Finding Great Country House Plans

If you are looking for some peace and quiet, why not get a country house? By getting a country house, you will be able to enjoy fresh, clean air, some peace and quiet, and other healthy benefits of country living.

When you look for a great country house plan, you need to make sure that you get one from a certified architect. This is because a lot of companies today tend to take advantage of naive persons and offer low-quality or even dangerous country house plans.

Why dangerous? Well, you have to know that there's a lot more to designing a country house than making it pretty. A great country house plan should take into consideration the structural integrity of the building. This means that the plan should not produce something that would fall on the heads of people who will be living in it.

Finding a great country house plan also requires a person to be quite prudent in terms of expenses. You need to know what sort of expenses you will be facing and whether or not you have enough funding.

If you are unable to meet the need, a great country house plan should allow you to make certain changes in order to reduce expenses. In other words, the country house plan should be flexible. You need to be able to personalize the house and make it your own without damaging the artistry of the architect. This can be a very hard quality to achieve.

Another thing that you need to look for when choosing a great country house plan is compatibility with the surroundings. A country house plan needs to fit in with the surrounding countryside. This is because of the fact that, unlike city buildings, country houses tend to stand alone.

A great country house plan should take into account the various elements of the countryside. Whether you are planning to build the county house inside a farm, a ranch, a vineyard or any other type of surroundings, the right country house plan should be able to help you.

These are some of the most important factors that you should consider when selecting a country house plan. By following these steps you are sure to end up not only with a plan to build a country house, but with a plan to build your dreams and your future.

To learn more tips on finding house design plans

Why Buy Stock House Plans Vs Custom?

When a person begins the process of building a new house, there are many different aspects that need to be addressed including: where to build, what size home to build, what features to include, what items are the most important to have in the home, what costs should be included in the budget, what are the design - build timeframes, who will build the home, and a host of other issues.

After these initial questions have been successfully answered, the next item that must be addressed is that of house plans. There are two basic types of house plans that can be purchased, custom or stock, with each having distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Custom Houseplans

Custom house plans are just as the name implies. The house plans are custom drawn to meet you family's specific needs. The plans are normally drawn by a licensed building designer or, in some cases, a licensed architect in a geographic location close to where the 1.) owners live, or 2.) home will be built. The process is, normally, much more involved and time-consuming since the owner's specific requests will need to be integrated into the overall design of the home. Many times these type "special" requests can present significant challenges to the designer of the home, which as a result, may take additional time to resolve.

Since the home is being custom designed, specifically to meet the needs of that one person/family, the costs associated with the development of the house plans tend to be significantly larger than those for a similar set of stock house plans. However, in some cases, the custom house plan may be the only viable option based on the client's needs, home location, special building considerations, etc.

Advantages:

- Homeowner can get exactly what they want in home design

- Special needs can be addressed in the design (i.e. extra large garage for boat, larger than normal master bath, handicapped access, etc.)

Disadvantages:

- Significantly more costly than stock houseplans

- Longer, more arduous process to develop

- Significantly more time consuming to produce (i.e. many meetings necessary with designer over several month period)

Stock Houseplans Stock house plans are, by contrast, home designs which have been developed to fit the needs of a particular group of the general populace. They are not custom designed for a particular person, but rather, standardized for the needs of a larger group.

Stock homeplans normally include the "most requested" features including square footage, room dimensions, floorplan layout, amenities, and other like features. These house plans provide an excellent value when compared to the corresponding price of a set of fully custom house plans which may exceed several thousand dollars.

When you buy a stock house plan, you're not paying for the countless hours spent drawing up a plan, re-working the plan, and finalizing drafts. You're paying a reduced fee for a single re-use of that plan.

Advantages:

- Significantly less expensive

- Minor plan modifications can usually be made by the original designer or a local designer for a minimal charge.

- Very simple and quick purchase process

- Can submit the plans for a building permit the day after receiving

Disadvantages:

-Not as extensively customizable

In conclusion, I would recommend trying to find a stock house plan, first, at a reputable online house plan broker website such as House Plan Central.com. There are thousands of stock house plans available online, and House Plan Central.com offers a huge selection of unique house plans in many different architectural styles.

More likely than not, you'll be able to find what you're looking for by doing a simple search. With so many plans available to choose from, it's a safe bet that you won't see your house plan replicated in your area. And if you find a plan you like, but want to make a few modifications - no problem! Most of the plans available at House Plan Central.com can be modified to your specifications.

Determining whether your particular needs merit custom or stock house plans is, ultimately, a personal choice based on your particular situation. Both types will provide you with the information that you need to successfully build your dream home.

Kevin Carden is a publisher of several stock house plan websites and informational resources, the most famous being. House Plan Central has a large collection of home plans and unique house plans in different architectural styles, from the nation's top house designers.

Stock House Plans - Why Use Them?

Stock plan or custom plan? When you are planning to build your future home, which of these two is necessarily better?

While both stock house plans and custom house plans can serve their purpose well, there are a lot of great reasons why a stock house plan can offer a better value for your money. For starters, stock house plans are definitely cheaper than a custom house plan. Do you know that an average stock house plan will only cost you $700? Well, that is a mere fraction of the price of a custom house plan, which can go up to a few thousand dollars on the average!

Aside from this, there are some other reasons why a stock house plan can give you more value for your hard earned dollar. Some of these are listed below:

Both stock house plans and custom plans have the same high quality design specifications. Why? It is because most stock house plans originally started as custom drawn plans. Thus the same high quality specifications, attention to details and time consuming efforts have been put into the making of each and every stock house plan.

When using stock plans, you can readily assess whether you can afford to build a specific design. Stock house plans offer a more accurate cost estimate, since most of the details such as the materials list and labor cost estimates have already been laid out by the previous builder. Estimating the total building cost can be very critical in determining your budget requirements and save you from future worries during the actual construction phase of your project!

There are two options available for you, if you need to have a realistic budget estimate of your project. You can either enlist the service of companies that specialize in calculating building costs or you can purchase a review or study set. A study set, by the way, is a preliminary design of your chosen house plan that you can use to start gathering cost estimates and bids from various builders in the soonest time possible.

Purchasing a stock plan is as simple as A-B-C. Purchasing a stock house plan is extremely simple. It is so simple that you can even do it online! Normally, when you purchase a stock house plan, you can take hold of your construction documents within days. This allows you to readily submit the documents required for a building permit so you can begin building your dream house immediately. A custom drawn plan, on the other hand, may take weeks or even months to complete!

No more buyers' remorse! Purchasing stock house plans reduce the possibility of this from happening. There are instances when future homebuilders purchase a house plan only to learn later on that it needs to be modified for one reason or another. If this should ever happen to you, you can be sure that you will not have to start having your plans drawn all over again. Some companies even allow their clients to trade their existing stock plans for up to 90% of its original value to be applied for the purchase of a new set of plans (of the same house plan). These reproducible sets can then be subjected to reflect the necessary modifications whenever needed.

As you can see, using stock house plans in building your dream house has never been so easy! Happy house plan hunting!

Stock House Plans - 4 Great Reasons To Buy Them

Finally, after months of thoughtful consideration, you have made one great decision. You are going to build your dream house! But with the ever-increasing cost of building a house, you need to be equipped with the necessary knowledge to avoid wasting your hard earned dollars.

In building a house, one of the first and most important steps you need to do is to find the perfect design for your future home. Do you need to have your house plan custom drawn or will you go for a stock house plan? "So, what's the difference between the two?" you might ask. Well, there is a world of difference between these two and cost is just one of them.

A custom drawn house plan is a plan specifically designed by a professional architect or designer to meet the needs of an individual homeowner. Among the factors taken into consideration in drawing a custom house plan are the size of the lot on which the house will be built, the location, the existing national and local building codes and the special needs of the home owner. A custom house plan requires considerable time to be completed and can cost up to a few thousand dollars!

Stock house plans, on the other hand, are plans that were previously drawn by a professional architect or designer either for a specific purpose or for general use.

So, why choose a stock house plan over custom drawn plans? Here are a few reasons why:

. Stock house plans are much more affordable than custom drawn plans. Can you believe that you can save up to 95% when you choose to buy stock house plans rather than commission a professional to have a custom plans drawn? While the cost of a custom house plan can be overwhelming, that of a stock house plan only averages at $700. That is just a small fraction of the cost of a custom house plan!

. You can save on construction costs when you use stock house plans. Most stock house plans have already been used at least once so you can be rest assured that any construction issues regarding the plan have already been resolved. You can also avoid unnecessary building costs and have more accurate budget estimates. Also, since yours will not be the first time the plan will be constructed, the building process will be faster and more efficient. That alone accounts for significant savings on the labor cost!

Pre-drawn House plans the Benefits and Styles

Pre-drawn house plans are those that are drawn by architects or home designers and then offered for sale, unlike those that are drawn for an individual, with input from the customer. While this method may be a great idea, there are definite benefits to purchasing pre-drawn house plans. Architects and home designers that do custom home designing also do a lot of their own designs, and it is these plans that are offered for sale
They are adept at making plans that utilize available space to the best possible advantage, and at laying out a floor plan to optimize curb appeal.

Custom designing of your home can take months to be completed and is extremely expensive, often up to ten times the cost of predawn or stock house plans. Using custom drawn plans can delay the construction of your home by many weeks There are dozens of home styles and literally thousands of plans to choose from, so you can be sure to find the home of your dreams.

If you find a house plan that you love, but want to make minor changes, most companies can have their designers do that for you, at an additional fee. It is also possible to have your plans reversed, for instance, if your breakfast nook faces west but the view from the north side of your lot is more attractive, you can reverse it. Many of the sites selling house plans will allow you to see a reversed view, of houses you might want to build.

Another service provided by the companies that design and sell house plans, is one that allows you to estimate the cost for building a particular house in your area of the country. The South is the least expensive area to build in and the West has the highest cost .The national average is somewhere in between.

There are dozens of house plan styles for you to browse and hundreds in each category, from A-Frame to Victorian, , from small to large, you can find the right home for your family. There are magazines, books and web sites galore that you can search

Beach houses, are small one story homes, raised above the ground, and usually have an open floor plan, with a lot of windows, to get a good view of the yard.. A low end Beach house with 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, kitchen and Great room would cost, about $74,000.00 to build, according to the national average, and about $15,000.00 more in the west and $8000.00 less in the south. These little houses make great vacation retreats and are also suitable as a starter home or retirement home for empty nesters.

Bungalows are 1 to 1and ½ story homes, They often incorporate features of the Craftsman style house, such as natural building materials, exposed rafter ends and gables. They also sometimes borrow features from the Country or Victorian look.A two bedroom, one bath bungalow in the mid-range can be built for between $70,000.00 and 95.000.00, depending on what part of the country you live in. A low-end two bedroom one bath can be built for $52,000 to 70,000. These cute homes are great for newlyweds or retirees

Large front porches, dormers and a roofline that lies parallel to the road are the main distinguishing features of Country homes. Farm house and French Country plans can also be included in this category. Open floor plans are not common to this type of house. A small country home, 576 square feet, with one bath and two bedrooms, can be built for under $60,000.00 can be erected on your site for under $60,000.00. A three bedroom, 1 and ½ baths, will average about $84,000.00 to erect on your site. .

Craftsman style homes are characterized by the use of natural materials like wood or stone for exterior walls, and rock foundations that slope out towards the ground. They may also include dormers, exposed beams, and overhanging eaves. A two bedroom one bath house in the craftsman style will cost between $52,000.00 and $62,000.00 to build a two bedroom, two bath, home with a 2 car garage will run about $96.000.00.

Top 10 Things To Consider In A New House Plan

Seeing that I have recently finished building our new home I thought I'd share some insights into the design of a new home. There are many new house plans available today and the sky's the limit on features and styles. The biggest problem with the design process is once we've decided that we'd like to build a new home human nature kicks in and we want it to happen over night. The problem with that is we typically don't spend enough time evaluating and considering the design aspects of the new house. The most important thing to remember is spending extra time in the beginning will prevent you from having second thoughts once the house is done. The following list are ten important things to consider when choosing a new house plan.

1. Style - I think the style of the home is the best place to start. The style of the home will connect with so many of the choices you make so its important to spend some quality time thinking about the style you'd like to live in. Are your preferences more modern or traditional? Do you want a house that is similar to your neighbors? What house style will hold the best value in your neighborhood? What style house will closely match your interior style and existing furnishings? These are all questions that you need to ask yourself and your family. This was a tough question for my wife and I as we grew up on two sides of the country and our styles are very different.

2. Number of Bedrooms - This question may seem simple and easy to answer but it is worth thinking about and discussing. The easiest answer to this question would be based on your current family size and needs. You may need a two bedroom today and need a four bedroom down the road when your family grows. Or maybe you need four bedrooms today yet your kids will be off to college in a few years.

3. Single Level Vs. Multiple Levels - Whether or not your new house has only one level or more is really a personal decision. Some people really enjoy having single level living with no stairs to climb up and down. Some people prefer the more traditional cape and colonial home styles with bedrooms on the second floor. Some land sites are quite small and someone looking for decent square footage may only be able to build a multi-level house. If you think you may retire and live in your house as you get older the single level house may appeal to you.

4. Master Bedroom Suite - Today's new house plans typically offer a master bedroom suite. These suites often have generous closet space, large private bathrooms with soaker tubs, jetted tubs, large walk-in showers and even walk-in closets. These suites generally increase the value of the home and make the house more marketable if you sell in the future.

5. Bonus Rooms (Laundry, Play) - One of the most popular trends in today's house plans are dedicated laundry rooms and the renewed popularity of pantries. In fact, in my new house we made the mudroom a combination laundry and pantry. Some house plans offer laundry on the second floor of multi-leveal houses. A word of caution if you choose a second floor laundry. Make sure you insist that some type of extensive drain system be installed in the unfortunate case there is a broken washing machine hose.

6. Number of Bathrooms - The average number bathrooms in new houses has steadily increased over the years. The average home in the US has 2 1/2 baths and the average appears to be heading towards 3.

7. Kitchen Style - I could write an entire article on this topic, however, the main point here is that many house plans have just a basic kitchen layout. My suggestion is find a house you like and then modify the kitchen to your liking. Plenty of home supply stores will design you a new kitchen free of charge based on the floor plan so don't let a simple kitchen layout deter you from a house plan you really like.

8. Floor Plans - When evaluating floor plans try to visualize how you will furnish the house and how you plan on using different rooms in your daily life. Get a tape measure and measure rooms in your current house to get an idea of how big a 12'x15' room really is. Often people have a hard time visualizing the size of a room and later when the house is done they are not happy with the size. I really suggest spending time on the evaluation.

9. Functionality - The functionality of the new house plan is really one of the most important aspects for your long term comfort and use of the house. If you put the dining room on the other side of the living room so that you have to carry meals through the living room you will soon realize that's not very functional. The same is true about the proximity of bathrooms to bedrooms. Again, I think its important to compare where you currently live to the house plan and think about your likes and dislikes.

10. House Site - The house site can sometimes play a big part in the style, floor plan and functionality. For instance, if you have a very small site you may need two floors. Or maybe your lot is really hilly and needs a drive under garage. Just make sure that when you pick a couple of plans you evaluate them based on the lot as well.

If you get one thing out of this article remember this, plan, plan, plan and plan some more. The more you plan and evalulate your new house plans the happier you will be when you're finally living in your new house.

House Plans: The Best Investments

Some people thought that owning a house is the best big investment they could ever have. In fact, according to the recent survey conducted in the U.S., 90% of the primary wealth of the people. They never knew that there is something more than what the house can offer -- the house plans.

What people never knew is that house plans are the better investment.

Why? It is because the foundation, the structure, and the beauty of a house depend on the creation and assumption of house plans.

Therefore, it is important to spend some time contemplating on making and analyzing house plans. If ever the plan was not made in such a way that it would provided the optimum protection for the family, then that is not an investment after all.

Hence, it is extremely important to pay close attention to the house plan. Factors that are to be considered when making house plans should be well taken into account. Here are five things to consider when making house plans:

1. Location

Before making house plans, it is important to contemplate first on the location of the lot where the house will be built. Is it near the schools? The market? Or is it located in an area where transportations are scarce?

The point here is that it is important to consider the location when creating house plans. The design and structure of the house should match the kind of environment the neighborhood has.

2. Lifestyle

Do you prefer to live in the city, or the quiet suburban subdivision living? You definitely do not want to dig yourself a debt hole just to build a new house that conflict with your lifestyle.

When creating house plans, it is also important to consider the lifestyle. The total impression that the house will have on its visitors should greatly reflect the kind of lifestyle the family has.

3. Size of the family

Many houses now are so small because developers have to take into consideration the paying capacity of the buyers.

However, if ever you have the budget and the time to supervise the building of your new house, it is important to consider first the size of your family. For instance, the number of your children will indicate the number of rooms that you have to consider on your plan.

4. Environment

It is extremely important to consider the kind of environment the neighborhood has in creating house plans. For instance, if the area seems to be a hot spot, it is best to include some plans on proper insulation of the house so as to conserve energy consumption.

There are also cases wherein the type of soil is also important in making a house. Therefore, it is best to try to consider the kind of soil the lot area has when making house plans. What good will the designs be if the foundation of the house is literally weak?

5. Law and the government

There are cases wherein certain laws apply when building a particular house. These are known as the zoning laws. Therefore, it is best to consider them when making house plans because there are some laws that limits the height of the house to be built or the percentage of the allowed portion that the house will occupy in a given lot area.

The bottom line here is that the overall foundation and stability of a house is greatly dependent on the proper creation and execution of house plans. No wonder why it is considered by the others as the bigger investment.

The Dirt On House Plan Styles

When selecting the perfect home plan for your house, keep in mind that most house plans are styled differently to reflect the community and personality of the owner. New styles abound every day as designers continue to come up with new ideas for modern homes. Some house plan styles fall along classic lines, whereas others take a unique twist on old themes. You've probably walked by a least a dozen homes in your life that were designed specifically for the owners living within.

There are dozens of different house plan styles to select from. Here is just a sampling of the various home plans currently available:

Split Bedroom - This house plan usually resembles a ranch style. Most are up to 2800 square feet and use floor space efficiently so you don't need much of any hall space in the home. A split home usually provides two separate bedroom areas, usually on opposite ends of the home.

Country - Country homes usually have vast exteriors, large front or back porches and open interiors. A country home also features a large kitchen and family area.

Cottage - A cottage home plan much like a country home plan often features a large porch and tall windows. A cottage style home may be smaller than a traditional country home.

Adobe - An adobe homeplan is similar to a southwestern style, often with stucco coverings and smooth walls.

Duplex house plans - A duplex home plan is nothing more than a multi family style home. Duplex homes come in various styles with various outside framing including wood or stucco.

Don't forget there are dozes more house plans than the few listed above. Other houseplans not mentioned above may include: luxury home plans, modular home plans, small house plans, beach house plans and even log house plans. When it comes to your home, the choices are endless.

The style plan you select will depend largely on your preferences. You might think about scanning your neighborhood to see what the dominant styles are of people living around you. While it is not a requirement that you buy and build a home in the same style as your neighbors, many people opt for something similar as it may help in the future if you ever decide to sell. The most important thing to remember is your house should provide you with a sense of comfort, quiet and joy. If you take your time selecting the right home plan, you should accomplish this task easily.

Tips for Selecting The Right Home Plan

Sometimes the vast array of choices makes selecting the right house plan overwhelming. Fortunately there are a couple of steps you can take to help speed the process of selecting a plan. First, you should sit down and decide what features are most important to you in your home. This includes the number of bathrooms and bedrooms you need, whether you need a family room, large kitchen and how formal you want your home to look. You should also consider how large a garage you'll need and the total square footage you can afford. All of these elements will help you select the right house plan.

Let's say for example, you want a large, roomy home with an open floor plan, large kitchen and bay windows to overlook the shore. A country or beach home plan will likely accommodate your needs better than a bungalow house plan. You can also narrow your selection by looking for housplans with certain features, such as a detached garage or a house plan that provides for side parking. A ranch house plan will look best on a large plot, whereas a taller house plan may suit a lot that is uneven or tilted.

Always take your time when selecting the right house plan. Once your home is built, you'll probably live there for some time. Occasionally you may be able to make a few minor changes to a house plan to help make it more suitable to your needs. If this is the case be sure to check with your designer first. Some changes are quite pricey. By and large, with the wealth of selections available today, you should be able to find a plan that accommodates most if not all of your personal preferences.

House Plans - Where To Start

You have found the perfect lot on which to build your new home. Now you have an abundance of decisions to make. Where will the house sit on the lot? You will have to decide this based on the total square footage of the house. What kind of features are you hoping to have. These are the things to consider, storage, a laundry room, a home office, a bathroom downstairs, a full bath upstairs, and a family room.

Consider the future? Are you just starting out and planning a family? Do you need a guestroom for visitors? Flexible house plans are probably the best option for you. You don't want your house to end being too big in the future. If it starts getting small, make sure you allow for expansion if necessary, and make sure it is according to your local zoning laws.

How does the house plan you have chosen fit on the lot? If the lot is deep and narrow you don't want a shallow and wide house plan. Where will you place the house so that you get the maximum exposure to sunlight in the morning and in the evening? Make sure the windows are where they are supposed to be.

Check the zoning laws where you are building your house. There may be a limit in the height of the house or on what percentage of space your house can take up on the lot. Be open to suggestions. You can go with a pre-drawn plan or a custom plan that is drawn to your specifications. Another important item is how water drains off of your property. You would want to build the house on the rise of a hill rather than at its base. At the base the run off could do damage to the house.

When thinking about your house in general, does the house style fit in with the neighborhood? You wouldn't put a large Victorian house in a neighborhood that had ranch style homes and vice versa. Find out if there is an agreement with your city or town regarding the type of houses that is acceptable for that area. The size of the house is important. If it is too large or too small it will stick out like a sore thumb.

Will a lot of changes have to be made? There will be changes at some point to add a garage or change the size or shape of a room is fairly easy but you had better be prepared to pay a lot more for custom plans.

When you are thinking of the rooms determine what percentage of total square footage will this room take u p. If the master suite takes up twenty percent of total space is okay if you are also going to use some of that space for a reading area. If not consider a plan with a smaller bedroom. In order to determine the total space of any room you multiply the length times the width and divide that by the total square footage of the home.

You may want a dishwasher or an island in the center of your kitchen but sometimes you have to do a trade off. For example, if you want a dishwasher but will have to lose some cabinet space you must decide which is more important cabinet space or the dishwasher. The colors inside the house are most definitely important. If you want each room to have its own color the best plan for you would be a closed plan which would create separate individual rooms. If you are going to have a solid color throughout an open floor plan might work for you.

If you want the space consider planning a room switch. A room that is now being planned as an office can become a guestroom or a nursery. An extra bedroom could be come a work out room or a family room/library. If you are building a garage consider adding an extra bay and making that a workbench or a potting bench. Once you figure all of this out and you have the plans all set you can if you haven't already choose a lot. With an organized search you could find a plan that comes very close to your ideal home. Once you get the plan you can make any necessary last minute changes.

Building a home is probably the most complicated decision you will ever make. The plan for your new home can be either custom or pre-drawn. Custom plans are more expensive but the expense of pre-drawn plans could be as well if you request any modifications to them. Check with your city or town for their zoning laws. You will hopefully be in your new home for long time so make it what you want it. Enjoy your new home.

You have found the perfect lot on which to build your new home. Now you have an abundance of decisions to make. Where will the house sit on the lot? You will have to decide this based on the total square footage of the house. What kind of features are you hoping to have. These are the things to consider, storage, a laundry room, a home office, a bathroom downstairs, a full bath upstairs is acceptable for that area. The size of the house is important. If it is too large or too small it will stick out like a sore thumb.

Will a lot of changes have to be made? There will be changes at some point to add a garage or change the size or shape of a room is fairly easy but you had better be prepared to pay a lot more for custom plans.

When you are thinking of the rooms determine what percentage of total square footage will this room take u p. If the master suite takes up twenty percent of total space is okay if you are also going to use some of that space for a reading area. If not consider a plan with a smaller bedroom. In order to determine the total space of any room you multiply the length times the width and divide that by the total square footage of the home.

You may want a dishwasher or an island in the center of your kitchen but sometimes you have to do a trade off. For example, if you want a dishwasher but will have to lose some cabinet space you must decide which is more important cabinet space or the dishwasher. The colors inside the house are most definitely important. If you want each room to have its own color the best plan for you would be a closed plan which would create separate individual rooms. If you are going to have a solid color throughout an open floor plan might work for you.

If you want the space consider planning a room switch. A room that is now being planned as an office can become a guestroom or a nursery. An extra bedroom could be come a work out room or a family room/library. If you are building a garage consider adding an extra bay and making that a workbench or a potting bench. Once you figure all of this out and you have the plans all set you can if you haven't already choose a lot. With an organized search you could find a plan that comes very close to your ideal home. Once you get the plan you can make any necessary last minute changes.

Building a home is probably the most complicated decision you will ever make. The plan for your new home can be either custom or pre-drawn. Custom plans are more expensive but the expense of pre-drawn plans could be as well if you request any modifications to them. Check with your city or town for their zoning laws. You will hopefully be in your new home for long time so make it what you want it. Enjoy your new home.

How To Choose A House Plan - Part 2 of 10

Maybe this should have been lesson #1 - it's such a common mistake. The oft-neglected rule is this: not every house plans fits - or can easily be made to fit - on every site.

Potential Disaster

You've seen the sad, odd result of this mistake before - the one-level house precariously perched on a steeply sloping site. In the Midwestern and Southern United States it'll be supported on stacks and stacks of concrete block; in the California hills it's even worse - houses on stilts! But it does make for great video when a mudslide or earthquake takes one into the ravine below.

Most plan book houses are "designed" to be placed on flat lots, and granted, the majority of building lots are relatively flat. But many house plan buyers have more challenging properties and these lots require a design that responds appropriately.

You can buy "sloped lot" designs from some house plan sites, and these are a step in the right direction - if you know what to look for.

The Four "S's" of Siting a House - Slope, Sun, Soil, and Sewer

Slope The slope of the property can have a big effect on the cost of your project - a house placed on a slope will most definitely cost more to build than on a flat lot. Does your house have to be placed on the slope? Perhaps it can be placed at the top or bottom - taking advantage of the views from the slope but not incurring the costs of building there.

Many owners of sloping lots want to take advantage of that situation by including a "walk-out" basement in the plan. It's a great way to increase the space in your house for a relatively small cost. The steepness of the slope will partly determine how much excavation and/or fill is necessary to create the walkout.

But a walk-out basement will also require a few special details and some additional structural information to accomplish properly and to get permits from most building departments. Be sure your plan includes such provisions for a walk-out, or have someone make the necessary revisions to the plans for you.

Homes on sloped lots often require more (read: costly) gravel backfill material at the foundation; they might need expensive retaining walls to create a flat area for a driveway or hold back soil at the walk-out; and they usually have a full basement - whether you want it or not.

Looks for plans designed for sloped lots - they're usually multi-level plans and are usually listed as "sloped lot plans" on house plan websites.

Here's the bottom line - carefully analyze (with the help of a design professional if necessary) the impact that your sloped lot may have on your choice of house plans. Choose a house plan that's appropriate for the lot without expensive modifications or construction techniques.

Sun Most homes are designed with the primary family living spaces at the back (kitchen, breakfast room, family room). These are the rooms you want sunlight in; the rooms with all the expensive windows. And you'll get that sunlight through those windows, too - if the back of the house faces south. That's where the sun is, remember? If your lot is on the south side of the street, great.

But what if your lot is on the north side? All that living space, all that glass, isn't going to get any direct sunlight at all. Or worse, your lot faces east, and the afternoon sun pours through that wall of west facing glass like a blast furnace - heating up the house and fading the furniture and carpeting.

Most house plan services will be happy to "flip" your plans for you if that will give the living spaces a better orientation to the sun. If the plan you've chosen is drawn on CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) software, then flipping the plan is easy. For hand drawn plans, you'll have to make "reverse" prints yourself - easily done at your local reprographics (blueprint) shop. In Chapter #9 "Buy The "Right" Set Of Plans", we'll talk more about flipping floor plans.

Since we're talking about sunlight, now's a good time to bring up the subject of energy consumption. Houses use energy to keep heat in, and to keep heat out. The easiest and least expensive way to keep heat out of the house is with proper orientation of the windows and doors. The easiest way to keep heat in is to reduce the number of windows - so pay close attention to the number and location of windows in your house plan. A properly oriented plan can save you a lot in fuel bills.

Soil It's amazing, every time a backhoe starts a new house foundation, how different soils can be from one building site to another. From loose sand to solid rock and everything in between, and sometimes on the same site!

Soil type can have a big impact on the cost of construction. Even if you know a lot about the underground conditions on your site, it's a good idea to keep a little cash in reserve to deal with potential surprises lurking under the turf.

How much do you know about the soils on your home site? It's relatively easy to learn the basic characteristics from your County Extension Service or local building department. You might also contact builders and excavators with experience in the area and ask them what they've encountered on other projects they've built near you.

House plan services that design all their own plans (like RTA Plans) often design them to fit the site conditions and building traditions of their local area. Some Southeastern plans, for example, have neither crawl spaces nor basements; they're designed with foundations on multiple piers because of the low bearing capacity of the sandy soil. In areas with better soils this same system would be overkill.

A few of the plan services in the Great Plains and Texas design their homes on concrete slabs - there's almost no foundation at all.

Some types of foundation systems that are popular in one region are unheard of in others. Typical practice in many areas is poured concrete walls - a potentially expensive option if your plans call for concrete block. It's important to know what foundation systems are common where you're building.

But even a house with the proper type of foundation for your site may need significant re-engineering to accommodate the local soils and the local building department.

Soils drain and retain water differently, and soils have vastly differently capacities to bear structural loads. In most areas, you'll have to show the building department that your foundation is designed for the local soils conditions.

Don't skip this step - if the plan you're considering isn't suited for the soil conditions on your site, you could spend thousands of dollars to have the plans modified accordingly.

Sewer The Plumber's Credo - "everything flows downhill" is extremely important to remember when selecting a plan. On a developed lot, the municipal sanitary sewer line is buried near the front (usually) of the lot. The height of this pipe will determine the depth below grade of the basement slab since the effluent from the house must "flow downhill" to the sewer line.

Depending upon the soil conditions and slope of the lot, the sewer line may be too high to allow gravity flow from a basement, especially if you're planning on having a bathroom in the basement. In such cases a "grinder" or "ejector" pump may be required to lift waste to the sewer height - at a cost of several thousand dollars.

An undeveloped lot is one where the utilities - electricity, water, gas, and public sewer - aren't brought from the street to the buildable area of the lot. On larger undeveloped properties there may not be any public sanitary sewer to connect to at all. On such a lot, you'll need some type of private sanitation system.

Several types of private sanitation systems are in use today including the traditional septic tank and leach field, aeration systems, and "mound" systems. They can vary widely in cost, and not all health districts allow all types. The choice of system will also be heavily weighted by the soil type and slope of the lot, and the available area(s) for the system. A typical leach field system will require a large clear area for a primary and second field.

Since a private sanitation system is more expensive than connecting to a public system, the cost isn't typically considered in the "base" cost of building a house. A private sanitation system is usually an "extra".

Put 'em all together At this point you've probably begun to guess that all of the four critical site selection factors above can affect the same site. You're right. A heavily-wooded, steeply-sloping property on the north side of the street with loose, sandy soil will require a very particular house plan indeed.

Will you be able to find that house plan on a website? Maybe - but perhaps just as important to you should be the desire to avoid purchasing a plan that won't work on the property.

How House Plans Work

The Ins and Outs Of Choosing Online Custom Home Plans!

So you've decided to build your own home, congratulations! Now where do you go from here?

If you are a first timer, it is sometimes confusing figuring out how house plans work. House plans, sometimes referred to as home floor plans, are easily deciphered once you understand the basics. Let's discuss some of them so you know what to look for when looking at custom home plans for your dream house.

House Plans Options

There are many options available when it comes to house plans. Home plans usually come in "sets" which can be broken down as follows:

CAD Set - This is a complete set of house plans that is available in electronic file format. Usually this type of house plan is requested from professionals. A CAD set is useful if you are planning on making a lot of changes to the initial house plan purchased. This isn't usually something a novice would be interested in, unless they are working very closely with a designer.

Study Set - This type of home plan includes complete exterior views of your home to be plus floor plans of the upper and lower floors (for two story homes). A study set is useful in helping you determine if you can afford the home you are considering building. Usually excluded from a study set are items such as the roof, foundation and details of the home.

Construction Set - Construction house plans are complete and include everything you need to build your home. Exterior views, complete floor plans, roof and foundation plans and details that explain how to build your home are included in a construction set. You want to consider a construction set if you are interested in buying a basic home plan package from which you'll secure financing and settle all the other details necessary to have your home built.

Reproducible Set - You can buy a reproducible set if you think you may need minor changes made to your home plans. You can make copies from this type of home plan, but you are not allowed to build more than one home from these type of plans without a separate license.

Selecting a Style Home

Once you have figured out what type of plans you'll need, you next need to decide on the type of house plans you want to look at. Here are some examples of common house plans that can be purchased:

Cottage Plans

Beach House Plans

Log Home Plans

Modular Home Plans

Storage Shed Plans

Let's examine each of these more closely:

Cottage Plans

Cottage plans are usually crafted with warmth and cozy spacing in mind. Most cottage plans are not designed with the idea that the home will be very large. Cottage plans include characteristics such as cozy living spaces, wood siding and stone based porches among other things. Many also are designed to accommodate one and one half to two story homes with low pitched roofs. The exterior materials often used in cottage plans include brick or stucco.

Beach House Plans

Beach house plans usually result in homes that have a very distinct look. The architectural style that is the foundation for most beach house plans varies from Spanish to Mediterranean to Traditional styles. Beach house plans therefore, can reflect a wide range of interests. Some reflect the area where the house may be built. For example, many coastal home plans created for homes on the southern East coast (think Florida) are crafted with the idea that the home will be on stilts as a measure to help guard against hurricanes and other tropical storms. Stucco exterior styles or Mediterranean styles are not uncommon of coastal home plans fashioned for customers living on the West Coast. Many beach house plans also include special features such as large bay windows and outdoor living spaces.

Log Home Plans

Log home plans are often crafted with the romantic in mind. Most log home plans have a rustic feel, built on traditions. Log home plans will incorporate natural elements into the style including use of wood, stone and glass to create a home that reflects the spirit of the forest. Log home plans are popular because homes built with logs are great insulators against cold weather. Most log home plans are custom designed for homes in areas of the country that experience cold snaps during the winter months.

Modular Home Plans

Modular home plans are largely popular because they are inexpensive and result in homes that are easy to build and place just about anywhere. You can find modular home plans to meet just about any need. Most are one story homes or ranch style homes. Modular home plans are also popular because they can be built quickly and do not require extensive detailing. These plans are great for those wanting to build a starter home, but not wanting to break the bank while doing so. You can find many of the same features in a modular home as you can in a traditional one.

Storage Shed Plans

Storage shed plans are crafted with one thing in mind... space! Why look at storage shed plans unless you are looking to build a structure that will accommodate your need for more space? Most storage shed plans vary in size and structure, depending on what you are looking for. You can literally find a storage shed plan to match any specific requirement. Whether you are looking to store animals, hay, tools, supplies or excess household items, you can usually find a plan to accommodate your needs. Most storage shed plans are in essence "mini versions" of their full house plan cousins. They are small and usually one story, though some (particularly those built for farming considerations) may be two story.

Building your home is an exceptional adventure and can be quite rewarding if you go into it with an open mind and some fore thought.

Buying House Plans Online

The Benefits of Self Building

Investing in property had always been very popular - and for many very productive and lucrative. However, as the prices on property begin to soar, it is difficult for many to even get their foot on to the property ladder. The alternative is renting, which usually means paying extortionate sums of cash each month to a wealthy landlord - not something that many people particularly want to do, but something that they feel they have to do in order to enjoy their own living space and independence.

However, there is a cost effective alternative for those that really want to get on to the property ladder but feel that they can't afford it. Self-building with house plans has become an increasingly popular solution for prospective homeowners, enabling them to get the home of their dreams at a fraction of what it would cost to buy a ready built home of the same style and calibre.

How do house plans work?

House plans are designed by top professionals - architects and designers that know exactly what constitutes a high quality, desirable home. These house plans are designed to be as simple to follow as possible, enabling purchasers to see construct their homes with ease and speed.

House plans are available for a vast range of property types, so whether you live alone and want your own private little home, or whether you have a large family and need a home that will provide you with adequate space and facilities, you will find something that will suit your needs exactly, and for far less than you imagine.

Using house plans to construct your new home will also give you the benefit of being able to make it as unique as you dare. The construction of new homes by huge corporations has become a little like a factory production line, with entire estates full of identical houses springing up in the matter of a few weeks. There's nothing unique or special about these homes; you would simply be spending years living in a property that looks exactly the same as the one next door, and the one opposite, and the one down the road - you get the picture...

By using house plans to create your home, you can put your dreams in to action. Whatever style, size or type of home you want, there will be a top quality house plan that will suit your needs and budget perfectly. So you can get a house that is truly unique and special, and probably pay less than those that have opted for the "production line" houses.

Looking for unique house plans?

There are so many house plans to choose from that you can achieve just the look and style for your new home. You can even get custom house plans, so whatever your idea of the dream home you can still make it a reality.

Perhaps you are looking for a little hideaway near the lake; maybe you want a cottage in the countryside; perhaps a log cabin is your idea of the perfect home or holiday hideaway; or maybe you want to go for a sprawling, family home. Whatever your requirements and desires, these fabulous house plans can be a great help. With so many styles to choose from you can get a really unique home to suit your needs and your pocket, so why settle for less? Some of the excellent house plan choices include:

   

A frame cabin house plans

A frame home house plans

Country house plans

Log house plans

Luxury house plans

Small cottage house plans

Vacation house plans

Victorian house plans

Why use house plans?

One of the main reasons why so many people are keen on using house plans rather than buying pre-built properties these days is the cost. The rising costs associated with buying a pre-built home have made people realize that they can save a lot of money by simply opting for a self-build property, giving them the perfect home at a fraction of the price.

There are other things to consider as well. What are the chances of finding the perfect pre-built home - a home that suits every member of the family down to the ground? We all have different ideas when it comes to the perfect house. You may be more interested in a large lounge or bathroom, whereas your partner may want a huge kitchen and bedroom, The kids might be pestering you for a separate playroom, and you may be thinking how useful a large dining area could be.

When you use a house plan to construct your perfect home, you can incorporate everyone's design ideas in to the plan, thus giving you a home that is ideal for the whole family, and which you can all enjoy for as long as you live there. You can give your home a unique look, plenty of character and you can really stamp your personality on your new home.

Buying house plans online

If you are looking for widest choice and top quality when it comes to buying house plans, then the Internet is by far your best choice. You will find such a vast range of exceptional, stunning house plans online that you can't fail to find something that will match exactly what you are looking for - and at a price that you can afford.

The Internet will provide you with access to house plan by experience, qualified and very skilled designers and architects, so you can be sure of getting quality and durability as well as an impressive design and some really stunning features. And with such a wide range to choose from, there is something available for every budget.

You can browse online house plans from the comfort of your home or office, enabling you to find the right choice at your own pace and without any outside pressure. You can even sit down with the family, discuss your needs collectively and then look at the selection of house plans together to ensure that you get something that will suit everyone.

By going online to search for the ideal house plan you will enjoy many benefits, such as:

 

Affordability, with some incredible low prices available on house plans

Convenience, as you can browse house plans without even having to leave your home

Being able to discuss and compare house plans with your family

Speed and ease of browsing house plans

Unrivalled choice of house plans

Top quality house plans

With the convenience, ease and choice on offer when you go online to look for house plans, it makes sense to make things simple by harnessing the power of the Internet to take the first step towards the perfect home for you and your family.