How To Pick a Floor Plan: 8 Tips For Home Buyers

Picking a floor plan is one of the most important decisions in the entire homebuilding process.

Your home's layout is one of the key factors that shapes your routines, your comfort, and how your family moves through the house every day.

That’s a big deal.

With hundreds of modern homes and design floor plans out there, it’s easy to get distracted by flashy renderings or features you’ll never use.

But the perfect floor plan supports your real lifestyle, and not just the one that looks good on a brochure.

So, how do you choose the right floor plan?

As home builders with more than two decades of experience, we’ve helped hundreds of homeowners choose the right layout for their new homes. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are steps you can take to make sure you’re making the best choice.

Here are 8 tips to help you choose a floor plan, informed by over 20 years of experience.

1. Choose A Floor Plan That Suits Your Lifestyle

Forget the furniture layout for now. Start with your life.

Do you work from home? Host big Sunday dinners? Need space for a toddler — or a teenager?

What does a normal day look like in your house?

If your mornings involve juggling kids, coffee, and groceries, a garage that opens into a mud room right by the kitchen is a lifesaver.

If clutter stresses you out, make storage space a top priority (think closets, built-ins, and even that out-of-sight drop zone by the back door).

Choose a floor plan that integrates well with your family, your habits, and the type of lifestyle you live today.

A young couple hosts a dinner with friends.

2. Consider Your Future Needs

It’s important to choose a floor plan that meets today’s lifestyle, but your dream home shouldn’t become tomorrow’s regret.

Maybe you don’t have children yet… but you want to. Or maybe the kids have moved out, and you're thinking about retiring in a home where you can live the rest of your life.

Either way, the layout needs to flex with your future rather than fight it.

Put serious thought into whether a first-floor primary suite makes sense.

Leave room to add accessibility features down the road.

Choose multi-purpose rooms that can shift as life does, like a guest room that becomes a nursery, or a study that evolves into a media room.

The floor plan you pick should work now, but it should also be ready for whatever’s next. That’s where your careful consideration really pays off.

3. Match Room Placement To How You Use Space

Room placement is one of the most important factors to consider when browsing or creating floor plans.

You don’t want bedrooms opening right off a noisy living room. Or guests wandering through the kitchen to get to the bathroom.

And if laundry’s a daily task, maybe don’t hide the washer and dryer two floors away.

Think about traffic flow. Think about convenience.

The location of your pantry, garage, and mud room can save you dozens of steps every single day.

And don't forget: privacy matters. Not every room should be open. Good designers know when to create separation and when to open things up.

A mature man carries laundry up the stairs in his home.

4. Prioritize Natural Light in Every Room

Natural light changes everything from how a room looks, to how it feels, and even how it’s used. But it doesn’t happen by accident. You’ve got to design for it.

Start by considering where the sun rises and sets.

Large windows on the south or east side can make a kitchen feel warm and welcoming all morning.

On the other side, poorly placed windows can leave rooms feeling dark or disconnected.

So when reviewing floor plans, picture how the light will move across the space during the day. Ask about window sizes. Think about skylights, transoms, and glass doors.

5. Choose a Layout That Balances Openness and Privacy

Open floor plans are great — until you realize you can’t take a phone call without the whole house hearing it.

The best layouts strike a balance.

You want openness where it helps: shared spaces like the kitchen, living room, and dining area.

But you also need boundaries. Bedrooms should feel tucked away. A home office needs quiet. And bathrooms deserve some separation.

The goal is a home with effective overall flow from room to room, not a giant open box that feels like a warehouse.

If you go with an open layout, use partial walls, ceiling changes, or furniture placement to create subtle zones. You’ll get the feel of an open layout with the comfort of more privacy.

6. Use Space Where It Counts Most

You don’t need more square footage. You need better square footage.

Too many new homes waste space on rooms that don’t get used: formal dining rooms, oversized foyers, hallways that feel like runways.

Instead, focus your floor plan around what actually gets used, like the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, and shared living areas.

Need extra room for kids to sprawl? Add a bonus room off the kitchen.

Want a home that feels organized? Don’t skip the mud room or garage storage.

Put more space in the rooms where life happens. That’s where function matters most.

A spacious kitchen added to a custom floor plan from Dunn & Stone Builders.

7. Personalize A Proven Floor Plan

Starting from scratch may sound exciting, but there are many things that can easily go wrong. Don’t opt for a fully custom floor plan unless you have a serious reason to do so.

Builder-tested floor plans are popular for a reason.

They’ve been built, lived in, and refined.

They already solve for tricky issues like traffic flow, storage, window placement, and room relationships.

And best of all? Builders like Dunn & Stone can still make them yours.

Many builders will let you shift rooms, stretch a wall, add a mud room, or adjust the garage. You get the freedom of a custom home without taking on the risk of designing blind.

8. Talk To Your Builder Early And Often

Your builder knows things you don’t — and that’s a good thing.

Ask what kind of floor plans work best for your lot, your lifestyle, and your space requirements.

Ask which designs get the best feedback from families like yours.

Ask what they’d personally avoid, and why.

A good builder will help you filter out the noise and focus on what matters: function, livability, and cost. They’ll help you weigh your ideas against your goals, and offer creative solutions that fit your vision and your budget.

Don't wait until you’ve picked your layout to get their input. Use them as a tool from day one.

Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing A Floor Plan

Even the most thoughtful floor plans can fall short if you overlook the details. These common mistakes can quietly turn your dream home into a daily frustration.

Designing for looks, not function

It’s easy to fall for a layout that looks amazing — big vaulted ceilings, dramatic staircases, fancy entryways. But visual impact doesn’t always translate to day-to-day comfort.

That impressive two-story foyer might wow your guests... but it also wastes heating and cooling, creates an echo chamber, and offers zero usable space.

Meanwhile, your coat closet is an afterthought.

Instead of focusing on “wow factor” features, think about how you’ll use each part of the home. How does the layout support your morning routine? Where do your kids drop their backpacks? Can you carry groceries in without walking through three rooms?

Form matters, but function leads.

Skipping on storage

It’s one of the easiest things to overlook… and one of the hardest to fix later.

A beautiful kitchen with no pantry? Constant frustration.

A big laundry room with nowhere to keep baskets or supplies? Just clutter.

Even a generous garage won’t stay clean without space for tools, bins, or seasonal gear.

We’ve seen floor plans with giant master suites but no linen closet nearby… meaning towels and bedding end up stored across the house. That’s the kind of detail that seems small until you live with it.

Every room should have at least one dedicated storage option.

Prioritize closets near bedrooms, a mud room with hooks and cabinets, and built-in storage wherever you can get it. You’ll never wish you had less.

Ignoring how rooms connect

The relationships between spaces define how smoothly the home functions.

If the guest bathroom is tucked behind the kitchen, your visitors will have to awkwardly weave through food prep to wash their hands.

Or, if the laundry room is nowhere near the bedrooms, you’ll spend every Sunday hauling baskets up and down the stairs.

Think in terms of flow.

Bedrooms should be near bathrooms. The mud room should be near the garage entrance. Dining should flow naturally from the kitchen. Spaces should work together, not fight each other.

A well-connected layout reduces frustration, improves traffic flow, and just makes the house feel better.

Making everything too open

Open floor plans are trendy. But without the right balance, they can backfire.

When everything’s open, sound travels. So does clutter. And finding a spot for furniture becomes a puzzle with no walls to anchor anything.

We've seen families add a homework station in an open-plan living area, only to realize it’s impossible to focus while someone’s watching TV ten feet away.

Or they end up buying oversized rugs and bookcases just to create a sense of separation that walls could’ve handled more cleanly.

Some openness is great, especially between the kitchen, dining, and living spaces. But walls aren’t your enemy.

Used wisely, they make a home feel more peaceful, functional, and livable.

The Best Floor Plan Isn’t Perfect. It’s Personal.

There’s no one-size-fits-all layout. What works for one family might feel completely off for another. That’s why the ideal floor plan isn’t the “most popular.” It’s the one that fits your real life.

Pick a proven house plan. Personalize it to reflect your daily routines and future needs. Focus on the rooms that matter, the way the space flows, and how the light makes it feel.

Want help choosing a floor plan that actually fits?

Click here to see our pre-designed and modifiable floor plans.

Then, contact our team to discuss your dream home vision. We’ll help you narrow down your options, refine your ideas, and find the right layout for your ideal home.

Our Top Pick: Liberty Home Guard

If you're looking for the best home warranty company in Texas, Liberty Home Guard stands out as the top choice in 2025.

It’s not the cheapest option on the list, but it consistently ranks as one of the top home warranty providers thanks to its strong home warranty coverage, fast service, and unmatched flexibility.

Liberty’s plans are designed for real life in Texas, where dual air conditioning systems, major home systems, and high summer temps are the norm.

It’s one of the few home warranty companies that includes coverage for two electric AC units in its standard plan.

What also sets Liberty apart is its level of customization.

With over 30 add-on coverage options, homeowners can build a plan that fits their property perfectly, whether they need coverage for a septic system, a swimming pool, or extra laundry appliances.

This kind of flexibility is rare among other home warranty companies.

It’s not just the coverage options that impress, though.

Liberty earns high marks from home warranty customers for its responsiveness and customer service.

You can manage your home warranty contract through their mobile app, which many Texas homeowners love for the convenience when filing a claim or tracking repairs.

Visit Liberty Home Guard's website to view plan details or explore Liberty Home Guard’s plans directly.

Quick Facts: Liberty Home Guard

Runner Up: American Home Shield

Coming in close behind Liberty, American Home Shield ranks as one of the best home warranty providers in Texas for 2025.

With over 50 years of experience and broad home warranty coverage that includes preexisting conditions, this provider has built a strong reputation among homeowners with older homes, aging heating systems, and major appliances.

In a 2025 This Old House survey, 44% of Texas homeowners selected American Home Shield as their current provider, making it one of the most widely used Texas home warranty companies.

Our favorite features is the $5,000 HVAC coverage cap per system, which is ideal for the Texas climate. The reason we love it is because A/C repairs are some of the most common (and expensive) home service calls made in the Houston area.

Quick Facts: American Home Shield

Other Great Home Warranty Companies In Texas

While Liberty Home Guard and American Home Shield earned our top spots, they’re not the only Texas home warranty companies worth your attention.

Several other home warranty providers offer solid coverage, competitive pricing, and reliable service.

If you're looking for alternatives that still deliver great value and protection for your covered home systems, the options below are absolutely still worth considering.

First American Home Warranty

While it’s a bit pricier than some affordable plans (with monthly premiums starting at $42), First American Home Warranty makes up for it with higher coverage limits and solid protection for both major appliances and covered systems.

This is especially appealing to owners of high-end homes in Houston.

Some plans offer up to $7,000 in appliance coverage and unlimited HVAC system coverage, which is what makes this company a strong contender for anyone who wants broad, comprehensive coverage (as long as you’re willing to pay a little more for it).

One standout feature is the First American Advantage upgrade, which adds protection for poor installation issues not always covered under standard home warranty plans.

Quick Facts: First American Home Warranty

Cinch Home Services is a strong option for Texas homeowners looking for affordable plans with practical extras.

With monthly premiums starting at just $35, Cinch is one of the most budget-friendly providers on this list.

But don’t let the price fool you. It packs in value that rivals bigger names.

One standout feature is its $500 homeowners insurance deductible reimbursement, included with its Complete Home Plan.

That alone sets it apart from most home warranty coverage options.

It also covers damage from rust and corrosion, which many home warranty companies exclude despite its usefulness in humid areas like Houston.

Cinch also offers a 180-day workmanship guarantee, six times longer than the industry norm That’s one of the best repair guarantees in today’s market.

Quick Facts: Cinch Home Services

Old Republic Home Protection

Old Republic Home Protection keeps things simple. And that’s exactly why many Texans love it.

If you’re the kind of homeowner who wants a no-fuss plan that covers the essentials, this provider might be your best bet.

Their home warranty plans focus squarely on major systems and important appliances (the things that typically break and cost the most to fix).

Customization is limited, but the tradeoff is a more straightforward service agreement and lower out-of-pocket costs.

With monthly premiums starting at $45 and service fees around $100, Old Republic offers better-than-average value.

Quick Facts: Old Republic Home Protection

HomeServe offers a different take on home warranty coverage in Texas, and it works well for homeowners who want low service fees and highly targeted protection.

Instead of bundling everything into one plan, HomeServe allows you to pick and choose the covered systems you care about most, like plumbing, electrical, or HVAC.

To sweeten the deal, several of their plans have no service fees at all.

That’s a massive advantage if you’re looking to reduce out-of-pocket costs on normal wear repairs.

But because each system is covered under a separate plan, achieving full comprehensive coverage can get pricey.

You may need to purchase multiple plans to match the kind of protection you’d get from bundled providers like Liberty or options found on American Home Shield’s website.

Quick Facts: HomeServe

Choice Home Warranty

With one of the most affordable home warranty plans in Texas, Choice Home Warranty offers monthly premiums starting at $35 and a predictable, fixed $85 service fee.

It’s a budget-friendly option for homeowners who want wide home warranty coverage without a complicated pricing model.

Choice’s plans cover both HVAC systems and major appliances, and they include extras that other low-cost providers skip like limited roof leak coverage.

It’s a strong fit for value-seekers who still want protection for high-cost repairs.

However, Choice’s reputation comes with a caveat.

Despite its large customer base (49,000+ reviews on Trustpilot), it has received criticism for poor customer service and claim denials more frequently than top competitors.

Quick Facts: Choice Home Warranty

Home Warranty of America

Home Warranty of America (HWA) offers plans designed for both homeowners and real estate professionals, which makes it a versatile choice for a wide range of Texans.

Known for its transparent pricing and solid HVAC coverage, HWA is a wise pick for those living in hotter climates like Houston where AC systems get put to the test.

Plans start at $46/month, and coverage includes major appliances and systems, with HVAC protection capped at $5,000.

While the base pricing is competitive, be aware that add-on options can increase costs quickly, especially if you’re customizing coverage for a high-end or custom-built home.

Quick Facts: Home Warranty of America

How We Picked The Top Home Warranty Companies Of 2025

Companies with the best home warranties in Texas respond quickly, partner with licensed local contractors, and actually follow through on their repair guarantees.

Here’s the criteria we used to build our list of the top home warranty companies in 2025. The companies on the list needed to meet at least 4 of 5 of these requirements in order to make the list.

Must cover critical systems and appliances

Texas homeowners face unique challenges due to the climate. Houston’s heat and humidity put a serious strain on air conditioning systems, plumbing, and electrical systems, which means warranties that skip these aren’t worth your time.

In fact, in a recent 2025 survey by Texas Homeowner Trends, 63% of respondents ranked air conditioning coverage as their top priority when choosing a home warranty in Texas.

Builders also care. They want home warranty companies that cover the systems and appliances they install to avoid post-sale arguments over repairs.

Must be priced for Texas homeowners

We only selected companies whose plans fall within the average home warranty cost range for Texas in 2025. That’s between $52 and $80 per month.

This range reflects pricing for the Houston area, which is one of the state’s most active homebuilding markets.

Plans that are too cheap often have low coverage limits. Plans that are too expensive may not offer enough value for what they charge.

Must have strong online reviews

We only considered companies with an average customer satisfaction rating of at least 4 out of 5 stars across sites like Trustpilot.

High scores show how the company handles real-world problems and home warranty service issues effectively.

Must offer fast, reliable service within a maximum of 48 hours

Texas homes can’t afford to wait for repair when the AC unit breaks down in the middle of summer.

Every company on our list offers quick service calls, a strong contractor network, and local availability for licensed repairs.

The Bottom Line

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to home warranty coverage in Texas, and that’s exactly why we created this guide.

From dual AC unit coverage to low service fees and comprehensive plans with high coverage limits, each of the companies we reviewed brings something different to the table.

Here’s the short version:

Liberty Home Guard is our top pick for its flexibility, customer satisfaction, and coverage designed for Texas heat.
American Home Shield stands out for high HVAC caps and coverage for older homes with no maintenance records required.
And for those on a tighter budget or looking for niche protections, companies like Cinch, HomeServe, and First American still offer reliable service — even if they don’t hit every mark.

So which warranty fits your situation best?

Best For First-Time Homeowners: American Home Shield

First-time buyers often don’t know what could go wrong.

AHS offers peace of mind with broad coverage, no maintenance history requirements, and helpful tech features like 24/7 service requests and live video chat support.

Best For Budget-Conscious Homeowners: Cinch Home Services

Starting at just $35/month, Cinch offers solid protection with extras like rust coverage and a $500 homeowners insurance deductible reimbursement.

It’s a budget-friendly pick that still comes with a 180-day workmanship guarantee, which is one of the best in the business.

Best For Homeowners Who Want Total Coverage: Liberty Home Guard

With over 30 optional add-ons, dual AC unit coverage in the base plan, and a strong contractor network, Liberty is built for homeowners who want it all.

It’s the best choice for anyone building a custom home or looking to cover systems that most providers skip.

If you’re building a new home in the Houston area, choosing the right home warranty company is only part of the equation. You also need a builder who cares about long-term quality, not just closing day.

At Dunn & Stone Builders, we partner with trusted home warranty providers and build every home with longevity in mind.

Contact us today to talk about how we can help you bring your dream home vision to life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Best Home Warranty Company In Texas?

The best home warranty company in Texas is Liberty Home Guard. It offers fast service, strong customer satisfaction, and plans tailored to Texas homes, including dual AC coverage.

Which Home Warranty Providers Have The Highest Customer Satisfaction?

Liberty Home Guard and American Home Shield lead in customer satisfaction, with 4.5-star or higher ratings on review sites like Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau.

What Does Home Warranty Coverage Typically Include?

Home warranty coverage usually includes major systems like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, plus key appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, and washers.

Are All Home Warranty Plans Available In Texas?

No, not all home warranty plans are available in Texas. Only licensed Texas home warranty companies can offer coverage in the state.

Which Home Warranty Companies Offer The Best Repair Guarantee?

Cinch Home Services offers the best repair guarantee, with a 180-day workmanship guarantee that’s six times longer than the industry standard.

How Do I Choose Between Different Home Warranty Providers?

Look for providers with fast service times, high customer satisfaction, competitive pricing, and strong coverage for systems common in Texas homes.

What Should I Look For In Home Warranty Plans For Texas?

Look for home warranty plans that include HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems, offer reasonable monthly rates, and have a solid contractor network for quick repairs.