Avid A Vision In Design

Have you ever visited a really nice neighborhood and admired the community landscaping, the upscale architecture and the beautifully tree lined streets.  Then suddenly, a home appears on the horizon that seems to tower over all others, has special appointments and details and looks like it was built to a higher standard?  That well built home with all the upgrades is typically owned and inhabited by a home builder.  Why is that?

Besides the local funeral home or the “old-home-renovated-for-a-law-firm”, the nicest house in the neighborhood is usually the residence of a local home builder.  The fact that the home is grander than any of those around him or any of the homes he ever built is not lost on the builder or the community.  In fact, builders typically use their homes as a sample to show-off their skill and craftsmanship.  Too bad the actual product is far from what is advertised.  Even real estate agents admit that home builders’ homes are better than those subpar versions reserved for you and me.  How many times do you see a property listing that boasts “builder residence”.  Why should that matter?  Should I only fly in airplanes that are built by pilots or sail in boats designed by fishermen?  Maybe!

The reason that home builder houses are better than yours or mine is not that they put extra care into their own homes.  On the contrary, it is because they don’t put proper care into the homes they build for you and me.  Yes, home builders are probably the best skimpers, scrapers and penny pinchers on the face of the earth.  If they can a build a home with nails that cost a 1/100^th of cent less, they will.  No matter that the nails are flimsy, will probably rust and rot the wood studs from a galvanic reaction.  Who will know?  You probably won’t.  At least not until another year or two after the warranty and the home builders responsibility has expired.

If we are honest, can any of us be sure that every wall cavity in our home is filled with insulation?  Do we know if every stud is 16” on center?  Are we sure that the floor sheathing is attached to every joist?  And what about all that extra material required during construction?  Shouldn’t a builder know how much material is needed to build a home?  The amount of waste generated at a home building site is staggering.  And when one home site wastes too much, builders typically get “extra” materials from another project down the street.  That “other” project could be your new home.   

Ask a builder about the cheapening of their product and they will tell you it is to save the homeowner money.  That is a hard pill to swallow as historic material cost fluctuations never really seem to make it down to the homeowner.  The material that makes up most American homes is wood.  Wood prices have gone from a historic highs to historic lows over the past decade yet home construction costs (based on cost per square foot, not overall home prices) continues a steady, rapid rise.  Where is that extra money going?

Yes, there are some very good home builders on the market.  Just like there are some good used car salesmen and Ginsu knives.  But to quote a famous philosopher from the 1960’s, “times they are a changing, my friend.”  Builders aren’t building “spec” homes any more, many builder residences are up for sale and people who can build a new home are in total control.  Quite a change from just a few years ago. 

Someday the economy will improve and this new age home buyer will rise from the ashes of this current downturn.  A new home buyer that has more control over the building process and will dictate how they want their home built, how much it will cost and when it will done.  This buyer will demand the latest in energy saving construction, the best construction practices and possess a set of construction documents that details every facet of the building process while monitoring material usage, managing labor efforts and scheduling just-in-time deliveries.  This reenergized home buyer will demand that the builder follow their home plans in every detail and produce the home they have dreamed of and saved up for years.  Because let’s face it, we all want to live in the nicest house on the block, too.

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

This entry was posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 8:19 am and is filed under House Plans.
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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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A house plan is a construction document that guides a number of different construction efforts through every phase of building. Dimensions throughout the drawing need to be as accurate as possible to ensure every part of the home is constructed properly. Many home designers use dimension techniques that speed the design process but can cause considerable construction errors. You should avoid three dimension techniques commonly found in online plan purchases.

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Tags: design, dimensions, floor plans, house design, House Plans, new construction, new home building, new homes

This entry was posted on Monday, December 8th, 2008 at 12:42 pm and is filed under House Plans.
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