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Small is the new big
February 08, 2010
International Builders’ Show 2010 Las Vegas
By Sheila Brady, The Ottawa Citizen
Marianne Cusato is the brains behind a charming two-storey that is big on features and dirt cheap. The Home for the New Economy won instant fans at the mammoth International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, Homes editor Sheila Brady reports.
Marianne Cusato is the new darling of the struggling American housing industry, offering an affordable alternative to the maligned and overpriced McMansion.
The 35-year-old Alaska native had a severe case of laryngitis after talking non-stop about how small is the new big and her Home for the New Economy to anyone who would listen during the International Home Builders’ Show held this month in Las Vegas.
Hundreds stopped by the booth, taking a virtual tour through the 1,771-square-foot, two-storey sustainable home that could fit neatly into existing neighbourhoods from New England to Florida or be the basic building block for new communities.
The New Economy home is substantially smaller than the average American dwelling, which shrank to 2,480 square feet in 2009 from 2,520 square feet in 2008, the first downward shift since 1982.
Cusato, backed by Builder Magazine and a growing list of A-rated suppliers, unveiled the home in Las Vegas—a charming shuttered affair with a large porch stretched across the front, a second porch to the rear and a detached, one-car garage sitting on the back of an imaginary 45- by 100-foot lot.
The New Economy home has four bedrooms, including a master and ensuite on the second floor and a main-floor bedroom and bathroom that could just as easily be used as a home office or bring in rental income. The best part is the price: $96-a-square-foot to build or about $170,000. Land is additional. Compare that to the average new single home, including land, in Ottawa, which was $410,000 in 2009, according to a report by the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association. Construction prices range from $150 to $350 per square foot, depending on location and size.
