12 Points to Keep in Mind Before You Buy a Lot to Build Your House

Whenever the topic of buying land comes up, I can’t help but hear the lyrics of the song “Green, Green Grass of Home” inside my head. If you have decided to build your own home either in the country or the suburbs, then finding the right building lot is a critical early step in that process. While budget is always an important factor in any purchasing decision, you should also consider these buying tips when evaluating the suitability of a land plot to build your home.

1. Check if the property has passed local zoning requirements.

2. Ask if the community or city sewer and water connections are already available on the building lots where you want to build your home.

3. Look for a copy of restrictive covenants especially if the building lot is still in development. This will tell you and your architect if there is a restriction on house size or any other limitations.

4. Avoid land lots near non-residential property zones. You don’t want factories for neighbors in the near future.

5. Go to the local police department and check if the zone is prone or not to crime. The safety of the location is just as important as the attractive view from within the house. This also involves the wildlife where coyotes, dogs, wolves or snakes can be dangerous especially when you have kids.

6. Realize what you could be trading exhaust fumes with. Check with the local government or future neighbors if there are pig farms and the like within the area.

7. Make sure that phone service and electricity are already available before you build your home.

8. Find out if the houses within the area follow any deed restrictions. You should check with the local building officials to see if there are any specific house or blueprint requirements.

9. Check with the local authorities if your land is stable. Make sure that your building lot is not a candidate for landslide.

10. Ask if there are any restrictions to hiring any builder on the lot. There are communities or subdivisions that are limited to hiring specific builders.

11. Asses the location of your future home. Is it still accessible to church, school, groceries, gas stations, and hospitals? Consider the places you often spend your time with your friends or family. Is it near the library, golf course or the health club? Also keep in mind the people who may want to visit you from time to time and the accessible ATM or banks for emergency purposes.

12. Check for winter road services and any driveway restrictions too. If the lot you wish to purchase is far from the road, as if you can build your own road extension and the charges that may cost you. Building a road extension can be very expensive especially when you have to build a bridge over a stream no matter how short this may be.

If you receive acceptable answers after following through on the tips above, you should have found yourself a building lot that will result in far fewer surprises for you in the future.

In a future article, I will discuss tips to consider when selecting the right house plan blueprint for your particular building lot.

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I just added to The Plan Collection. These plans were special because they offer full Mother In-Law Apartments, but why would you want or need a separate apartment within your home?

At some point in time, everyone has experienced the chore of entertaining the overbearing house guest. Whether it’s the visiting mother-in-law, a dead-beat friend who’s down on his luck, or even the occasional college student taking a break from her studies, it’s never fun to share your limited living space for long periods of time. It’s especially hard sharing a kitchen and bathroom with said guests. Even the best of friends and family can grow tiresome after awhile. I think Benjamin Franklin put it best when he eloquently penned the words, “Fish and visitors smell in three days.”

You never know when they will drop in, and you never know how long they will stay, but it’s always a good idea to have room to house your guests. It’s even better if you can provide them with a fully-furnished living area with a bathroom and a kitchen. Even if those areas aren’t used very often, an in-law suite will definitely cause your home’s value to skyrocket.

So, if you’re looking for house plans with an in-law suite, The Plan Collection should be your first stop! Check em out!

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Being realistic about your dream home

Develop a realistic Budget. This must be your available savings and the qualifying financing you can afford for the entire project.

Get a idea from your local builders about the costs of land, site development and foundation work. Site development should not be overlooked when developing a budget. Most cost estimation services on line do not include that significant cost.

Find out from local builder the approximate cost per square foot to build a house based upon the number of stories. Also, have them take into consideration the level of quality of the siding, roofing and fixtures.

Pick a house based upon the square footage you can afford. This will avoid finding a house and trying to shrink it to meet your budget. Dramatically, shrinking a house can change the appearance and appeal of a home.

If modifications are needed, budget at least $1,500 for the purchase of working drawings and modification fees.

For the house selected, add up all the estimated costs and add about 15% to 20% to account for unexpected issues. Then compare the total estimated costs to your Budget.

If you’re on Budget, then feel comfortable to order your dream home’s plans.

If you’re over Budget, work with you local builder to see if you can make changes to get back under budget or find a similar design within your budget.

In closing, by following these tips, you will have a great experience building you dream home.

HousePlans.Info: The latest trends, observations and opinions on all things related to house plans, home design and home building.

Our good pal Punxsutawney Phil gave us word yesterday that Spring is coming sooner than most people thought.  We have had an extra harsh winter throughout many parts of the States.  Luckily, Phil came through and didn’t see his shadow for only the sixteenth time in over 120 years.  We are now set to start our real plans for 2011.  While still basking in the dreams of sunny springtime dreams, I started looking at some coastal house plans over at The Plan Collection.  Right now, nothing sounds better than getting a beach house ready for Spring Break.

There are lots of coastal house plans that would make for great times but I especially liked the floor plan LS-H-964-1A.  It is very open and you don’t waste extra money for fancy features that you will never really use.  If you have a vacation home on the coast you are really only going to be there a few days to a week.  You don’t have to get super technical.  In fact, if I were to build a house on the beach I would be looking for a place to get away from everything and enjoy nature.  Floor plan LS-H-964-1A is a simple design that provides just what you need.

During the day you are going to be out playing and enjoying the sun.  This home will have the party continue when the sun goes down.  The huge great room has lots of window space and opens to the big deck outside.  The sky is the limit with party possibilities in this home plan.  You could stay entertained for hours.  When it is time to hit the sack you have a big master bedroom upstairs that has its own private bathroom and a big walk-in closet that has even more storage behind that.  You could fit just about anything in there.  There is also another bedroom downstairs for another guest that would be staying with you.  Another feature that caught my attention about this vacation house plan is the full laundry room.  When you have a longer stay, laundry can start to become an issue.  With a setup like this you will never have to worry about clothing.  You can dry swimsuits, do quick spill cleanup, keep all your linens at the vacation house, the list goes on and on.

I’m just so excited to see that Spring will be coming early this year.  Well, let’s just hope that Punxsutawney Phil hasn’t deceived us.

HousePlans.Info: The latest trends, observations and opinions on all things related to house plans, home design and home building.

Well, it looks like it’s going to be the Packers and Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.  Everyone is getting ready for a big game.  Both teams look healthy and ready to get on the gridiron.  I could spend all day trying to be an analyst of how the game will turn out but I’m writing this blog about houses.  More specific, I’m writing about houses that would be great to watch the Super Bowl in.

House plan CD 2805 is the first floorplan that I would include on my Super Bowl party place list.  I like this plan because of the open spacing in the family room and kitchen area.  You could fit a big HD TV the fireplace and it would be seen from all angles.  The deck outside the nook is perfect for halftime.  You could head out there and catch some fresh air, that is if it is warm enough to be outside.  If you wanted to get extra stylish you could set up a TV in the upstairs bonus room and then you could have the game going on one side of the room and a nice view from the balcony on the other.  This home actually has two party locations.

I know you wouldn’t build a house just so you could have a Super Bowl party once a year so I was looking for a home that could be of use the other 364 days of the year.  NDG-769 may just be your answer.  This plan has an open area much like the CD 2805 plan but it also has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.  It is a home that could suit almost any family.

The main party features of this home are another big great room and a kitchen that is mostly exposed to the TV viewing area.  The exterior of this plan is perfect for a Super Bowl barbecue.  The big grilling porch is a place to converse and cook during any downtime.  There is lots of space around the house that could be occupied by people that want to get together but could care less about football.  You know there is always at least one person that complains the whole time during the game.  This home has a secluded living room on the front that divides them from the rest of the group so everyone can stay happy.

The grilling porch is right next to the action

There are probably lots more plans that would make for great Super Bowl party homes.  If you take some time right now you could have the perfect home for next year’s game.  A good choice now could have you being the annual Super Bowl party host and then you don’t have to go to the hassle of heading over to another house every year.

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In yesterday’s article I used an image of the GHD-2059.  It was a perfect example of a house plan with a daylight basement.  I started looking at it some more and realized that it not only has a picture perfect basement but it also has a really nice floor plan.  It isn’t one of the biggest or most extravagant houses you’ll see but it can get the job done.

I picture this home as being the place for a couple that is always having guests over.  The main floor has all you need for normal day-to-day life.  You have a large master suite and an office right off of that.  The kitchen and dining room open up to the deck so you could have easy access to the great outdoors.

On the basement level you have big bedroom that could house any guests.  They have a small wet bar area that could be used for simple cooking and with direct access to the outside they can leave and come as they please without disturbing the hosts.  When you don’t have company over, there is a large family room and sitting area that could house anything you wanted.

Sometimes you just get taken by surprise when you’re looking at house plans.  You never know when you’ll fall in love with a set of plans.

HousePlans.Info: The latest trends, observations and opinions on all things related to house plans, home design and home building.

As I said in my blog yesterday, I am just getting back into the whole house plan industry and I am blown away by the things I am seeing.  While looking through the new plans on The Plan Collection I came across the Calvin house plan.  This is a real gem.  I have been considering on what my future home will look like and Calvin could very well fulfill my wants.

I was first drawn to this plan because of the amazing front porch.  This is the perfect porch for a swing.  I could spend hours on this porch just watching time pass by.  The best part is that this porch is only the beginning of the great features this house has.  Once you make it through the door you are greeted with a warm, country style interior.

View from the loft

One thing I’ve always wanted in my home was a loft that overlooks my family room.  This house has a good sized loft that has an amazing view.  Not only does it look over the family room, it also has a grand view of the outside deck and the landscape in your backyard.  I especially like the picture that the designer has provided us.  Being an outdoorsman, I love being out, enjoying nature.  I would love to go up to my loft and have a gander at the forest every morning.  Nothing’s more refreshing than seeing mother nature at work.

Everything about the interior of this house just looks right.  This house would keep me happy for years to come.  It has a nice fireplace that can be seen from almost every angle on the first floor.  The master bedroom has a split walk-in closet so both you and the spouse would be able to keep the clothes nice and organized.  Another feature any man would need is the storage space off the back of the garage.  You know how much of a hassle it is to walk in the garage and search through everything just to find the wrench you need.  This space would eliminate that from ever happening again.  I think the icing on the cake for me was the combination of an outside deck and a screen porch on the back.  I live in Utah.  We are blessed with some of the most beautiful summers in the country.  We are also cursed with some of the coldest winters in the country.  With the teamwork of these two spaces you never have to worry about missing out on the scenery. After seeing this house I’m all the more excited to get out there and start building.  This plan was masterfully designed to make any red blooded American a happy camper.  You should keep this plan on your dream list.  I know it will be on mine.

HousePlans.Info: The latest trends, observations and opinions on all things related to house plans, home design and home building.

I worked with house design a couple years ago but left the industry for a short stint.  I am back now and trying to catch up on what I missed out on during my 2 year hiatus.  I was looking through the newest house plans that The Plan Collection has.  I was surprised to see the wide variety of plans there are.  A lot of the time we get stuck in fads.  We see the Jones’ house and want one just like it.  We take the same plan and modify just a little bit so we don’t have the exact same house.  The designers have been hard at work and have come up with some of the best looking house plans I’ve seen.

The plans that have recently been added to the website range all the way from the simple HW-2461 by Hanley Wood, to the luxurious Westover plan from Richard Lewis Designs.  Selection has definitely increased over the past little while.  It has been said that the house building industry is on a decline but I beg to differ.  These plans are blowing away all limitations.  The sky really is the limit for houses these days.

Be sure to take a look at the house plan search page at The Plan Collection.  You’ll be able to do a modified search and find the perfect house plan for you.  You will be the talk of the block.

HousePlans.Info: The latest trends, observations and opinions on all things related to house plans, home design and home building.

Every morning I look at the same hilltop near my basement apartment and imagine building up there. Something about the seclusion and privacy, the view, the abundant natural light, and living above the smog gives me a boost of energy as I’m headed for work. For now it’s a dream, and it probably will be for a long time, but I’ve nevertheless found the perfect house to go up there, and here she is:

The Lightkeeper by Dan Tyree

Now I know I usually write about green building and sustainability. First let me say that I’m fully aware that spreading away from the urban center is a “no-no”, but then again I’ve already shared my feelings about new urbanism. In regards to building big, I have no intention of building bigger than I feel my family needs, I just have a big family… Now that I’ve provided the disclaimer, here’s my attempt to rationalize my decision.

First of all, just look at this small snippet of the view around here (northern Utah):

It looks much the same all around, not to mention a great view of the valley below. To counter-act myself: Isn’t that what I’m trying to protect? It is…

That’s why I’ll do it with straw bales. I would also put in photovoltaic panels (remember, this is a dream home) and wind turbines. By the way, the wind up on that hill is amazing! I would plant my own small forest and turn the landscape into a permaculture garden. When the air car comes out, I’ll be set. I think I’d be pretty carbon-nuetral at that point. Now, if I can only figure out how to get a road level enough for my air car to make the trip…

A note about the designer:

Dan Tyree is a well respected and creative home designer out of Winter Park, FL. His designs contribute a timeless nature to residential architecture that is a kind of sustainability all it’s own. His homes are in many styles inlcuding, but not limited to, beachfront, craftsman, and modern. His work can be found all around the gulf of mexico and up the eastern seaboard, with several others along the western coast. These homes are found in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Bahamas, Grand Cayman Islands, and Honduras. He is a member of the Front Porch Design Society, AIBD, and the National Trust of Historic Preservation. He sell his plans digitally and works in the sunlight.

His plans can be found at The Plan Collection.

HousePlans.Info: The latest trends, observations and opinions on all things related to house plans, home design and home building.

Yale economist Robert Repetto created an interactive website displaying possible economic gains based on cutting carbon emissions. The interactive is based on seven key assumptions pulled from various other models. Repetto decided to put together the best models out there to give a more comprehensive view.

The interactive asks you to decide how likely the seven key assumptions are, and then gives you the standard projected economic growth compared to your predictions. It even shows a worse case scenario. I did it based on my own predictions and found that we would come in just under our expected GDP by the year 2030. The important concept here is that worse case scenario, we’re still growing, and we’re still making money.

The personal problem I have is that the model is based strictly on cutting carbon emissions. We all know that the issue is far more complex than that, at least when it comes to government actions. The real elephant in the room right now is energy independence (which coincides nicely with carbon emissions for the most part). Though impossible to predict all pros and cons of moving away from oil and the like, I’m waiting to see a model that considers these priceless contributions. I just don’t see it happening very quickly unless the government is spurred on by something along the lines of national security. Without government support, the free market will take a while to figure out renewable energy, especially with oil companies around.

Source: Discovery News

HousePlans.Info: The latest trends, observations and opinions on all things related to house plans, home design and home building.