The House Plan Shop Blog

With summer fast approaching, our minds start drifting to dreams of building a beach house for our summer retreat or maybe as a permanent residence where we can enjoy the sights and sounds of the ocean each day. For others, a beach house is a great place to spend long weekends with friends and family, but it can also serve as source of income if used as rental property. Below are seven things to know about beach houses that might help you decide if building a beach home is right for you:

 

1. Designed for shoreline living with the main living areas typically raised one level above the ground to accommodate rising tides and prevent flooding. This is achieved by building on a pier foundation (or pilings).
2. Usually, the parking area is located beneath the home and made possible by the pier foundation.
3. Floor plans feature large, strategically placed windows to maximize the coastal or shoreline view.
4. Floor plans incorporate large decks and porches for outdoor living space and provide an opportunity to soak up the sights and sounds of coastal living.
5. Often feature an open floor plan to allow gentle sea breezes to flow throughout the home.
6. Often incorporate specialized design elements, materials and construction methods to meet building requirements and specifications related to marine/coastal environments, geographic factors and regional climates.
7. Floor plans range in size and style offering everything from a simple beach vacation bungalow to a luxurious oceanfront home.

 

Browse or beach house plan collection to find the design that will satisfy your needs and lifestyle.

Tags: beach home plans, beach house plans

The House Plan Shop is celebrating the launch of a new partnership with a custom home design service. Now you can have a custom home plan, multi-family plan, commercial building or another structure drawn to satisfy your exact needs. We are promoting two specials to kick off our new partnership with the custom home design service. Act now to take advantage of these special promotions:

 

1. Receive 10% OFF the quoted price on all custom design orders from now through August 1, 2013. Every customer who completes the custom design request form and moves forward with his/her custom design order by 12:00 noon CST on August 1, 2013, will receive a 10% discount off the quoted price.
2. Anyone who completes and submits the custom home design request form before 12:00 noon CST on August 1, 2013 will be entered in a drawing for a $1000.00 credit toward his/her custom home design order or reimbursement of up to $1000.00 if the custom design order has already been completed and paid in full. Please note: The prize has no cash value and the award is non-transferable. In the event that your custom plan costs less than the $1000.00 prize and, after being applied or refunded, there is a portion of the prize credit remaining, the balance can be applied toward future custom plans. However, any remaining balance cannot be applied toward additional or optional services, such as site planning, materials lists, etc. The drawing for the $1000.00 credit will be held in the afternoon of August 1, 2013.

 

 

Click here for more details about the custom design process.

Tags: custom home design, custom home plans, Custom House Plans, special promotion

This versatile vacation home plan can satisfy the needs or a broad range of buyers. It features a narrow footprint while offering comfortable and relaxed living. Furthermore, it is built on a walkout basement foundation making it well-suited for sloping or mountainous lots or those overlooking lakes and other bodies of water. Careful planning and thoughtful design deliver a floor plan that takes advantage of panoramic scenery and stunning views by incorporating plenty of windows and a covered porch to take in the surrounding views. The main level offers an efficient kitchen anchored by a cooking island with extra seating for family and friends. It is adjacent to the combined dining and living areas which enjoy access to the covered porch/deck. Here you can enjoy the sights and sounds of nature without leaving the comfort of your home. A two-story ceiling combines with sparkling windows to create an open and spacious feel in the living areas. Your first floor master bedroom features a walk-in closet and semi-private bath access. Upstairs you’ll find a sitting area as well as a second bedroom and bath, just right for weekend guests. Enjoy a relaxing get-away with this two-story, vacation home!

 

Please visit our webpage to learn more about this vacation house plan.

 

If you’d like to see more plans like this one, please browse our vacation home plan collection.

Tags: mountain home plans, Mountain House Plans, vacation home plans, Vacation House Plans, waterfront home plans, Waterfront House Plans

Are you tired of searching for the perfect home plan? Have you searched one home plan website after another trying to find your dream home only to come up empty-handed? The House Plan Shop is proud to announce we are now offering custom drawn house plans! Our custom design team has years of experience working with homeowners just like you to create a floor plan that is comfortable, incorporates your desired amenities and satisfies any special needs you may have while reflecting your lifestyle. Now you can have the kitchen of your dreams, a family room that is suitable for everyday living and entertaining, the master bedroom and luxurious bath you’ve always wanted, an oversized garage with room for a workbench, a game or recreation room for the kids and anything else you’ve ever wished for in your dream home.

 

As a growing publisher in the home plan industry, The House Plan Shop is leading the way in accommodating customers who desire a custom home plan. You can learn more about our custom home design service by visiting our Affordable Custom Home Design Page. Then, complete and submit our custom home design request form to receive a brief consultation and free quote regarding your custom designed dream home.

 

Your home is typically the largest investment you’ll ever make, and the place where you’ll enjoy memorable moments for years to come. At The House Plan Shop, we believe everyone should have an opportunity to build their dream home, and we hope you’ll take advantage of our custom home design service to achieve your goal.

 

Our custom design service can provide other custom designs such as multi-family homes, detached garage plans, carports, pool houses and other backyard structures, as well as outbuildings and commercial building plans.

Tags: custom home design, custom home plans, Custom House Plans

At some point in time, we all need to escape our busy lifestyles and demanding work schedules. For some, this means a getaway to the mountains or relaxing a favorite fishing lake. For others, it means soaking up the sun on the beach or eating dinner on the deck while listening to the ocean waves crash in the distance. Whether you prefer a warm vacation or mountain escape, we have the vacation house plan for you! So if you’re the type who wants to have your own vacation home in your favorite city or town or in your favorite secluded space, considering building one of our vacation homes.

 

Our vacation house plan collection features floor plans that offer 1500 square feet of finished living space or less. Though small and accommodating, these designs are used for recreational residences or secondary homes. They are perfect for long weekends with the kids, mini-vacations, and hunting/fishing retreats. Also, they can serve as a source of income to those who choose to rent them out to others looking for a break from our fast-paced world. Vacation floor plans generally include one or more bedrooms and baths and modest features. The living areas are often open to one another creating as spacious feel for an otherwise small space. Also, this allows for flexibility and maximum use of the space. Though special amenities may be lacking, the basics such as a compact kitchen and a stackable washer/dryer unit deliver cozy yet comfortable space.

 

Our vacation home plan collection includes:

Cabin plans

Cottage home designs

Beach house plans

Coastal homes

Waterfront house plans

A-Frame house plans

Mountain house plans

 

Typically, vacation house plans blend well with their surroundings and are designed to make the most of panoramic views, natural features and location. They commonly encourage the enjoyment of nature by incorporating walls of windows, sweeping porches and large decks strategically positioned to take advantage of the surrounding landscape and stunning scenery.

 

Low maintenance is “key” when it comes to vacation homes. The exterior requires little upkeep and the interior provides simple accommodations. Fashioned with efficient living spaces, vacation homes are designed to promote relaxation and comfort giving you a place where you can get away from it all!

Tags: Cabin House Plans, cabin plans, vacation home plans, Vacation House Plans