Planning to Build

The new home plan market is a broad spectrum ranging from charming older homes to fixer uppers; from brand new specs, to customized new homes. If you’ve ever wondered what ‘spec’ means, it’s an..

 For every $100,000 you spend you’ll spend $750 a month on a 30 year 8% mortgage.  1. What is your square footage minimum? Maximum?  2. How many levels?  3. Is crime a problem in your area?  4. Do you travel much? &nb..

If you haven’t already acquired a building site; you will need to do so in order to have a site orientation done, or you might enjoy doing it yourself. You’ll need a plat of your property to get started, and if your site has a sloped grade, it would be wise to obtain a topographical map...

  CHOOSING A STOCK PLAN   The house plan room pattern you or your architect creates from the site orientation is just that, a pattern from which a floor plan may be used to make a selection. From this pattern you will know just what to look for in a stock plan; maximum length; maximum..

 This is an individual that you are going to work with for many months; so compatibility is a must, which can easily be determined during the interviewing process. Get references and tour some of the previous house plans that the home building contractor has completed, and visit with some of th..

  The total project cost to build your new house plan will be broken up into four or five stages and payments or draws, which you or your bank will pay before each new phase begins. According to your contract you may be required to make up the difference if these costs run over budget.  &n..

   I have designed for some of wealthiest people in the country; and one thing I have learned; everyone has a budget; although it might be smaller for some of us; none the less; we all have an idea of what we would like to spend. If your budget is tight, here are helpful hints in controlli..

CHOOSING COLOR SCHEMES FOR A NEW HOME  If you’re concerned about color schemes inside and out of your new house plan, here’s a fun way to choose. Visit your home building site and collect samples of natural materials on the property such as; leaves; sticks; bark from trees; grasses;..

Can I afford to build the house of my dreams?If you want to have a home Custom Designed for your Family, Look no further, you've come to the right place!How much will it cost me to build this home?    Virtually everyone must limit their home design, size, style and aesthetics accordin..

  How much money do you need to build a house? The answer to this question depends on many factors. Building costs vary across the world; from state to state, and even from city to city. In some parts of the world it is labor is very cheap, but materials are very expensive, offsetting the che..

  We all have our favorite style house plans. Some of prefer traditional, while some prefer modern, and no matter which style you prefer, it's always a good idea to choose a style that works for the location in which you're going to build. Every general location has a specific style that has ..

  Over Budget What happens if your new home is almost finished, and you've gone over budget? If your banker won't increase the size of your loan, or if you can't afford a larger payment, you probably won't be stuck with an unfinished house. Your builder will see it coming, and recommend cutt..

  Be your own builder Yes, you can do it. Even if you're getting a loan, you have the right to build your own house. In most states a builder must be licensed or bonded, but if you're building for your own personal use, and not for resale, the law gives us the right. You may choose to hire a..

  Custom design your own home Each of us is unique. If a million people were asked to design a home using the same criteria, each home would be unique. Before I became a custom home designer, I spent countless hours designing my own home. As I sketched, I was living the dream. Some people ca..