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Why Buy Pre-drawn Home Plans Vs. Custom Home Plans? – Part I
When a family begins the process of building a new home, there are many different aspects that need to be considered 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 cost estimate, 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 home plans. There are two basic types of home plans that can be purchased, “custom” or pre-drawn, with each having distinct advantages and disadvantages.
Custom home plans:
Custom home plans are just as the name implies. The home plans are custom developed to meet your specific needs. The plans are normally drawn by a local building design professional 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 family, the costs associated with the development of the custom home plans tend to be significantly larger than those for a similar set of stock home plans. However, in some cases, the custom home plans may be the only viable option based on the client’s needs, home location, special construction considerations, etc.
Advantages:
- Home Owner can get exactly what they want in home plan
- Special needs can be addressed in the design (i.e. extra large garage for boat, larger than normal master bath, handicapped access, etc.)
Disadvantages:
- Normally more costly than stock home plans
- Normally involves longer, more arduous process to develop
- Normally more time-consuming to develop (i.e. many meetings necessary with designer over several month period)
Plantation Home Plans
Most modern Plantation homes have some differences than the houses that were built for the owner of the farm or estate in the 1700’s. Current Plantation homes still hold many of the same characteristics when it comes to the exterior of the house, while incorporating the more popular interior designs that have more use for homeowners today. Instead of the grand ballrooms that are often found in historic Plantation homes you will find Great Rooms, media centers, and open floor plans. Today, Plantation house plans provide homeowners with a reminder of the South’s prosperous past while still giving homeowners a comfortable home.
Plantation Home Designs Offer Practicality
Many Plantation homes will include expansive porches with balconies on the upper level supported by Greek columns. Many years ago the columns were needed to support the home, while today they are generally built to portray the prestigious exterior look of the home. The balconies or wrap around porches give homeowners a lovely shaded area to enjoy the warm summer days. Like other home designs, arched windows are a popular feature found with Plantation houses. In order to create an easy flow, French doors are common to let the outdoor living spaces be easily accessible by the interior rooms.
Other features that tend to be found with Plantation house plans are symmetrical designs with the main entrance located in the center. Windows are generally evenly spaced to continue with the home’s balanced scheme. Plantation house plans design medium to shallow pitched roofs that are pitched or gabled. The stunning exterior of a Plantation home can be made from brick at wood. This allows owners to choose from a large variety of colors to make the exterior of their home look exactly how they want it while still enchanting others with the old world charm.
Spacious Interiors are Common in Plantation Home Plans
Since Plantation homes were dominantly built in the warmer States, many house plans include large, airy rooms with high ceilings to let the warmer are rise. The large floor to ceiling windows provide rooms with a wonderful amount of natural sunlight that is easily carried from room to room. Plantation homes generally have simple floor plans that avoid dark hallways. Rooms are generally designed to allow easy access from living spaces to service areas. The open floor plan easily allows the host in the kitchen to mingle with guests in the living room. Plantation homes provide families a great opportunity to have guests visit their home without being restricted to the inside rooms. Outside entertainment can be very enjoyable with the large and shaded porch areas.
Homeowners that want their home to have the notorious Plantation characteristics do not need to have a large or extravagant home in order to do so. Modest houses can also be designed to showcase the shaded porches with Greek columns that greet visitors into an interior with a charming open floor plan. Custom Plantation house plans present homeowners with the chance to pick and choose what features will accommodate their lifestyle the most while still preserving the historic look.
Home Building 101: Choosing Home Plans
Home Building 101: Choosing Home Plans
Choosing Home Plans
Looking For a New Home Plan?
Start Out by Identifying your Needs:
An architect identifies clients needs.
They help clients develop a program.
When you develop your own program, write down your needs.
Be open and truthful asking yourself what you expect from your new home. Considerations in this area include space requirements. Note: The amount of space and the type of space –taking into account anticipated changes in your family’s size. Will you need to accommodate aging parents or a growing family? Will you need a home office to fit your future job plans? Do you plan to live in your new home after retirement? Will a child return home after college? Do you have the space to accommodate an elderly, ill or disabled person?If you are less concerned with the perceptions of others your instincts may be the guide. You may need to search to strike a balance between personal needs and making a statement. Your program must also address your budget. Remember to leave dollars for landscaping and furnishings. An under-furnished new home with little landscaping can be a real disappointment. Adding 10 percent to the total cost is a good percentage to add to cover unforeseen changes, additions and upgrades that inevitably occur.
Home Sizing
The program that you develop may be somewhat of a wish list and reality may force modifications. This realization will probably occur when you determine an affordable square footage for your new home. The size of the home you build is the most important factor.
You can determine the average cost per square foot for new homes in your area by calling the local chapter of the National Association of Home Builders. Multiply the square footage of the home that you wish to build by the average cost per square foot to determine a general cost. If you find yourself staring at a grand total that is far beyond your budget, you’ll have to scale down the design or choose a new one. If it’s close to your budget, you can adjust the options, extras and finish materials to stay within budget. Developing a budget and calculating costs will take time and research, but it is an action that needs to happen.
Home Exterior Style
Decide the exterior style of your new home. Many people know what they want, but if you are unsure, this is simply what appeals to you. Home designs are very regional and this should be kept in mind. Choose appropriate house designs for your region. If you choose to be unique, this could affect your resale value.
Unsure of your home plan preferences?
Certain characteristics of each plan style may help.
Country Home Style This is the most popular style Nationwide. Country Style Characteristics include a large front porch or a wraparound porch, and a steeply pitched, gabled roof line that runs lengthwise. The farmhouse style is often lumped in with country-style designs. This house is typically a rectangular or L-shaped home, often two-story, and is derived from homes built in agricultural communities around the turn of the 20th century.
Traditional Home Style
This term describes classic designs with regional characteristics. Cape Cod Floor Plans for Free are at this cool web site – http://www.homeplansforfree.com/index_files/page0005.html
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Ranch Home Plans
, and saltbox designs are all regional (and historical) styles. Simplicity is a common characteristic of traditional designs. They display little ornamentation, simple roof lines and small-paned windows that are often spaced equally (ranch styles may be an exception).
Victorian Home Style
This traditional-style home has strong historical origins; roof lines are intricate and include towers, bays and eyebrow windows; ornamentation and decoration are in the Victorian, and ornate porches are a prevalent feature. Materials usually include shingles or narrow-lap wood siding. This style is more appropriate for two-story homes, although one-story designs with Victorian features are also becoming very popular.
This broad category embodies many styles and shapes of homes. The common factors are an absence of ornamentation and decoration, and in general, little reference to older styles. Contemporary homes display bold geometric shapes, lots of glass, and windows with out shutters or decorative trim. Roof lines often range from flat to very steep.