shed to keep the shop and dust away from the house, although I am not sure about acreage. It may be a must as building one of these in town might be a chore, due to non traditional look.

For low maintence yard. well hardscaping really isn't an option. I think rain and all would cause a lot of grass/weeds/etc to sprout between. So yes a little yard one could picnic on, some grass between a driveway that is split concrete (looks like concrete tire tracks), with only a pad for service purposes (maybe instead of concrete, natural/local stone), with a lot of the yard being native plants. Maybe one rain barrel but I would prefer mostly to have water run off into a cistern for yard and gardening (gardens mixed in with yard). I do enjoy yardwork a bit, but eventually it does get old, every year, and am not a big tree fan due to neighbors leaves (they raked them where they blew to my yard/other sides tree's lean over my yard).

Interior, you mentioned nooks and crannies, well growing up here, a lot of these homes put them into walls (cabinets/bookcases/storage). I've always thought that idea smart and for the interior of the house, that enclosing book cases into a couple walls should be good. (with some kind of doors/not sure about glass/cleaning) TV and all could be there as well. Maybe a small one by a window as a seat.
The kitchen, should have to the ceiling cabinets, if not left open to the dome. Eaves are wasted space and those high up cabinets would be good for rarely used items, rather then empty/box/eave space. (presents, etc)
Led lighting or flourescent with something like daylight balanced tubes.
Computers have become so much of our lives, I keep thinking I should have a kitchen ceiling (to direct and reflect light down) and have a loft computer office.
Keep thinking I should have it handicapped accessible from the start and wondering if I should have a ramp going up the inside to the office.

[Spartana]

In my experience, there is no such thing as a low-maintenance house. I have tried to have one -- by buying a brand-new 500SF cottage that I thought would not need much -- and found it just as much work as a larger place.

Storage. The less, the better. The more storage, the more stuff to fill it.

Now I'm in a studio apt with two small closets and a stall in a shared storage room with two bikes. Everything I own fits in these spaces. The building managers handle all repairs, maintenance, yard work, even window washing. All I do is clean house a couple of times a week.

If I ever own again, I think it will be a really small condo.

This would be my version of a low maintenance place as well - and the way I would like to live at some point once I don't have dogs. Probably only living in a hotel (my dream!) would be lower maintenance.

Otherwise, if it were a house on a lot I would probably pick something that had vinyl siding or whatever needed the least amount of painting/care. An asphalt or tile roof that lasted decades with little need to repair or replace. Vinyl windows rather then wood. No stairs so I could grow old there. The tiniest yard I could get with low upkeep plants or hardscape instead of lawn. Probably an open floor plan since I think they are easier to clean (and I hate cleaning!). No fireplace or anything else that required extra maintenance. Whatever heating and/or cooling system was most energy efficient yet didn't need much work down to make it run. Hardwood, laminate or tile flooring rather then carpet. Ummm... that's about it. I'd downsize my stuff to fit into a place that fit me (and SO/family) and not get a bigger place because at some point you might have overnight guests on occasion. I know lots of people who get houses that are too large just to cover all the "what if's?" when they really don't need all the extra space and maintenance expenses and time to live comfortably.

[catherine]

Low maintenance=
No carpet
No white grout
No knick-knacks/clutter
Natural finishes: no high varnishes
Windows you can squeegee (I love small panes, but they're time-consuming to clean)
Fans in the kitchen and bathroom that vent to the outside
Second-hand furniture (shabby chic)
Natural pine paneling, unpainted, in the interior
Lots of built-ins
Main level or upper level washer/dryer
No lawn
Lots of perennials
Fiber cement siding or stucco
Tin roof
A shed in the backyard
Gravel driveway rather than asphalt

Residents who don't smoke, who take off their shoes at the door, and who eat only in the kitchen and clean up after themselves

Comes with a housekeeper and a lawn guy (I know I said no lawn, but someone has to keep after the perennials and do light weeding)

[TxZen]

For us, as a family of 3 with 2 dogs and 1 cat...fosters added here and there

1. Wooden floors
2. Open concept but small. Only need 2 bedrooms/1.5 baths, l level.
3. Kitchen w/desk area and large pantry
4. Washer/Dryer area with wall for hooks for hats, leashes, backpacks, purse, etc. w/ door so I can hide it all.
5. Smallish lawn, fenced in to most of the house. Covered patio area outback
6. Small porch out front w/drought resistant landscaping. NO grass out front.
7. No knickknacks or lots of wall hangings.
8. Large enough closet but even better, less stuff
9. 2 Car garage
10. Simple white paint throughout and easy furniture to take care of.
11. I like fans in every room. it's my thing.

[Teacher Terry]

When we bought our retirement home 2 years ago we were looking at low maintenance. WE bought a vinyl sided old home that unfortunately someone had painted the ugliest color so we did repaint the outside. Too bad they ever painted it. We used astroturf in both front & back. Installed metal fence with privacy slats instead of wood. Inside wood floors & pergo-no carpet at all. The master bedroom that someone added on in the 70's had a small bedroom attached to it so we made it a walk in closet. The house is 1400 sq ft which is perfect for us & my office doubles as a guest room. I actually think blinds are a lot more work to clean then curtains so have curtains everywhere that I can easily take down & wash.

[SteveinMN]

Spartana mentioned adaptation for growing old in place.

As the general population grows older, that kind of universal design is becoming more prevalent. Interestingly, though, many of those requirements run counter to a preference for small homes. Passageways and doors need to be wider and sometimes room must be allowed for ramps and elevators. Storage presents particular challenges. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets in the kitchen are straight off because the person in the wheelchair will not be able to reach them. Ditto for the storage space most people have under their sink; that area usually is left empty so the person in the 'chair can roll up to the sink. Even a small bedroom can make using an EZ-Stand or Heuer lift a logistical challenge.

It presents some interesting design choices.

[Davidwd]

I have upvc windows, wooden floors, solar panels, wood burner, air source heat pump, loads of loft insulation, block paved driveway, self watering greenhouse, rainwater harvesting system. So my house is not just low maintenance it is also very cheap to run.

[Spartana]

Spartana mentioned adaptation for growing old in place.

As the general population grows older, that kind of universal design is becoming more prevalent. Interestingly, though, many of those requirements run counter to a preference for small homes. Passageways and doors need to be wider and sometimes room must be allowed for ramps and elevators. Storage presents particular challenges. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets in the kitchen are straight off because the person in the wheelchair will not be able to reach them. Ditto for the storage space most people have under their sink; that area usually is left empty so the person in the 'chair can roll up to the sink. Even a small bedroom can make using an EZ-Stand or Heuer lift a logistical challenge.

It presents some interesting design choices.

That's where some of those "Active Adult Communities" for 55 or older people are pretty good. My mom bought into one at this place: http://lwsb.com/lwsbmaster/ - basicly a small one or 2 bedroom single story apt in a big complex (not a nursing home and no care options - just apt or condo living like a younger person would have). The little apt was set up to age-in-place with wider, taller doors, a step in shower stall with a seating area inside and handrails, a lowered kitchen counter and oven, low or no thresholds between patio and entrance, etc... Lots of little things that came already installed. Not to mention community things like buses around the community and off site as well, gym, swimming pool, post office, theater, medical center, 6 clubhouses, golf course, community gardens, workshops for...everything, and a million activities and clubs to join if wanted. They even had their own maintenance crews that would come fix things for you so you wouldn't have to worry about that. That's probably what I'd get myself once I was ready - OK now! It's pretty low maintenance and a place you can age in until you can't care for yourself anymore and have to go elsewhere. Not for everyone but I think it would allow for much greater independence and more self-reliance as a person got older.