The House Plan Shop Blog

From the multi-material façade to the flared porch column and exposed rafter tails, this ranch home plan exudes Craftsman styling lending stunning curb appeal. Beyond the covered front porch, you’ll find a floor plan flexible enough for a growing family and suitable for retired couples who enjoy entertaining and look forward to the kids and grandkids coming home for the holidays. To the left of the entry, stylish columns define the formal dining room while maintaining openness with the great room. Together, these two spaces create an entertainment area for special occasions. The great room showcases a central fireplace flanked with windows and a vaulted ceiling which continues over the breakfast nook and kitchen adding a sense of spaciousness. Special appointments pleasing the chef include a cooking island with snack bar and built-in menu desk. And for the grill master, double doors open to the rear deck offering a great place to fire up the grill. You’ll also appreciate this outdoor living space for conversation and just plain relaxing with family and friends. The laundry room and 2-car garage complete the left side of the home. Reserved for peace and quiet, the right side of the home holds your master suite and the cozy den, which easily converts to an extra bedroom when company arrives. Fine appointments will pamper you at the end of the day in your private retreat. Notice the vaulted ceiling, private deck access and refreshing salon bath. The finished lower level provides room for the kids or grandkids to roam in the comfortable recreation room. Don’t miss access to the outdoors. The walkout basement design makes this home suitable for a sloping lot. Bedrooms 3 and 4 share a full bath. Now take a look at the bonus room. It is waiting for your creative touch and could easily be used as a sewing room, exercise area or something else you might desire. Designed for flexibility, this Craftsman house plan is sure to appeal to a broad range of home buyers.

 

To view more home plans like this one, check out our Craftsman home plan collection.

Tags: craftsman home plans, Craftsman House Plans, floor plans, home plans, house plans

When it comes to building a new home, the building process begins long before you break ground and pour the foundation. Discover six things you should do to prepare for your new home before construction begins.

 

1. Decide on the type of home. People build homes for all types of reasons – family home, stepping up from a starter home, downsizing to an empty-nester, vacation home, rental property, weekend retreat, etc. Determine what type of home you plan to build.
2. Determine your budget. Think about how much you can afford to spend on your new home and how much your new home will cost. Start checking with lenders to find out what size construction loan and mortgage you’re qualified to obtain. Knowing how much money you’ll be able to borrow and the likely cost of your new home will help you plan your building budget. Once you know what you can spend, you’ll have to determine how much of your budget can be spent on the lot and how much of your budget can be spent on construction, materials, etc.
3. Hire a team of professionals. Assemble a team of professionals with expertise in the construction business. Your team will include the following professionals as well as others: your builder/general contractor, excavator, building inspector, carpenter(s), electrician, plumber, surveyor and maybe even a residential designer or engineer should you need to make adjustments to your house plans. If you begin by hiring the builder/general contractor, this expert will be able to provide advice about hiring other pros or may even have a crew of pros that he/she works with on a regular basis. Tip: Do not settle for the first builder you meet. It is important to interview more than one general contractor/builder, ask for references, proof of insurance, etc. Additionally, get a good feel for the kind of person each builder is and if this professional is someone you can work with and talk to on a daily basis for the next 6 to 9 months (or maybe even longer.) Finally, ask yourself, “Is this a person you can trust with handling and coordinating all of the details for your future dream home?”
4. Select a lot. Regardless if you plan to build in a neighborhood, on mountainside or along a country road, it is often best to choose your lot before you select a house plan. You’ll have to consider the parameters of the lot such as the maximum width and depth, the grade of the lot, physical features on the lot, etc. when choosing your floor plan. Knowing the “lay of the land” will help you select a floor plan that best suits your needs and fits the lot. Additionally, you and your team of pros will need to study factors about the lot such as zoning, drainage, soil conditions and building codes specified for the community as well as geographic and climactic requirements.
5. Choose a house plan. Make a list of needs and wants for your future home such as total finished square footage, number of bedrooms and baths, special rooms such as an office, convenient features like a kitchen island/snack bar, the width and depth of your lot, preferred architectural style and the type of foundation you’ll need. Now search pre-drawn house plan collections like those found at www.TheHousePlanShop.com to narrow your selection. Most websites have a search tool to make it easy to eliminate floor plans that do not offer your specified criteria. Keep in mind pre-draw/stock home plans can often be modified with the help of a modification team, local residential designer or even your builder. If you find a floor plan you like, but it isn’t quite what you need, discuss your minor modifications with your builder or contact the supplier of the house plan to see if they can make modifications for you. At The HousePlanShop, LLC, we offer a modification service by which you can obtain a free quote for your changes before you purchase plans giving you an opportunity to learn how much things will cost before you make your final decision on a floor plan.
6. Draw up a contract. After you’ve determined your budget, selected a team of professionals, chosen a lot and purchased a house plan, you’ll need to draw up a construction contract. The contract should be written and signed and dated by you and your general contractor/builder. The construction contract will describe the construction of the home in detail and list all parts of the home to be included. If you or your builder make any changes to the project scope, it is necessary that you amend the contract. Keeping a written record of the scope of the construction project will help you as the home owner know what things have been completed, what still needs to be done and if any problems need to be resolved.

 

Following this list steps to complete before you break ground for your new home will help ensure your home building project gets off to a good start.

Tags: Before You Build, Building a House, Choosing a House Plan, choosing a lot, home building, new home construction

Rooted in the Arts and Crafts movement, Craftsman house plans have been popular for generations. While they are available in a vast range of sizes and can be one or two levels, these home designs are sought after for their sturdy construction and easy living floor plans. Craftsman house plans appeal to a wide variety of home buyers and display unmistakable characteristics that can be recognized both from the exterior and interior of the home. Below is a list of some of the easily identifiable characteristics you’ll find with Craftsman home plans:

 

Exterior Features

• Multi-material façade (a combination of  local natural materials such as stone, brick, siding, and cedar shakes)
• Wide and deep front porch
• Flared, tapered or square porch columns atop stone pediments/pedestals
• Low-pitched roof
• Wide, overhanging eaves
• Exposed beams, rafters or rafter tails
• Triangular brackets in the eaves
• Shed dormers
• Decorative details
• Rustic styling
• Appearance of handcrafted workmanship

 

Interior Features

• Open floor plan with few hallways
• Make use of every square inch of living space
• Built-in shelving, cabinets, and seating
• Extensive use of dark wood and wood moldings and trim
• Extensive use of windows
• Some windows of stained or leaded glass
• Beamed ceilings
• Stone fireplace and chimney
• Use local, natural materials

 

While Craftsman home plans can be as small as a cottage or an impressive luxury home, they all display as least some of the features characteristics mentioned above. They are closely related to Northwestern style designs and bungalows. Browse our collection of Craftsman house plans now.

Tags: arts and crafts house plans, craftsman design, craftsman floor plans, craftsman home plans, Craftsman House Plans

The House Plan Shop is pleased to announce new house plans from one of our Canadian designers have recently been added to our collection. The new designs include multi-family house plans such as duplexes, modern and contemporary home designs, two-story houses, several narrow lot designs and even a unique garage apartment plan which is actually a drive under carport with living quarters above. Take some time to check out the following designs:

• 027G-0010 – unique garage apartment plan
• 027H-0292 – 027H-0301 – single family homes of a variety of architectural styles
• 027M-0051 – 027M-0056 – multi-family home plans including a triplex, a few duplexes and a multi-generational home.

 

When viewing any of these plans, you can browse this designer’s entire collection by clicking on the “View More by This Designer” link.

Tags: Affordable house plans, Contemporary House Plans, Duplex House Plans, Multi-Family House Plans, new home plans, New House Plans, Two-Story House Plans

Building a new house is no easy task. From the professionals you hire to build your home to how you communicate your ideas to those involved in the home building process, many factors will determine how smoothly construction goes and the quality of the finished product, your home. These tips from The House Plan Shop will help you get started and carry you through construction resulting in a dream home you couldn’t be more proud of.

 

1. Assemble a team of professionals. There are many people involved in the home building process, and it is important that you select professionals have a good reputation for home building whom you can work with and trust. Ask family and friends who have built for recommendations for contractors/builders. Interview them. Find out how long they’ve been in business. Check references. Ask to see proof of insurance and if they are bonded. Finally, ask if you can see their work at a jobsite they are working on currently. Do not settle for a builder who doesn’t communicate well with you or who has below-standard references.  After you’ve hired a builder, team up with him/her and hire a panel of sub-contractors such as a concrete professional to pour the foundation, plumbers, electricians, etc. Your builder might already have a good relationship with a variety of subcontractors that he/she works with regularly. Find a mortgage lender you are comfortable with who has a strong knowledge and plenty of experience with new home construction. Hire a residential designer to draw your blueprints or make any changes to your pre-drawn stock house plans that you might require. Hire a local engineer who can review your blueprints and provide any engineering for your local building codes. As for the professionals that you don’t get to choose for your team but must be a part of it (i.e. city building inspector), be sure to establish a good relationship with them from the start.
2. Choose a floor plan. When a couple is building a home, both parties may have certain requirements for their future home, and some may be more important than others. Each person should create a list of the most important features of the floor plan. Review each other’s lists together and decide on one list of the most important features. Create a new list for the top three to seven items that are important for the home. Be sure to consider the size of the home and the number of levels, the number of family members you must accommodate, any special spaces you need such as a guest suite for your live-in mother-in-law,  and the activities that will happen in your home (do you prefer formal entertaining during the holidays or casual gatherings?) When you’ve determined the most important elements of the home find a pre-drawn floor plan that will accommodate your needs or hire a residential designer to draw a custom floor plan for you.
3. Communicate thoughts clearly. When building a home it is necessary that you communicate clearly with your team of professionals and all other parties involved in the construction and finishing of your new home from the contractor to the person ordering custom drapes for the great room. Consider designating a point person for different aspects of the home-buying process so information is not delayed or communicated to just one or two of the people involved. You might even set up a special email address to keep all emails regarding the home building process in one place. You might specify that all sub-contractors contact the point person directly with estimated dates of completion for each professional’s work, etc. No matter whom you communicate with and not matter what the reason, be clear and concise, provide examples to illustrate your thoughts or ideas, and follow up with your building team to make sure everyone is on the same page from the start of construction until you close on your home. 

 

There are many other things you can do to ensure the building process will go smoothly from start to finish, but these handy tips will get you started.

Tags: Building a House, building a new home, homebuilding, tips