Multigenerational Housing Rose During the Pandemic. Here's Why That's Not Changing Any Time Soon.

Multi-Generational Housing Rose During the Pandemic. Here's Why That's Not Changing Any Time Soon.

March 10, 2022

More Ohioans moved in with their extended family during the pandemic, reflecting a 15% national increase in multi-generational housing.

So whether you just invited your mother-in-law to live with you, or your grown child moved in to save some money, you’re not alone. Now more than ever in recent history, we’re all dancing, relaxing, working, and cooking all under the same roof.

Here’s why that’s not a bad thing – and why we’re going to see more multigenerational housing here in Pickerington Ohio in the years to come.

What Do We Mean by “Multi-Generational Housing”?

Multi-Generational living is a housing arrangement that has three or more generations living within or on the same property.

This type of housing can include homes with larger square footage, a home with an in-law suite or secluded area, a duplex property, or even a separate living space built on the same land. According to Generations United 2021 Publication, multi-generational living has almost quadrupled in the last decade, with covid playing a large part.

Why We Love Living with Multiple Generations Under One Roof

It’s not just because grandma makes the best pancakes. It’s easier to care for aging parents if they’re just in the other room.

You probably already know that COVID threw a wrench in long-term care facilities and nursing homes being a safe and viable option. COVID caused many of these facilities to place strict visitation policies for residents, causing a strain on relationships between families.

Because of this, many families brought elder parents home.

But that’s just one reason why multi-generational families are living together.

Other reasons include:

Financial benefits

Combining household incomes makes life easier for all. One mortgage payment is better than two.

The pandemic caused “The Great Resignation”, in which thousands of workers walked out of old jobs to pursue different careers and working arrangements. This shift in work cascaded into a shift in living arrangements … so your daughter might be headed back to Ohio from New York City as she navigates this change with her pocketbook intact.

Generations supporting each other.

For older adults, this means receiving support from family while remaining independent. For the “sandwich generation” (lookin’ at you, working parents), this means receiving the childcare they otherwise wouldn’t have had during the pandemic.

All this free childcare also means that mom and dad don’t have to shell out for expensive daycare anymore, and grandparents can hug the grandbabies more.

How we design and renovate homes for multi-generational living in Pickerington, Ohio

Since long before the pandemic, we’ve thought multi-generational housing was a wonderful idea. (And not just because uncle Jimmy makes the best BBQ.)

For years, we have worked with families who are interested in renovating their current home to accommodate more family members. This might look like building a mother-in-law suite onto your existing Columbus-area home. This might look like building an entirely new home on the same property.

And often, this includes making your home accessible to all abilities: an approach called Universal Design. Universal Design means “Design with everyone in mind.” Essentially, it means designed well. Universal design is simply good design.

Click here to learn more about Universal Design – and why it’s about to be the new normal for home building and design in Columbus, Ohio.

First, we have a conversation with you about your unique family situation and needs. Every single home is different – and every single family is different.

We are committed to working with you every step of the way. We care about your family needs, and we strive to make the process simple, enjoyable, and stress-free.

Not planning on living with family? Here's why you should design your home for multi-generations in mind anyways.

Does Grandma live far away from Columbus and has no interest in moving in with you? Especially if you’re looking into building or renovating your own home, you might want to still consider approaching the project for multigenerational living.

Why?

First of all, you never know when family might move to Columbus. You never know if it might ever make sense to bring more family members under one roof. It’s always a good idea to plan for the future.

Second of all, as we all age, we benefit from living in homes that are accommodating to any disability we (or our family members) might have in the future. In the past, most people don’t think much about designing their homes for all abilities — but now it’s making more sense than ever since our population is getting older.

And finally, renovating your home with universal design will improve the value of your home when and if you go to sell it. A home designed for all abilities is a home that’s in high demand for all.

Multi-generational home builds and renovations in Columbus, Ohio

Sometimes, what’s best for your family is to all live under the same roof. (Hey, it makes game night easier.)

If you’re interested in:

Adding square footage to your home to accommodate family
Renovating your home to make it easier for everyone to live in
Building an entirely new home

Drop us a line! Here at Heitmeyer Build & Design here in Pickerington, Ohio, we genuinely care about your family’s needs – and building a home that works for everyone.

Heitmeyer Building & Design is a Construction company with over 100 years of experience in commercial construction and residential construction located in Pickerington, Ohio.