Pre-Construction Condo Floor Plans

So you’ve made the decision to purchase a pre-construction condo. Now here comes the most challenging,  but also more important decision - choosing the right floor plan. It is important to choose a layout that will accommodate your personal needs but will also prove to be attractive to potential buyers or renters in the future.

An important element to look for when considering a floor plan is the location of the windows in the unit. It is always more attractive to have windows in all the bedrooms and is a proven fact that natural light increases the resale value of the unit. Corner units typically have twice the amount of natural light which is a desired feature for future buyers but beware of oddly shaped corner units. At times when floor plans are pie shaped or irregular shaped, it makes furniture allocation a lot more difficult.  Since floor plans are also getting smaller, a lot of builders are not putting windows in all the bedrooms. These type of bedrooms are called "buried" bedrooms which should be avoided if possible.

Another aspect that is sometimes overlooked when choosing your unit is the actual location of the unit within the floor plan. A unit within close proximity to the elevators can prove to be very frustrating as noise levels tend to be high. Keep in mind however if your bedroom is at the opposite end of the unit, furthest away from the hallway, noise shouldn't be a big issues. It all depends on the layout! This brings me to my next little piece of advice. If you purchase a unit close to the garbage shute, it's also better to be next door to it as opposed to across from it.  Always ask your sales representative to show you the unit location within the entire floor plate.

When choosing your floor plan don’t forget to take into consideration the closet and storage space. Builders today are building taller condos with more units making the actual unit square footage is getting smaller. With smaller square footages, large closets and storage spaces come in handy, especially if owning a locker is not an option. Not all builders will allow you to purchase a locker with your condo purchase. It's always important to ask if a locker can be purchased with your condo. Being able to make good use of your space is extremely important when choosing your floor plan. This leads me to my next tip on choosing a functional layout. Even though pie shaped units or units with sharp angled walls have a dramatic architectural effect, they are extremely difficult to furnish and create a lot of wasted space. Evenly shaped rooms, such as squares or rectangles do not present this problem as they make furniture placement a lot easier and makes the space more usable. A well shaped unit that is 500 square feet can be more functional then a 800 square foot unit that is not layed out well or has an irregular shape.

Take into consideration the above mentioned tips when buying a pre-construction condo. The beauty of purchasing pre-construction is that you can choose the floor plan you like so why not choose smart?

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