Avid A Vision In Design

Building a new home can be one of the most exciting events of your life.    Designing the right space, on the perfect property, in the ideal neighborhood is the epitome of the American dream.  But this dream can quickly turn to nightmare without proper construction site and labor management.  If left in the hands of your builder, your new home could end up costing you a fortune in wasted time and materials.  A complete and detailed set of home plans will empower you to make the right decisions throughout the project and maintain control over all material expenses and labor charges.

Building a new home involves a complex set of tasks, performed by a number of unrelated subcontractors working toward a common goal.  If the tasks are not coordinated, the labor is not managed and the goal is not well defined, the entire process will turn to chaos and the final results will be less than satisfying.  A complete and comprehensive set of construction documents (aka blue prints or house plans) is the ideal tool to organize and manger your home building project.  Home plans include a full color rendering of the future home, side and rear elevations detailing the exterior materials required, foundation details, a sophisticated roof plan and a dimensional floor plan that is concise and clear.  Advanced plan sets should include material lists, assembly guides and virtual models that ensure the home is built properly and efficiently.   

Most people think of home plans as merely the wall layout of the home.  Though these drawings are vital in defining the living spaces and traffic flow, foundation and roof plans are the most important documents of any plan set.  Proper foundation and roof design ensures the structure is safe, sound and dependable.  Very detailed and sophisticated foundation and roof plans can actually reduce the cost of home construction by removing waste and confusion from typical trial-and-error contractors at the jobsite. 

Many floor plans available through online retailers barely address roof and foundation design.  In fact many online plans leave the task of foundation and roof design to the builder.  Unless the builder is willing to create new foundation and roof plans from the online purchased floor plan, you will be unable to maintain control of your home construction.  More importantly, you will be unable to ensure the home is sound and stable.    

Every building and structure ever built by humans started with a plan.  From Stonehenge to the Egyptian Pyramids all successful projects started with a plan.  Those buildings that stand the test of time, started with really good plans.  If you are contemplating building a home, be sure you are in control of the project and have a good plan.  A good understanding every aspect of home construction is vital to keeping your costs low and building the house of your dreams.  Every building project begins with a plan, but not all plans are good plans.  A comprehensive set of construction documents is the first step to making your dreams come true.

Tags: blue prints, building, floor plans, home building, home construction, home plans, House Plans, new construction

This entry was posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 8:08 am and is filed under House Plans.
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Everything starts with a plan.  To ensure your home building project generates maximum satisfaction be sure you start with a detailed and accurate plan. 

House plans must…

1. Reflect a floor layout that fits your family needs and lifestyle.  Does it have enough rooms or enough space to support your hobbies, habits and everyday living now and tomorrow?  It is easier to change a drawing than it is to move walls.
2. Portray an aesthetic that suits your style.  Does the home have “curb appeal” and look appealing from all angles?  Pick the siding, shingles, shutters, colors and more before you ever break ground.
3. Create a home that fits your budget.  Can your budget support the final construction cost?  If not, now is the time to make changes and recalculate.
4. Fit on your chosen lot and fit into the neighborhood/surroundings.  Does the home fit one the lot with the appropriate setbacks, easements and right-of-ways?  It costs a lot less to make a new drawing than it is to move a house.
5. Utilize the topography of your building site.  Are there particular views and vistas important to this home?  Where does the sun rise and where does it set?  How will the water drain?  Factoring these elements into the design phase can save you money on heating and cooling bills not to mention improving home living comfort and reducing maintenance.
6. Satisfy your local building, energy codes, wind loads, seismic loads.  Does the home design take into account the weather, climate and environment of the new home site?  A good home plan design reflects all of these local factors into a home plan to speed the required approvals and inspections.
7. Meet specific home-owner association covenants or local zoning ordinances.  Is the home designed to satisfy design restrictions and ordinances that come with the job site?  Detailed elevations can insure the final design will meet with approval.
8. Address future sustainability, costs of maintenance and costs of operation.  As your family grows and ages, will you be able to utilize the home efficiently and afford the cost of operating the home?  Age in place design, green design and universal design elements can assure that your home is adaptable to all of life’s phases.
9. Provide accurate material lists for job site control and management.  Do you know how much material you will need to build your home?  More importantly, do you know how much these materials will cost and how you will track their usage and waste?  A sophisticated home plan will provide detailed material lists for accurate quote comparisons, logistical control and waste management.
10. Accurately depict every aspect of construction to reduce labor costs.  Will your builder or subcontractor know exactly how to build this house?  If the plans include step-by-step instructions, cut sheets, and three dimensional descriptions, any builder or subcontractor regardless of their native language can build a home.

Before you buy any home plan, be sure it satisfied all of these requirements for the most efficient, cost-effective and enjoyable building experience.

Tags: blue prints, building a home, home plans, House Plans, new construction, new home

This entry was posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 8:02 am and is filed under House Plans.
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