"Could a Systematic House Plans Guide Simplify Designing and Building Your New Home?"
"I wish I had a house plans guide" or some similar statement is something I have heard many times in my career of drawing custom house plans. There is no holy grail when it comes time to design your own house plans. It doesn't matter how long a residential designer has been in business, he or she will never craft a perfect plan for you by themselves. That's why I will be your humble (but passionate!) guide... not a leader telling you exactly what to do, but simply a guide to point you in the right direction of crystallizing your thoughts and helping you get what you really want.
The central starting point
Choosing the right house plan can be easy, or it can be extremely challenging. The more careful thought you put into it ahead of time (brain sweat equity!) the more satisfying and pleasing the outcome will be. Whether you choose to design your own house plans based on ideas you’ve seen in magazines, or you choose a custom home designer to start from scratch, it all needs to start at the same basic point. You need to create a floor plan. Even if the perfect 3d floor plans only exist in your mind, it is still a great place to start.
Build growing lists of what you want and need
Let your ideas brew in your mind for awhile. Perhaps you are the type of person who needs to make lists of everything. As your house plans guide, I highly recommend you make a list of all your needs, then another one for all your wants. When you start to create floor plan(s), your needs and your desires will start falling into place quickly. Most people tend to focus on only one or two major things they really want, and then realize they forgot the things they need. Lists help you really stay focused.
Keep it a fun activity
My next suggestion as your house plans guide is simply this – make it fun! Drawing house plans should never be tedious. I do it for a living and I have yet to dread a Monday morning. Discuss things with your spouse, even ask your kids, if you have any, what they would like to see in their part of the house.
Putting your ideas into action!
Then when you have the whole gang close to agreeing on everything, you will need to turn all your ideas and dreams into workable, affordable house plans. This is where, as your house plans guide, I swing into action. I will bring all your information together and turn it into a fully functional set of building plans. Things like point loads, stress loads, firewalls, wind and snow loads, and a rescheck all become my responsibility.
Meanwhile, let's blaze the trail in getting you there...
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A Few Comments:
"Thank you! Received the plans yesterday. They look great. We will definitely recommend you. I'm so excited now to have a visual. We'll have you out when it's all done.
Take care and God bless."
- Tommy & Christine
Mohnton, PA
"In my line of work I build both log and conventional homes. It can be difficult to find someone who can draw prints for both styles. I received a flyer in advertising Larry's Home Design. I was planning to build a house for myself and decided to try Larry's that way I could guage whether I would use him for my clients. I was very impressed and since then Larry's Home Design draws prints for all our customers."
- Marvin Fisher
Denlinger-Fisher Builders
New Holland PA
You might find this helpful if you are looking for even more personalized design strategies before finalizing your own plans…
"…very easy to work with and quickly understood what we wanted. Larry, I truly enjoyed working with you on the design. You were always there to talk to me… It was wonderful for me getting to help the guys build the house and see it come to life. It was a lot of work, but now we can enjoy the fruits of our labor. Please stop in and see us whenever you can. You are always welcome."
- Keith Johnson
Bainbridge, OH
"Believe me, Larry & his ability to design structures, is a 'jewel in the rough.' I was referred to him as an experienced log home designer & I had either a log (or log slab) home in mind. I contacted Larry, & in no time, had plans & the specifications. This was to the last nail & piece of siding.
Larry's work is reasonably priced & excellent quality. He knows builders & suppliers who can have you in 'front of the fireplace' in no time."
- James E. Vaughan
Groveport, OH
Larry,
... Thanks again for your help with these. You have been by far the best designer we have dealt with, both communication wise and product quality wise. Everything I have looked at had been excellent. Keep up the good work.
- Thanks Gary
Crockett Log Homes