Blueprints & Construction Documents

Designing your own home can be a fun process, but there are a lot of details to be taken into account.  I have drawn my own homes and helped others design theirs, but I grew up in the building industry and have a pretty good idea of limits, local codes, and basic engineering requirements.  The most important item I would like to pass on is to know that purchasing a house plan on the internet does not mean it is ready to build right away.  But first, know what you’re looking for.

Choosing your lot and your plan go hand in hand with elevation being the critical component. A flat lot with little elevation change will be suitable for a rambler or two story home and a basement can be added to both.  A steep lot falling away from the street is perfect for a daylight basement home and these are generally view lots.  Those are the most common types of lots, but make sure your house plan is suited to your lot, especially if you are purchasing it online.  The other item is to make sure that your home fits within the city setbacks on your lot.  These change from city to city as well, so if you’re purchasing your lot with the intent to build, that would be important information.

Another item to remember is the covenants and ARC requirements for your neighborhood.  The ARC Architectural Review Comittee is in charge of making sure your house meets the requirements set by the neighborood including size limitations, limits on length of straight walls, number of windows, and most importantly the height of a home.  If you’re going to be purchasing or designing your own home, this is information you need to have. 

The internet has given us access to so much information it’s incredible.  There are a multitude of sites that have hundreds and thousands of floor plans available.  This is a great way to see what your options are, but when it comes time to buy the plan, remember that it has to be drawn to meet local code requirements.  Codes change from place to place, so a plan almost always have to be looked at and or redrawn.  This can add time and money if you are on a time crunch or a tight budget.  There are a few ways to go about purchasing or choosing a house plan.

1. Purchase or design a house plan on your own with an architect or draftsman

2. Choose a house plan from a builder’s portfolio as is, or customize it

 The benefits of working with either Builders or architects is that you can go in with an idea and they will help you design the look and feel of the home you want along with rooms and a design that will fit your needs.  The internet is a great place to get ideas of what you would like your home to look like, so start a collection that you can take with you when you’re ready to design.

Next post: Choosing a Builder