Such buildings were originally built as small-family dormitories (hence the name “small-family”) for factories and enterprises. Given the eternal shortage of housing space, the provision of even such modest housing was an excellent incentive for workers.
Small families belong to economy class housing. Currently this is the most inexpensive type of housing. Almost always, in addition to a small area, there is not the most pleasant neighborhood. Often such an apartment is considered as a temporary measure; such housing is most often rented by young professionals or students.
The area of a typical small family is from thirteen to thirty-seven square meters. They have a bathroom (usually combined, instead of a traditional bath there may be a sit-down or even a shower) and a tiny kitchen. Some small families have no window in the kitchen. This type of apartment makes the most efficient use of every piece of usable space.
Who is a small family suitable for?
In the rental market, small families are popular with young families and students. They are usually located in areas with well-developed infrastructure, and the rent can be significantly lower than for ordinary one-room apartments, which is strange, since small families are no different from them, except for the reduced square footage. Recently, apartments of this type are often purchased for subsequent rental.In some cases, small-family apartments are not inferior to full-sized ones in terms of square footage, but their prices (mainly due to the inconvenient corridor system of the common space) are much lower. Small-family apartments of this type usually have fairly spacious hallways, kitchens with an area of nine square meters, a fairly large room and even balconies. Such apartments are often used in exchange schemes, since their low price can simplify the search for good options for accommodating a large family.
Currently, small-family apartments are not being built, so they remain the lot of the secondary housing market; instead, apartments are becoming increasingly popular.
Simply put, a small family is a living area of no more than 18 square meters, including a shared bathroom and bathroom, a separate kitchen and room. However, all these individual rooms are very small. It’s quite suitable for a family of three, especially at the initial stage, until you can save up for more spacious apartments. You need to be prepared for neighbors located directly behind the wall and a few meters from the front door, since all apartments are located in the same corridor. It should be noted that this is the most ideal option for a small family; in fact, there are much worse options.
Types of small families
Many residents of megacities do not even know that there is such a type of housing as a small family, that this is not an ordinary one-room apartment, but a more economical option. It's worth starting with the worst offers.
- A dormitory with small rooms and a shared toilet with shower and kitchen. This is a big room. There is no privacy, everything that happens behind the wall can be heard by others. There is no opportunity to go to the toilet or shower when you want. Frequent quarrels with tenants in the kitchen and other difficulties. The disadvantage of such communal apartments is the impossibility of buying such housing or acquiring ownership. You need to understand that all these apartments belong to one company, where everything is privatized and owned by one owner.
- Separate apartments ranging from 12 to 45 square meters, designed for two or even three rooms, but small in area. This is the most economical option. Any opportunity to purchase a home is considered a real success, including for a small family. What is this? Not a mansion, but still a roof over your head under which you can fully live. A separate one designed for 8-12 apartments is an ideal option for a small family.
Who is a small family suitable for?
Visitors, students, young families - all people need permanent housing. These people know what a small family means, that this is not a separate full-fledged apartment, but still the most affordable way to buy a small living space. In areas remote from the center you can find quite acceptable options for purchasing an apartment of this type. The cheapest will, of course, be a dormitory, which is ideal for students. For a young family, a small-family apartment with its own bathroom and toilet is better suited. For visitors, you can find numerous advertisements in newspapers or contact a real estate agency, where there are a lot of such offers.
Small families nowadays
Today's real estate - small families, hotels and other types of housing - has undergone significant changes. Many construction companies build panel houses with small apartments in an economy version. Thus, you can purchase quite normal housing at affordable prices. Today, a small family - what is it? An almost modern one-room apartment with euro-windows, renovation, a private bathroom and toilet. All this speaks of convenience and comfort for living, even if not in luxury apartments.
You may come across the incomprehensible abbreviation KGT and quite rightly wonder what it means and why such apartments are an order of magnitude cheaper than those that do not have these three letters in their description?
We will try to understand this issue together with you. First, let's define how this abbreviation stands for. KGT are hotel-type apartments. These include what are popularly called “small families” and “gostinki”. What are these apartments like? Is there a difference between small hotels and hotels? Looking ahead, let's say right away that yes, there is a difference in these concepts. But first, let's talk about what unites them.
Little families and small families have both similarities and differencesBirth story
This concept originated in continental America in the distant industrial 20s. Then they were called, today’s fashionable word, “studio”. But they were strikingly different from modern American studios. They were small in size. Intended for one person to live in. There was no provision for a kitchen area. Single bachelors – workers – lived in such apartments. They were rarely at home, since they spent most of the day in factories and factories, earning money that they spent in the evenings on dinners in inexpensive eateries and drinking in bars every weekend.
A minimum of furniture for people who essentially “live” at work This type of housing came to the Soviets only in the 60s of the last century. Back then, the ruling party determined every aspect of the lives of its subjects, including the square meters needed to live. So, they decided that for a young family or a single worker the standard, at that time, 35 sq. m. too many meters. Therefore, a congress was convened at which, after discussing this problem, the party came to the conclusion to build new houses with apartments with an area of no more than 18 sq.m. These apartments, built on a hotel model, were supposed to serve as a kind of transit base between the institute dormitory room and a normal one-room apartment, which was supposed to be issued to each employee of the enterprise sooner or later. Unfortunately, not all of the party’s plans were able to come true, and small-family apartments entered our lives in a big way.
Differences between hotels and “normal” apartments
The main difference between small-family houses and gostinits from apartments is the space: a small kitchen area, a small room area and a very tiny combined bathroom that cannot even accommodate a standard bathroom. Such houses did not have a gas stove, since everything had to be modern and electric.
The main difference is the area The differences between the building itself with hotel apartments and ordinary residential apartment buildings will reveal the secret of the origin of the name KGT. In such a house, firstly, there are few entrances. Usually one or two at most. But there are a lot of apartments. And secondly, the apartments are located like rooms in a hotel. Long corridor and up to 50 apartments per floor.
There were several standard designs for the layout of small-family apartments. Some of them did not have balconies, let alone loggias. And some did not have a separate kitchen. In such apartments, the sink was located in the room, and next to it there was a small niche for kitchen furniture.
The difference between “small families” and “hotels”
Now let's talk about the differences in these widely used concepts. Most people think that these are just different names for the same apartments. But that's not true. We have compiled a table for you showing the differences between small-family and hotel-type apartments, and also included differences from ordinary apartments.
Table 1. Comparative characteristics of an ordinary apartment, small-family type and hotel type Malosemeyki are a series of hotel-type houses built during the Soviet period. These are single-entrance panel houses with a technical floor. The entrance is one-way, one passenger elevator. There are 13 apartments on the floor.
The name “small-family” comes from the more complete “small-family hostel”. Small, but private housing is the dream of young families and single bachelors, so many enterprises built special multi-storey buildings with tiny apartments to provide the opportunity for families and young professionals to live separately. Today, such apartments have been privatized and often appear on the real estate market, including in advertisements on.
Features of a small family
Small families are small apartments with their own bathroom and separate kitchenette. They can be either one-room or two-room. The biggest difference between small families and hotels is the location of the apartments in the house. Small families are usually located along a long corridor on two sides, but apart from this, nothing connects the owners of small families with their neighbors - this is a separate housing with all the amenities. In addition, small families have balconies and hallways, which makes them full-fledged apartments, just in the “mini” version. The size of such housing ranges from 13 to 30 sq.m.
Apartment plan for a small family
The layout of such an apartment is an example of compactness and simplicity.
Who is an apartment suitable for - a small family, and who should look for other options?
The “small family” type of apartment is perfect for single people. A small utility fee, enough space for living and your own bathroom and kitchen is an excellent option not only for young people, students, single bachelors, but also for elderly Ukrainians who decided to live independently, giving a large apartment to their children. A small family apartment will also please a young family without children or with a very small child. 
Firstly, the area is conveniently enough for a young couple who likes to spend time together, and when the baby arrives, you can comfortably keep an eye on him; there is enough area to install a crib and a changing table. A two-room small family will provide an opportunity for a single mother to raise a child and will become comfortable housing for a family with one child. In addition, in a two-room apartment, you can tear down a wall and make a large one-room or even a huge studio. And in this case, it can become an excellent workshop and comfortable housing for a creative person. In addition to comfortable living for small families, they are also excellent for renting out.
Pros and cons of having a small family
Small apartments have their advantages and disadvantages; if the bad “traits” of a small family are not critical for you, then it is better to make a purchase and enjoy your own nest.
Advantages of having a small family
- This is your own full-fledged housing, no shared kitchens or bathrooms
- low price
- good location (usually small-family dormitories were built in convenient residential areas)
- the ability to make inexpensive repairs (small area and many design options)
Disadvantages of a small-family apartment
- small apartment area
- uncomfortable bathroom (sitz bath and tiny toilet or even a combined option with a sitz bath)
- not the most pleasant contingent of neighbors (marginal people, poor people, elderly people)
- due to the previous point, unkempt entrance and surrounding area
- Usually small-family houses do not have parking
Little family. How to make a space comfortable?
A small family apartment provides enormous space for imagination and creativity. What opportunities are there to improve living conditions?
1) Partitions, sliding doors, thick “Japanese” screens. With the help of such items you can not only zone your apartment, but also give it a new style and color scheme.
2) If possible, you can add space to the apartment by removing the partition between the room and the balconies and moving some of the furniture onto the balcony. In this case, good insulation of the balcony will be an important condition for comfortable living. 3) Use light wallpaper, curtains, and light furniture as much as possible - this will expand the space and make your home more comfortable. 
4) The most comfortable furniture, created specifically for small spaces. If you look around the shops for options, you can always find beds, tables, cabinets - small and functional, with the ability to assemble them or hide them under each other. All in all, furniture must be suitable - this is the main attribute of being comfortable in an apartment for a small family.
5) In the kitchen, instead of a dining table, install a folding bar counter; this is more convenient and will free up more space for movement during cooking and cleaning.
6) If it is possible to make a studio and you are passionate about it, then by demolishing one wall between the room and the kitchen, you can make the space more open and full of “air.”
This is a word that comes from the Soviet past. Then these were small apartments designed to accommodate the working class and motivate them to work.
These are apartments in a corridor-type building, where there was a long corridor along the entire house, on both sides of which there were entrance doors to the apartments.
Small families had a small area, but they always had a bathroom (usually combined) and a separate kitchen, which could be dark, without a window. Later, small families began to build larger areas.
Total area 29 sq.m.
Total area 24.76 sq.m.
Total area 43.3 sq.m.
So, a small family is:
- apartment in a corridor-type building
- hallway
- separate kitchen
- combined bathroom
- separate room
Areas may vary.
Studio apartment
There is also an option for economy class apartments - these are studio apartments, which are now being built everywhere in large quantities. These are apartments located in ordinary residential buildings of various heights, in which there are also apartments of other types - one-room and multi-room. Studio apartments are often found in luxury buildings.
Studio apartment- this is the common space of the kitchen and room; only the bathroom, which is usually designed as a combined one, is separated by partitions.
An example of a house containing small-family apartments and studio apartments
The picture shows a house that is currently under construction in Izhevsk. The house is a corridor type, with studio apartments on one side of the corridor and small families on the other.
Typical studio apartment
The studio apartment is suitable for young couples or students. With the help of competent zoning of space, maximum comfort is ensured even in a minimal area.
Prices for studio apartments and small-family apartments may vary, depending on the area in which the house is located, the degree of infrastructure development and transport accessibility.
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