| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Sweet Harvest Homestead |
Posted - Apr 11 2007 : 09:34:29 AM
Hi Girls,
We are all ready to build our house out here on our land. The trouble is.... We can't find a plan exactly like what we want. We can find similar plans but they are lacking in a lot of ways. We drew out our own plan and were ready to take it to a draftsman when we found out it was going to cost us $5,000 to have someone make blueprints for us. Egads! We had no idea! So now we are trying to find a plan that we like. We have searched and searched online but have not had any luck.
We want a 1920's style Craftsman/Bungalow house.
Have any of you build your own place? Did you design it yourself? Know any cheaper ways to have it drawn out? Our plan is to have it finished by the end of the year.
Thanks for all of your help.
Lindy
www.sweetharvesthomestead.typepad.com |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Sweet Harvest Homestead |
Posted - Apr 13 2007 : 12:48:33 PM
Hi Rebekah,
Yes, we are building here on the land where the old farmhouse is. We will keep the old place, fix it up a little more and then rent it out when our place is finished.
We have found several plans that are similar to ours and I think that, like you did, modification is the way to go.
It is going to be a really neat experience.
Did any of you Owner build or did you use a contractor?
Lindy
www.sweetharvesthomestead.typepad.com |
| catscharm74 |
Posted - Apr 13 2007 : 06:54:11 AM
http://www.rosschapin.com/Plans/Cottage/Coho/coho.html
I am in love with all of these.... |
| country lawyer |
Posted - Apr 13 2007 : 04:21:23 AM
Lindy, I'm so excited for you! We've done the house plan thing every way you can imagine. I have found that the most cost effective way is finding a plan that is close to what you want. Purchase it for modifications. Get an architect to modify it for you. I've tried it without using an architect (with just a builder) and wound up with a goofy situation at the end of one hall that no one but an architect would have caught. The last house I built, I went to an architect to start from scratch. That estimate was over $20,000. To draft MY ideas. I had sticker shock, obviously. I passed on that! Modifications of an existing plan are much more economical. It is important to purchase the plan you work from. They are copyrighted and protected even though they are all over the internet. Still protected. Keep us updated on your progress. Picking out the house plan is one of my favorite parts of the construction process. What is your estimated date for breaking ground? Yay for you! You're staying on the same property, is that right?
[size=1]"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time."
James Taylor
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| Past Blessings |
Posted - Apr 12 2007 : 11:12:17 PM
I have found it hard to find house plans that have all the "Right features" too. Here in Spokane, we definitely build with basements . . . even if it is a two story already. It is expected and to do otherwise lowers its resale value significantly. And so many, including Southern Living do not offer basements. I have funny things I want too. I don't want a formal dining room . . . just one huge eating area in a country kitchen . . . I would love to have a table that is 12 ft. long so that someday when the kids are grown and grand kids are in the picture, we can all be there together. I did find one house plan finally that meets all our requirements . . . main floor bedroom (for when we get old and stiff!), the big kitchen, huge covered porch, and tons of country charm. Of course I don't have the land or the money! Silly little stumbling block! LOL! It is fun to dream though.
Past Blessings . . . Celebrating Life as it used to be . . . when people loved God, loved their families and loved their country. |
| Sweet Harvest Homestead |
Posted - Apr 12 2007 : 12:49:49 PM
Hi Ladies,
Thank you for all of your great advice. I am going to southern living now to see if I can find anything and then on to the other places that you suggested. I am also going to look up some software and see if that will help too.
Carla, your dream home is lovely!
Sheila, you sound like us. That is a problem that we are having. Not many new house plans have huge porches like we want. Gotta have some place to sit in the rockin chair chew the fat and snip green beans. Ha ha!
Thanks again y'all!
Lindy
www.sweetharvesthomestead.typepad.com |
| FlipFlopFarmer |
Posted - Apr 11 2007 : 8:39:04 PM
This is my dream home. I've been sitting on these plans for years and STILL love the house. Not sure what the actual "style" is but if you build it....I'll have to come visit you. 
http://www.dreamhomesource.com/Plan.asp?PlanID=14784
 Carla
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly. |
| ponyexpress |
Posted - Apr 11 2007 : 8:07:49 PM
Lindy, we went through the same process. Unfortunately, we spent the money to have the plans drawn up and then decided not to build. Long story for another day....but I found the plans that I liked through SouthernLiving.com. They have a HUGE selection and can offer some modifications of the plan.
Another alternative might be to find a locate community college that offers an architectural drafting program. A graduate of that program might be who you need to modify the plans to your specifications - certainly less expensive than an architect, and you can have the finished prints certified by an engineer to make sure that everything is structurally sound.
Best of luck!
I've tried to find a suitable exercise video for women my age...but they haven't made one called "Buns of Putty" |
| windypines |
Posted - Apr 11 2007 : 1:28:12 PM
Did you ever look at software for doing your house plans. My husband, contractor, drew up 3 house plans that way. Does take some work, but you can get framing, electical, plumbing, plans that you can print out. Michele |
| pinkroses |
Posted - Apr 11 2007 : 12:46:41 PM
Hey lIndy That is great news.
We are in our finaly drawings of our house plans ; at least I hope it is the last.
One of my husband's brothers builds houses. He has a friend who does some of the drawings for houses.
We have had him to draw out all of our plans.My husand and I knew just about how we wanted our house to be.
We had found a similar house in a house plan magazine.
We took it to the guy Cj, and he drew up our plans.
Well we loved them ; but we found out we couldn't afford the footage. \So back to the drawing board.
We loved those. But, still couldn't afford them
Prices on the building labor and the things you need to build the house have gone up sky high here in my area.
So, back again with CJ.
We decided we couldn't have the 2 bedrooms upstairs as planned
So we have a main floor and the basement with one bedroom down there and a full bath.
We have our kitchen/ and dinning area together in one long room with 2 windows looking out over the farm and the creek ( and of course the cows)
I am going to have a small walk in pantry with a Victorian, anitique country fireplace there.
I also am going to have a big wall pantry in the kitchen area for my plates and cooking things.
I have a sewing area room next to it ( it was orinally called a parlor) A main bathroom. then a master bedroom( which I get myself; cause my husband snores and I am always going to the bathroom)
Across the hall is a living room, It was oringlly huge , with a huge fire place we remove the fireplace from there and cut down on the size of the laundry room ; which gave us enough room for a bedroom there. then the laundry room Which I am adding additional pantry storage. and then the walk-in-drive in gragae.
We are having a big front porch too.
We worked with Cj until we had the right footage we could afford.
We didn't like the roof details on the house; we are now hope fully at the closing drawings.
I brought tons of house plan books cause we just got our computer.
Go onto yahoo , or goggle and look up free house plans.
Make sure you and your husband can afford to bill and get a good person to work with you on your plans.
Good luck pinkroses ( Sheila)
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| junebug |
Posted - Apr 11 2007 : 12:36:44 PM
Have you checked out The Home and Garden website from TV? They have tons of info and might be able to lead you to links if they don't have what your looking for. There is also software out there that you can use to design your own home. Good luck!!
Visit me at my blogs:
www.countrypleasures.blogspot.com
www.herbalfarmstead.blogspot.com
www.photo-per-day.blogspot.com
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| Miss Bee Haven |
Posted - Apr 11 2007 : 09:46:36 AM
Hi Lindy! Although my dh and I started out with an old farmhouse(shape-think saltine box on it's side) - we have built and designed the addition(another saltine box going out in an L shape from the old part) ourselves. We did tear off an old room from the original house and use that outline/footprint and then added a two story addition. A friend of mine(the other secretary here) took graph paper and drew to scale what we wanted. We looked at it, thought about it, changed it some and then, with the help of a VERY handy friend, built it ourselves(with the help of family/friends). The only things we paid others to do were: 1. Digging and pouring the basement and 2. Adding the front porch(I wanted it now, so I paid for it - :) and 3. The septic system. We are now at the point of needing HVAC and will have to contract that out. If you knew how unhandy we were up to this point, no one would believe we were capable. If you don't want to design it yourself, is there a college nearby with a student you could hire? Maybe computer software you could use? I guess we just jumped in and started swimming.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
