Houston Home Designs
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Many people will start out looking at plans in plan books and on websites. This is a good way to familiarize yourself with what you like and basic information about how plans are drawn. You should always remember that there will be regional differences that will need to be reflected in the plans for use in Houston. For example, basements just aren't built around here. Yes, it is possible to build a basement but it is extremely rare. Flat roofs are not real popular in Houston due to our amount of rain fall because standing water will usually find a way into a structure. New roofing technologies are making a big difference, however.
If you find a plan that works pretty much as it is shown, then it may be a good idea to buy the plan from the plan company. Likewise, if you are making minor modifications, it may make sense to pay the plan company to make the changes for you. However, if your changes are significant, then you will probably be better off working with a local architect or designer. They will be able to incorporate the features you want from you pictures, sketches, other plans, etc. and create a custom design specific to your wants and needs.
Predrawn plans will always cost less than ones drawn from scratch. The lease expensive plans will come from the plan books and websites and often start at less than $1,000 but can also cost a few thousand. Many local architects will give you a significant discount if you use or modify an existing plan of theirs. Either way, you should know that you are buying the rights to build the home one time and that you cannot give the plans away or resell them for additional use without the architect or designer's permission. This could be a very costly mistake if someone was caught.
The following plan sites are good ones that we have used. Dan Sater does really beautiful, high end custom designs and is especially known for his Floridian Architecture. Don Gardner has been around for many years and is highly regarded with many different styles and designs. EPlans is also a good site with thousands of plans.
Last comment: Get your builder involved early so they can help you select a plan or design a plan that is going to fit your style and also fit your budget!
If you find a plan that works pretty much as it is shown, then it may be a good idea to buy the plan from the plan company. Likewise, if you are making minor modifications, it may make sense to pay the plan company to make the changes for you. However, if your changes are significant, then you will probably be better off working with a local architect or designer. They will be able to incorporate the features you want from you pictures, sketches, other plans, etc. and create a custom design specific to your wants and needs.
Predrawn plans will always cost less than ones drawn from scratch. The lease expensive plans will come from the plan books and websites and often start at less than $1,000 but can also cost a few thousand. Many local architects will give you a significant discount if you use or modify an existing plan of theirs. Either way, you should know that you are buying the rights to build the home one time and that you cannot give the plans away or resell them for additional use without the architect or designer's permission. This could be a very costly mistake if someone was caught.
The following plan sites are good ones that we have used. Dan Sater does really beautiful, high end custom designs and is especially known for his Floridian Architecture. Don Gardner has been around for many years and is highly regarded with many different styles and designs. EPlans is also a good site with thousands of plans.
Last comment: Get your builder involved early so they can help you select a plan or design a plan that is going to fit your style and also fit your budget!
At some point, you may wish to consider working with an Interior Designer. At Jeffrey Harrington Homes, we believe an Interior Designer is a critical part of every custom home project. We are lucky enough to have Pamela Griffin on staff and are building a website specific to her talent and services on our client's projects. Find out more at:
http://www.interiordesignsbypam.com
http://www.interiordesignsbypam.com
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