Ranch House Plans

Ranch house plans are traditionally one-story homes with an overall simplistic design. These houses typically include low, straight rooflines or shallow-pitched hip roofs, an attached garage, brick or vinyl siding, and a porch.

Modern ranch home plans combine the classic look with present-day amenities and have become a favored house design once again. The new generation of ranch style homes offers more “extras” and layout options.

A prevalent option is a ranch house plan with an open floor plan, offering the open layout a family desires with the classic, comfortable architectural style they love. Other common features of modern ranch homes include:

• Master bedroom suites with spa-style bathrooms
• Walk-in closets
• Spacious kitchens complete with a countertop island and walk-in pantry
• Office spaces or bonus rooms
• Walkout basements
• Ample patio and outdoor living space (perfect for summer grilling!)
• Additional “mother-in-law suites” with plenty of privacy and separation

The beauty of a ranch house plan is its flexibility. This classic style can be adapted to any family configuration. To add square footage to a one-story ranch, explore adding a lower-level basement. Building on a basement rather than a slab foundation increases livable and storage space. The primary suite is typically on the main level, but the basement space allows more bedrooms to be built.

These modern home plans can also adapt based on the size and shape of your lot. There are deep plans available for lots that go further back and wide plans available for lots that are the opposite.

 

Ranch Floor Plans: Beginnings, Variations, and Updates

Simple in their design, ranch plans first came about in the 1950s and ’60s. During this era, the ranch style house was affordable, making it appealing. The popular California Ranch (original name), or Rambler (another name), featured a long rectangular shape with a shallow-pitched hip roof that extended across a garage. These were a comfortable size – typically three bedrooms and two baths – contained on one floor. In the 1980s and ’90s, this style lost ground to multi-story “McMansion” style housing trends, with buyers and builders adding more square footage per plot of land.

Today, ranches are enjoying a comeback. Designers are looking back to original ranch plans as inspiration for versatile single-story homes – and in many cases, luxurious homes. They offer cost-effective square footage and open and harmonious common areas well-suited for entertaining and everyday living without stairs.

Our collection of plans includes homes with modern amenities while pulling some style inspiration from the classic ranch. Whether searching for an affordable, simple ranch house plan or a more luxurious design, browse through The Plan Collection’s portfolio of more than 3,000 unique ranch home designs.