Craftsman Collection · Bungalow Form

Craftsman bungalow plans — 1.5 stories of honest detailing.

The original American bungalow — single-story or 1.5-story footprint, low-pitched gable roof, deep front porch, and the craftsman detailing (tapered columns, exposed rafter tails, real materials) that defined the style for the first half of the 20th century. These plans honor the geometry while updating the floor plan for how families actually live now.

6 Plans Available
6/12 – 8/12 Roof Pitch
$1,495 From (PDF Set)
Browse 6 plans What is a bungalow, really?
Designer's Pick
Cheaha Mountain Cottage

Plan No. MF-7879 · Craftsman, Cottage · 2-Story

Cheaha Mountain Cottage

The Cheaha Mountain Cottage is a 3-bedroom, 2-bath craftsman cottage that puts 1,720 square feet of living on a sloping lot in a way that makes the terrain work for you instead of against you. I designed this…

1,720 Sq. Ft Sq Ft
3 Beds
2 Baths
None Garage
Explore plan → From $1,495
6 Craftsman Plans · Bungalow

Bungalow plans, drawn true to the form.

Plans that follow the bungalow geometry honestly — low-pitch gable, deep front porch under the eave, direct entry, single or 1.5 stories. No two-story craftsman pretending to be bungalows.

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What is a craftsman bungalow?

A craftsman bungalow is a specific architectural form, not just a small craftsman. The defining traits: low-pitched gable roof (typically 6/12 to 8/12), a deep front porch sheltered under that gable or under a separate shed roof, an entry that opens directly off the porch (no formal foyer), and a single-story or 1.5-story footprint with a sleeping loft or two small bedrooms tucked under the slope. Originally built in the 1900s to 1930s as the affordable American family house; back in 2026 because the form still works.

Real Numbers · 2026 Data

What a craftsman bungalow actually costs in 2026.

Cost breakdown for a 1,600 sq ft 1.5-story bungalow with mid-range finishes, slab foundation, deep front porch, and traditional bungalow detailing.

  • Site prep + slab Excavation, slab, drainage $24k – $42k
  • Framing (1.5-story) Walls, knee walls, roof structure $48k – $76k
  • Low-pitch gable roof Sheathing, underlayment, architectural shingle $18k – $32k
  • Window + door package Divided lite, code-compliant, period-correct $15k – $26k
  • Mechanicals + electric + plumbing HVAC, water heater, panel, fixtures $36k – $58k
  • Interior finishes Cabinets, flooring, baths, lighting $72k – $124k
  • Bungalow trim package Built-ins, exposed beams, plate rail, wainscot $14k – $26k
  • Front porch with tapered columns Deep porch, tapered columns, exposed rafter tails $12k – $22k
  • Total turn-key (1,600 sq ft) Mid-range finishes, slab foundation $239k – $406k
A bungalow does more with less. The form is honest, the materials get to be real, the front porch is the room. The plans that work are the ones that do not try to be something else — a bungalow is a bungalow, not a small Victorian or a stretched cottage.
Max Fulbright Sr. Lead Designer + Builder · 35 Years

Numbers reflect 2026 national averages for a 1,600 sq ft 1.5-story bungalow with mid-range finishes. Period-correct trim work pushes the top of the trim line; simplified detailing comes in at the bottom.

Bungalow Decision Guide

Is a bungalow actually the right form?

Five questions to confirm the bungalow fits your buyer, your lot, and your roof appetite.

01

Are you building 2,000 sq ft or less?

Bungalows are scale-specific. Above 2,000 sq ft the form starts to break and you end up with a "craftsman" instead.

Yes → continue
02

Is the lot small enough for a bungalow?

Bungalows historically fit on 50-foot-wide lots. Modern in-town lots often fit them better than oversized suburban parcels.

Yes → continue
03

OK with a single or 1.5-story footprint?

1.5-story is the historical sweet spot. True 2-story breaks the form. True single-story works on tight lots and accessibility builds.

Pick before drawing
04

Is the deep front porch in the budget?

Mandatory. A bungalow without a deep porch is just a small house with a low roof. Spec the porch first.

Mandatory
05

Are tapered columns and exposed beams staying?

These are the bungalow tells. Strip them and you have a generic small house. Period-correct or simplified — pick a lane and stay there.

Keep them
Bungalow Geometry Comparison

Four bungalow geometries, four different rooms.

Same form family. Pick the one that matches your buyer and your roof appetite.

Classic Single-Story

Pure form

Single-story bungalow, low-pitch gable, deep porch, no upstairs. Smallest footprint of the four. Best for empty nesters, single-floor preference, accessibility-aware buyers.

Story1
Best size1,000 – 1,600 sq ft
Bedrooms2 – 3 main

1.5-Story

Knee-wall upstairs

Main floor with great room, kitchen, master, plus a 1.5-story upstairs tucked under the gable — knee walls, slope ceilings, two small bedrooms and a bath. The most popular bungalow form historically and again now.

Story1.5
Best size1,400 – 2,200 sq ft total
Bedrooms3 – 4 total

Bungalow + Walkout

Sloped-lot move

Single or 1.5-story bungalow above, full walkout level below. Almost doubles the usable square footage at the cheapest dollar-per-foot of the build. Best on real slope.

Story1 – 1.5 + walkout
Best size2,000 – 3,200 sq ft total
Bedrooms3 – 5 total

Wide Porch Bungalow

Front porch dominant

Bungalow with the front porch as the dominant architectural feature — wide, deep, often with a separate shed roof beneath the main gable. The signature look of pre-1930 American Craftsman.

Story1 – 1.5
Porch depth10 – 14 ft
Bedrooms2 – 4 total
Before You Build

Bungalow readiness checklist

Six questions to confirm a bungalow is the right form for your buyer, your lot, and your roof appetite.

Common Questions

Quick answers.

What separates a bungalow from a regular craftsman?+

Three things: roof pitch, story count, and entry sequence. A bungalow has a low-pitched gable (6/12 to 8/12), one or 1.5 stories, and an entry that opens directly off the porch onto the living space — no formal foyer. A two-story craftsman with a steep gable and a foyer is a craftsman, not a bungalow. The terms get used interchangeably in marketing, but the architectural distinction is real.

How big is a typical bungalow?+

Historically, 800 to 1,800 square feet on the main floor, with a 300 to 600 sq ft sleeping loft above when the form is 1.5 stories. In 2026, the practical sweet spot is 1,200 to 1,800 sq ft on the main with two real bedrooms upstairs — that gives you a real master, full kitchen, real great room, and enough secondary bedroom space for a small family or guests. Above 2,000 sq ft the form starts to break — bungalows are not meant to be big.

Can the upstairs be a true second story?+

Yes — a 1.5-story bungalow uses the roof volume to tuck two bedrooms and a bath under the slope. The walls are knee walls (typically 4 to 5 feet tall) with the ceiling angling up to a flat center section. Headroom is real along the center, tight along the perimeter — closets and built-ins go on the low walls. Some plans push to a true 2-story with vertical second-floor walls; those technically work but read more as "2-story craftsman" than as bungalow.

Is the front porch the same as a wraparound?+

No — a bungalow porch is almost always front-only, runs the width of the house (or a major portion of it), and lives under the main gable or under a separate shed roof tucked beneath it. A wraparound porch is a different house — usually farmhouse or Victorian. A bungalow with a wraparound is a hybrid, and reads as a hybrid; nothing wrong with that, but it is not a true bungalow.

Why are bungalows back in demand?+

Three reasons. First, downsizing: bungalow scale fits empty nesters perfectly — 1,400 to 1,800 sq ft is what most retired couples actually want. Second, lot fit: bungalows fit on smaller in-town lots that 4,000 sq ft craftsmans cannot. Third, character: real bungalows have detailing — built-ins, exposed beams, real wood — that newer construction often lacks, and buyers want that look at a build cost they can afford.

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