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The Advantages of Building a Narrow Lot Home

By Rexy Legaspi | Updated April 12, 2023

Creative. Green. Affordable. Narrow Lot Floor Plans Gain Traction with Young Home Buyers

Not everyone is made for the sprawling suburban environment with huge homes and acres of lawn. For those who prefer a smaller ecological footprint for their home, a smaller house plan or narrow lot house design offers new and fresh perspectives. In some areas, narrow lot home designs are even encouraged to increase social interaction among neighbors and promote a feeling of community.

Reminiscent of Bungalow Row in Chicago and the iconic Philadelphia and San Francisco Row Houses, narrow lot home plans can be attractive, fanciful, and yes, spacious!

Colorful row houses in San Francisco

Typical row houses in San Francisco with covered entranceways and balconies (Photo: Ross Joyner on Unsplash).

What can you do with your narrow lot?

With soaring land prices, potential homeowners are looking at narrow lot home plans, and being more inventive and imaginative in building their homes. Dimensions of about 50 feet (or less) in width and about 85 feet (or less) in depth may be limited -but it’s amazing what one can do with creative designs and floor plans.

The most efficient use of space is a two-story house plan - with the living room, dining and kitchen areas, family room/den, and half bath on the main level. Bedrooms and bathrooms and bonus room can be found on the second floor.

With a footprint that 44 feet wide and 62 feet deep, this one-story narrow-lot house (Plan #178-1204) has 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a 2-car garage. It has a covered front porch, covered rear screened porch, and fireplace.

A landscaped yard and covered front porch welcome guests to this lovely 2-story 3-bedroom house on a lot 43 ft. wide and 43 ft. deep (Plan #161-1018). The main level has the kitchen/dining areas, family room, mud room, laundry room, and half bath. The bedrooms and bathrooms are on the second level.

Even homes built on a narrow lot have all the amenities and comforts one desires. Landscaping the small front yard adds to the home’s curb appeal and attractiveness.

An inviting covered front porch and a balcony are very nice touches to the home. A rear patio can extend the dining area to accommodate more entertaining space. Lots of windows of all sizes and shapes – and strategically placed – provide plenty of natural light to filter around the home.

For the home’s interior, the modern open floor plan works best – where the kitchen, living room, and dining area connect and flow smoothly into each other. A built-in pantry, shelves, and plenty of drawers in kitchen islands provide ample storage room.

From master suites to the second and third bedrooms – there is more than enough space to fit large closets. You can also squeeze in storage space in bathrooms. And if you want more storage room, you can always extend the garage.

Don’t be fooled by this narrow lot house plan (top). Although just 32 ft. wide and a little over 56 ft. deep, its design provides options for a basement and a bonus room. Check out the front porch and rocking chairs as you enter the house. The rendering below the house shows the open floor plan highlighting the smooth access from the second floor to the living-dining-kitchen areas. Floor plans for main and upper levels are shown also (Plan #131-1220).

This beautiful 2-story home with 2 bedrooms and 2 full baths is situated on a really narrow lot – 24 ft. wide and 30 ft. deep (Plan #115-1370). But it packs a lot of comfort and space. One bedroom is on the main floor with easy access to the kitchen/living/dining areas. The master suite is on the second floor.

One-Story Narrow Lot Home Plans

If you’re an empty-nester or someone who prefers not to navigate stairs to the second story, there are wonderful options with a single level home built on a narrow lot. Porches, patios, courtyards, and some landscaping enhance the exteriors of these one-story homes.

Tall windows and flower boxes are great accents, too.

Whether it’s a one-bedroom, two-bedroom or three-bedroom house, you can design the interior of your narrow lot house plan for maximum comfort, space, and all the amenities of modern living.

On a lot measuring 38 feet wide and 74 feet deep, theis house (Plan #142-1031) is a 1-story, 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with several appealing features. Starting with a covered front porch, a foyer, rear porch, and open kitchen/dining/living areas. The bedrooms are good-sized with plenty of closet space.

This delightful one-story home – on a lot measuring 39 feet wide and 72 feet deep – has one bedroom and an office that can converted into a second small bedroom. The kitchen/dining area in this floor plan opens onto a patio (Plan #165-1085).