The House Plan Shop Blog

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

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

If you are in the market for home plans, The House Plan Shop is pleased to announce we are now selling PDFs for many of our home designs with new ones being added every day! The PDF is an electronic version of a blueprint that can usually be emailed to you within 24 hours of placing your order during regular business hours Monday-Friday. If you need your house plans right away and don’t mind taking them to a print shop to print the copies you’ll need for bids and construction, PDF house plans are the way to go. Not only will you receive them quickly, but you’ll also save on shipping costs. Plus, the PDF allows you to print copies of your blueprints in various sizes depending what you’ll need them for. Print full size copies for construction and smaller copies (i.e. (11”x17”) for getting materials estimates or going over the kitchen cabinet layout with the cabinet manufacturer. Please Note: PDFs cannot be altered electronically and cannot be returned once the designer has emailed the home plan to you because it can be copied.

Tags: home plans, house plans, PDF house plans

With the downturn in the economy and the hard hits the home building industry has suffered, a new building trend has come into the spotlight. Along with building green and energy efficiency, the concept of “Less is More” is quickly growing in popularity. The housing market is turning away from high-end amenities and unnecessary spaces for smaller more practical homes that do not waste space or energy and are more budget conscious.

Builders and home buyers are saying goodbye to two-story ceilings, outdoor kitchens, home theaters, and embellished master baths with built-in TVs and fancy showerheads. Instead, home buyers and their builders are focusing on ways to keep costs down and be more earth-friendly. They want to eliminate special features like tall ceilings that cause energy bills to skyrocket. This year’s home builders and buyers plan to cut costs with homes that offer plenty of natural light, usable rooms and gathering spaces, practical storage options, energy efficient appliances and lighting, energy-saving windows and quality insulation.

In January, the National Association of Home Builders reported the average size of an American home decreased in size by nearly 100 square feet of living space since last year to approximately 2400 square feet of living area. Furthermore, the required number of bedrooms and baths in the American home has dropped over that last couple years.

So what else can we expect with the “Less is More” strategy?

1.    Smaller homes with smaller footprints are becoming popular requiring narrow or smaller lots, which saves green space. In addition, families who need more space are building up instead of out doubling their finished living square footage on that same small footprint. House plans with a second floor are an easy way to gain living space.

2.    Energy efficient products of all varieties are in high demand. These products may not have all the bells and whistles that were popular just a few years ago, but if they get the job done while saving energy and cutting utility costs today’s builders and home buyers are interested. Besides, do we really need all of those state-of-the-are features on a dishwasher?

3.    Most families are interested in practical and functional spaces and features. They are skipping the high-tech media room and formal dining room. Instead they are opting for a home office or built-in computer station the whole family can use on a daily basis. Features that make daily activities flow more smoothly are a must. Many homebuyers will forego the wet bar in the family room, but a large kitchen island is a must along with a few large storage closets throughout the home.

4.    While a lavish master bath is still desirable, they are being scaled back a notch or two with most builders and buyers. Some homeowners are trading the separate shower and bathtub option for just a shower with a bit more room. Others are skipping the fanciful His and Her vessel sinks and down grading to a standard double bowl vanity. In either case the less sophisticated option still serves its purpose and cuts costs.

There are many other ways builders and new home buyers a scaling back their homes. No matter how they do it or what features and amenities they skip over, the goal is the same for everyone involved – Cut costs, reduce energy consumption and make the most of the finished space. Talk with your builder for more ideas related to the “Less is More” trend.

Tags: Building Trends, house plans

With spring right around the corner, many cities are holding Home and Garden shows. These shows are invaluable to homeowners as they present new products and services for homes and homeowners. Most shows cover everything inside and outside the home, and the best part is everything is under one roof. If there is a home and garden show coming to your area, The House Plan Shop recommends taking time to visit. These types of shows provide consumers with great buying opportunities, side-by-side comparisons between manufacturers and companies and competitive pricing on all services and products presented.

These are some of the things you might expect to find at your local show:

1.    Displays and booths exhibiting the latest in their fields:

·         Building products, tools and materials

·         Green products and energy efficient materials

·         Lawn and garden ideas, gadgets, products and gear

·         Interior design

·         Kitchen and baths

·         Pools and spas

2.    Seminars providing information about landscaping, energy efficiency, home design, green living, tax credits and much more.

3.    A wide variety of professionals willing to answer questions about gardening, landscaping, remodeling, building, interior design, organization and storage, and almost any other home-related questions you might have.

4.    Demonstrations on how to use new tools, install products, and choose the best products to satisfy your particular home and garden needs.

5.    Exhibits showcasing furniture, lighting, countertops and other home accessories.

6.    Experts giving pointers, tips and “how-tos” about everything from starting a flower or vegetable garden to operating a garage door or maintaining your new pool or hot tub.

7.    Professionals and companies marketing their home and garden services such as home landscaping, deck building and installation, painting, roof repairs, kitchen remodeling, power washing and more.

8.    Free samples, information and brochures from manufactures and exhibitors.

9.    Giveaways for everything from a gift card to a local hardware store to a free landscaping job for your own yard. Make sure to take time to register for drawings and giveaways. Someone is going to win; it might as well be you!

If you plan to attend a home and garden show near you, The House Plan Shop recommends checking ticket pricing and parking availability ahead of time. Sometimes discounted rates are available on weekdays as opposed to the busier weekend days. Also be sure to check the hours of the show as they may vary each day. Finally, attend the show with an open mind, plan to have fun and come home with new ideas for your home or the house you are planning to build.

Tags: home and garden show, tips