Four Steps to Selecting a House Plan
Everybody loves looking at house plans and dreaming of having a new home. It is very exciting to imagine how much better things would be and how additional room to entertain or raise the kids a new home could offer. But when you get right down to it, it is a hard thing to do. There are so many things to consider and so many options. Some of us have spent years looking for just the right plan and every time we think we have found it, we find something in another plan that we like better, want or need. So, where do we start?
Everything starts with a need or a desire. We refer to that as a pivot point--the one thing we must have that no matter what else changes. For some it is the number of bedrooms, some pivot on a certain kitchen layout, while others have property considerations. The following is a “test” to help you understand your pivot point. It will guide you through selecting a house that will one day become your home.
1. Consider the slope and lay of the lot.
The first step, in my opinion, is to know where you are going to build. It makes a huge difference in cost to construct when the lot and the house plan align. For example, if you have a lot that slopes from front to back, you would want a house plan that is wider and not so deep. This will both reduce the cost of construction and make the rear of the house more accessible. If the lot slopes from side to side, the opposite would be true; you would want a house that is deeper and not as wide. A lot with severe slopes may require a two-story that has a smaller footprint. Two of the most costly aspects of a home are the foundation and the roof, so this needs to be considered from the start.
The following questions should be addressed prior to selecting a plan. You can actually choose the plan first and then find a lot; but the path of less frustration lies with lot first thinking.
Are there deed restrictions in the neighborhood where you plan to build? yes / no
What is the minimum square footage of the heated and cooled area according to the deed restrictions? _______________________
- front _________________________
- sides _________________________
- rear _________________________
What is the minimum distance from the property lines where the house may be placed?
What are the dimensions of the lot? ___________________________________________
Do you have a plat or survey with the polar dimensions of the property? yes / no
What, if any, is the maximum width of the house? ___________________
What, if any, is the maximum depth of the house? ___________________
2. Decide which rooms will be included in your house.
The most common pivot point is the number of bedrooms. This in turn, usually dictates the overall size of the house. Below is a list of rooms from which to select. Consider the number and use of each room and determine which are the most important.
- foyer
- formal living room
- formal dining room
- family room
- kitchen
- nook
- master bedroom
- 2nd master bedroom
- bedroom #2
- bedroom #3
- bedroom #4
- bedroom #5
- master bath
- 2nd master bath
- hall bath
- pool bath
- jack-n-jill bath
- powder bath
- pantry
- laundry
- utility
- mud room
- game room
- office
- mother-in-law suite
- bonus room
- media room
- outdoor kitchen
3. Determine the size and location of the porches and garage.
Now that we have determined which rooms will be included in the heated and cooled portion of your house, let’s address the porches and the garage.
- yes
- no
Will there be a garage?
- yes
- no
Will it be attached?
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
How many cars should it house?
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
How many overhead doors?
- front
- side
- rear
From which side of the house will the garage be entered?
Will there be a front porch? yes / no
Will it be covered? yes / no
Will there be a back porch? yes / no
Will it be covered? yes / no
Will any of these be screened? yes / no
4. What style and features are important to you?
House styles generally fall into just a few categories. Some people don’t really care which style the house is, as long as the plan flows the way they want it to and has all of the features they desire. Other people want a particular style of home and use it as their main pivot point. House style should be, at the very least, considered during the process. Check with the Architectural Control Committee, if you are building in a platted neighborhood, as some require or exclude certain styles.
- contemporary
- traditional
- country farmhouse
- Spanish / Mediterranean
- vacation
What will be the basic style of the house?
- 8’ 97 1/8
- 9’ 109 1/8
- 10’ 121 1/8
- 11’ 133 1/8
What will be the default ceiling height of the main floor?
- siding
- brick
- stucco
- stone
- mixture of _____________________________________
What will be the default veneer?
- 3/12
- 4/12
- 5/12
- 6/12
- 7/12
- 8/12
- 9/12
- 10/12
- 11/12
- 12/12
- other
What will be the default roof pitch?
- standard shingle
- 4 tab shingle
- metal
- tile
- membrane
What roofing material will be used?
- deck (covered)
- deck (uncovered)
- patio (covered)
- patio (uncovered)
- outside kitchen
- swimming pool
- pool house
- guest house
Which of the following accessory use structures will be incorporated into the design of this house?
- monolithic
- stem wall with a slab
- stem wall with a wood floor system
What type of foundation will be used?
- lumber
- engineered floor truss
- engineered lumber
If (c) is selected above, what will be the framing material for the first floor system?
- foyer
- living room
- other _____________________________
What room will the front entry door open into?
- mud room
- kitchen
- hall
- nook
- other _____________________________
What room will the attached garage open into?
The information gathered so far should help in organizing your search. This is a basic outline of the things that you have determined to be important to you. Let’s recap:
1. Consider the slope and lay of the lot.
2. Decide which rooms will be included in your house.
3. Determine the size and location of the porches and garage.
4. What style and features are important to you.
Of these four choices, determine which is your pivot point, and then choose a plan that revolves around that particular feature of the house. Consider your lifestyle, family size and daily use, but also recognize that this is first and foremost a business decision, as this will likely be the single largest financial investment you will make in your lifetime. Regardless of your choices, you must make sure that the house you finally build is marketable, both now and in the future. Most people tell us that they will “live in this house until they die.” Few ever really do, but even then someone must, or will, at some point sell the house. So I would add an unofficial fifth item to the list;
5. Am I building a house that is marketable or is it a face only a mother could love?
The more detailed you are during this stage of the construction process, the less likely you are to make a bad design decision. The devil is in the details. Make sure you know exactly what it is that you want out of your new home.