House plans. The cheapest insurance you can get for your biggest investment!
Monday, July 6th, 2009 8:02 amEverything 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…
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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