Friday, August 31, 2012

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.

Monday, August 13, 2012

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.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

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.