Designing House Plans & Choosing The Right One For You

There are thousands and thousands of house plans to choose from. The likelihood of you finding that perfect plan, that doesn't need any revisions, is unlikely. Most companies will charge you a tremendous up charge to customize a plan.

Wait. You don't need to spend several thousand dollars for a custom plan. I've built hundreds of homes using "blueprints" I've drawn myself. Later, I'll help you finalize those plans. But right now let's talk about what your dream home needs to look like.

Architect's Seal

Most plans are not stamped by an architect. The need for this is determined by your local building authority. I've also built many home that have an architect's seal. This seal does not guarantee the structural integrity of the plan, the design, the materials list, or anything other than an architect drew the design. Most plans have a disclaimer that varies. Bottom line, you can't usually blame the architect for anything that goes wrong with building your house.

Make your"ultimate house"list.

Planning your new home means making a lot of lists! The first one should be a list of things like how much square footage do you need? How many bedrooms should your house have? Do you want a formal dining room?

Think about the home you are living in now and the improvements you would like in you new home.

Make a picture collage that has photos of details you want in your new home.

Drive around some neighborhoods you like. Take photos of things you see you like...The front door of one house...The garage of another. Later, print these photos out, or if you are computer savy, save them to a computer file. Then cut and paste sections together to form your ideal house "look."

You can also scour magazines for photos you like. Cut them out or scan them and paste into your collage.

Sketch out your dream floor plan.

Either grab the old standby graph paper, or use a computer. There are some inexpensive "draw-your-own-house-plan programs, but a pencil and paper will do just fine for now.

Get the family involved! You'll be surprised at what each member can contribute.

Contact your Home Building Mentor to finalize your plans. I'll help you think about your choices and prevent costly mistakes.

Table of Contents

Framing Exterior Walls

Framing Exterior walls requires proper planning including the right building materials.

Framing Dormers

Framing dormers that don't leak! Learn to do it right.

Install Exterior Door

Install exterior door: How To Do It Yourself.

Installing A Window

Installing a window in a few, easy steps.

How to Install Roof Shingles

Learn how to install roof shingles in a snap.

Building & Setting Trusses

Learn to build your own trusses and save money.

How To Install Roof Felt

Proper techniques to install roof felt.

Common Rafters

Cutting and setting rafters.

Framing Garage Plans

Framing the door for garage plans.

Hip and Valley Roof Framing

A hip and valley roof - learning how to frame it.

Concrete Foundation Planning

Building a strong concrete foundation.

Digging Foundation Footings

Digging foundation footings for a solid foundation.

How To Build Cabinets

Learn how to build cabinets for a fraction of what you would pay retail.

Drywall Installation Basics

Drywall installation basics overview for a successful project.

Cost Per Square Foot To Build A House

Learn how to figure the cost per square foot for your house plans.

Home Construction Loan

The help you need getting your home construction loan.

Choosing Your House Plans

How to select & design the right house plans for you.