New Home Design Ideas

Building from scratch removes every excuse. There is no existing wall forcing a compromise, which means the decisions are entirely yours — and the ones that matter most are made before anything looks like a house.

For cost and process, see new home construction and what it costs to build in Los Angeles.

Orient the house to the sun and the view, in that order

This is the decision with the largest effect on how the house feels and how much it costs to run, and it is free at the design stage. In Southern California, main living spaces facing broadly south get useful light all day and are straightforward to shade with an overhang. West-facing glass is the hardest to control and the main cause of an unbearable afternoon room.

Where the view and the sun disagree, the answer is usually to take the view with controlled glazing and deep shade rather than to give up the orientation.

Single storey or two

Two storeys give more house per square foot of land, a smaller roof and foundation for the same floor area, and separation between living and sleeping. Single storey costs more per square foot for roof and foundation, and gives you level living, better indoor-outdoor connection from every room, and no stair to design around.

On a small lot the answer is usually two. On a generous lot, single storey is often the better house.

Ceiling heights: vary them deliberately

The same ceiling height everywhere makes a house feel institutional. Raising it in the main living space and keeping bedrooms lower and more enclosed is what makes a house feel designed. On a single storey, vaulting the living space to the roof structure costs relatively little.

The counter-intuitive point: high ceilings everywhere is not better. Rooms for sleeping and reading benefit from being lower.

Circulation is floor area you are paying for

Every square foot of corridor costs the same to build as every square foot of living space and does far less. A compact circulation core, rooms opening into one another, and stairs placed centrally rather than at the end of a long hall all buy usable area without increasing the building.

Indoor-outdoor connection needs designing, not just doors

A large door onto an unshaded slab in full sun does not get used. The connection works when the outside space is shaded, level with the inside floor, and directly related to the room it serves — usually the kitchen and living area. That means designing the covered outdoor space at the same time as the house, not adding it later.

Decide storage at plan stage

Storage is the thing owners of new houses complain about most, because it is invisible on a plan and easy to trim. A place for coats near the entrance, a genuine pantry, linen storage near bedrooms, somewhere for luggage and tools, and space for the things a garage used to hold if you are not building one.

What to build in while you can

Conduit for solar, EV charging and future circuits.
Structural provision for anything you might add — a future deck, a shade structure, a second-floor extension.
Acoustic separation between bedrooms and living spaces.
Insulation above code. Marginal now, permanent saving.
Blocking in walls for future handrails, televisions and shelving.

What costs more than people expect

The site. Slope, soil, access and utilities are decided by the land, not the design.
Complex roof geometry. Every valley and change of plane costs.
Structural spans for large openings.
Design and permitting time as a carrying cost.

What is cheaper than people expect

Orientation. Free at design stage, permanent effect.
Varying ceiling heights within one structure.
Conduit and blocking during framing.
A simpler roof that gives back budget for the inside.

Decisions you cannot undo

Where the house sits, which way it faces, the plan, ceiling heights, structure, and everything inside the walls. Kitchens, bathrooms and finishes can all be replaced later.

Questions we get asked

What is the single most important decision in a new house?

Orientation. Which way the main living spaces face decides daylight, comfort and running costs, and it is free to get right at design stage and impossible to change afterwards. West-facing glass is the hardest to control in this climate.

Single storey or two?

Two storeys give more house per square foot of land, with a smaller roof and foundation for the same area. Single storey costs more per square foot but gives level living and a better connection to outside from every room. On a small lot, usually two; on a generous lot, single storey often makes the better house.

Should all the ceilings be high?

No. The same height everywhere feels institutional. Raise it in the main living space and keep bedrooms lower and more enclosed — that variation is what makes a house feel designed rather than built.

Why do people complain about storage in new houses?

Because it is invisible on a plan and easy to trim when the budget tightens. Coats near the entrance, a real pantry, linen near bedrooms and somewhere for tools and luggage all need to be decided at plan stage.

What should I build in even if I do not need it yet?

Conduit for solar and EV charging, structural provision for anything you might add later, acoustic separation between bedrooms and living areas, insulation above code, and blocking in walls for future handrails and shelving. All trivial during framing.

Why is my build cost different from a neighbour’s?

Usually the site rather than the house. Slope, soil, access and utility connections are set by the land. After that, roof geometry and the size of structural spans move the number more than finishes do.

Tell us about your new home

Send us the basics — the lot, the size of house you have in mind, and roughly when you would like to start — and we will come out, take measurements and put a written scope and estimate in front of you within about 48 hours of the visit.

Call (800) 348-3050