Building a Dream

Ok, you are ready to build the home you have dreamed about since you were a young child. Go ahead and grab those floor plans, find a lot of land, get the construction going. But wait. Is the home of your “Dreams” a basic home floor plan? Of course it is not. Your "dream" plan incorporates your own specific needs and tastes. So before you make any calls, sit down and make some modifications or enhancements to the plan. Think about each room, the size, the function and the proximity to other areas of the house. In addition to your own preferences, when making modifications to a standard floor plan, there are several things that you must keep in mind, includng the terrain you are going to build on and how the weather there will affect your new home.

There are companies that can help you with this task. Companies that develop floor plans can do all the necessary thinking while you design your new home. Say you want to have a Victorian looking exterior with high gables and porches, but you want the inside to be contemporary and high tech. For example, if the exterior suits you fine but the floor plan does not have an open feel, removing a wall between kitchen and family room may be the answer. Or lets say that you don’t want any carpet. Instead you want solid wood floors, what kind of wood? Bamboo? If you are in a dry area it will crack and you will have to continually replace it. You would be better off with a Cherry or Oak floor as it can survive with less humidity. Bamboo needs to have some humidity to keep itself from cracking. This is an example of what the floor planners think about when they are working on your floor plan.

Customizing your home should be an exciting and memorable experience. Find a good planner and let them go to town, but give them guidelines. Don’t be afraid to challenge a decision as they may choose something that you don’t like. Have them explain why something cannot be done, and why their way would be better. Regardless you can work together to get that basic floor plan to become your dream house.

Archway Press House Plans has been selling affordable, single-family home plans and garage plans since 1946. Richard Campen, president, has more than 30 years experience working with customers, builders and architects to develop plans that meet the varied needs of Americans at different times in their lives. His commitment is to helping people realize their dream home in the most affordable way.