1. When selecting the right property for your home you'll need to make yourself a check list of what you are wanting in a lot. If you don't choose the right location, it could ruin the entire experience.
2. Spend as much time as possible in the design stage of your home. Sit with your spouse and create a dream sheet or sketch of what you're wanting. Make sure there are enough bathrooms for your family and special area's for things like crafts and hobbies. Bedroom locations and sizes are very important also. Consider what areas of the house will be used for the entire family. Is there an adequate Family Room, Kitchen and Dining area? One major aspect of a home that is overlooked is storage. Make sure this also is one of your considerations.
3. Take your sketches or dream sheet to a qualified Architect, Designer or Home Drafter and see what ideas they may have that you have missed. Then hire the one you feel most comfortable in dealing with. It will be their job to make sure your home meets building codes and requirements and flows the way you intend it to.
4. Interview as many contractors as possible. Check their references and ask to see some of their completed jobs. Once you decide on a contractor, make sure that you have one special set of plans for you and your contractor to sign off on. As construction proceeds and changes are made, note them on that special set of plans and both of you initial the change so that when the job is complete, it will be reflected on the set of drawings so there are no surprises. Try not to take possession of the new home until all is complete and you are satisfied with the craftsmanship.
5. If you have to go through a plan review with a HMO or building inspector, either your designer or contractor can handle this for you. It's probably best to have to one who drew the plans handle this process as whatever changes that have to be made with the plans won't have to pass through a middle man.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a fully trained Architectural Designer with 20+ years experience. His home design website is at http://customhouseplans.8m.com. He's also webmaster of the Building Trades and Real Estate Articles Directory at http://draftingservice.us/homes/
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( 2.8 / 196 )Ok, so you've purchased a piece of property and have a home plan and want to figure out the cost of building it. So what next? Maybe you are looking to get a job with a building contractor and material lists will be one of the things you'll need to know how to do. Well, here in a nut shell is how some of it's done. Most all that you need is a good understanding of math and a little patients.
For instance, let's say you want to know how many 2 inch x 4 inch studs are going into the walls. If you look at the details of your plans, you'll find out how far your studs are spaced. Most are at 16 inches on center. If this be the case, then say you have a 10 foot wall. There is 12 inches in a foot so simple math would tell you that there is 120 inches in 10 feet. Divide 120 inches by 16 inches and you come up with 7 and 1/2 or 7.5. Meaning you have seven and one half studs in the wall. Round that off to 8 and you have it.
How about the bottom and top plates? These are 2 inch x 4 inch pieces of lumber too. Looking at your drawing section you find that you have 1 - 2 inch x 4 inch bottom plate and 2 - 2 inch x 4 inch top plates. So you have 3 - 2 inch x 4 inch plates and the wall is 10 feet long so you will need 30 feet of 2 inch x 4 inch lumber.
Are you seeing how it works so far? Good! Lets take it to the next step. How about floor decking? If your room is 10 foot wide by 10 feet long that is 100 square feet. Right? You multiply the width by the depth. Sheets of plywood come in 4 foot by 8 feet sheets which makes 32 square feet. Divide 100 square feet by 32 square feet and you have 3 and 1/8th sheets or 4 sheets.
The same could be done for the exterior wall sheathing which is either OSB (particle board) or plywood. Lets say you have a 32 foot exterior wall that is 8 feet tall. The OSB or plywood comes as you know in 4 feet by 8 foot sheets. You could either divide the square footage of the wall, but we already know the wall is 8 feet high, or divide 32 feet which is the length of the wall by 4 feet, and you would come up with 8 sheets.
Of course the process involves counting windows and doors and their sizes, cabinet sizes and quantities, Light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, roof trusses and coverings, etc. And I know these were actually simple illustrations and it can be more complex, but this is the general method of material take-off.
My name is Tim Davis and I draw architectural plans for a living. I also teach Architectural Blueprint Reading at http://blueprints.8m.com
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( 2.9 / 191 )Especially if you are appraising a newer home, the possibilities are good that an architectural plan is available for the home. If so, you need to know what you are looking at. In this article, I plan to break down the basic sheets usually found in a set of house blueprints.
The Floor Plan
This is the page that lets you know what the layout of the house looks like. A house plan is basically a drawing that depicts the house if it were cut with a knife on a horizontal plane allowing you to look past the roof down into the rooms. There should be over all dimensions, room names, fixture labels, door and window sizes and styles, etc. Sometimes these plans include an electrical floor plan which is the floor plan with the electrical fixture locations.
The Elevations
You will probably find a sheet with all the exterior views of the home also which are called elevations. These will probably have the types of siding, roof pitches (angles), shutter types, grade heights (ground levels), trim types, and so on.
Foundation or Basement Plan
If the plan is complete there should be either a foundation or basement plan. If so, you can find out what the house was built on and what types of joists or trusses are supporting it.
HVAC and Plumbing Plan
This plan is particularly handy as you can see how the duct work is layed out for the Heating and air conditioning. You will also be able to tell what type of plumbing pipes have been used and what sizes.
Sectional Drawing and Special Details
A sectional drawing is where we cut an imaginary line vertically through the house to expose the elements that create the structure. With these drawings you can tell any special materials or methods were used in the construction of the home.
About the Author
My name is Tim Davis and I draw architectural plans for a living. I also teach Architectural Blueprint Reading at http://blueprints.8m.com
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( 2.9 / 171 )Maybe you're looking for a job in a real estate office or as an assistant with a construction company. Or it could be that you have taken a job at a local builders supply and will be doing material take off's. These are just a few of the jobs where you need to have a familiarity with construction drawings. Facts are though, I'm not going to be able to tell you in just one article how to read a set of house plans. There is way too much to consider. What I can do is give you a basic overview to give you a head start.
The Floor Plan:
Imagine if you will, having a house and cutting into it horizontally with a knife. Once this is done, you are able to see the interior rooms or layout of the home. That's what the floor plan is. On a floor plan you have strings of dimensions that define the locations of the porches, decks, walls, windows, doors, etc. You will also have door and window sizes, floor coverings, ceiling heights and types, water heater, washer and dryer locations listed. Almost always included on the floor plan is a kitchen layout showing cabinet sizes and location. Bathrooms cabinets should be defined there too.
The Foundation or Basement Plan:
Same as the floor plan this is a view that is made by the same type of cut. Here you will find wall sizes and types, floor support posts or piers, floor support types such as trusses or joists, slab thickness, footing sizes, and wall openings that should all be defined by dimensions.
Electrical Plan:
Many designers and drafters include the electrical plan on the floor plan and some don't. What you will find on this plan is outlet locations, light fixture types and locations, smoke detectors, door bell, meter base and circuit panel.
Exterior Elevations:
These are the views of the house from the front, left, rear, right, and roof. This drawing usually defines exterior finishes, shutters, pediments, trim types, roof shingle materials, grade levels (where the exterior ground level meets the house), railing types and locations, etc. It should also include roof pitches which is defined by 12 inches horizontal X however many inches vertical to define the angle of the roof.
Sectional Details:
This drawing is also a knife cut illustration only on a vertical plane which shows things like insulation “R” factors, stud and header sizes, floor truss or joist sizes and spacing, floor and roof decking sizes, etc.
HVAC and Plumbing Plans:
These show the duct work and pipe locations along with pipe size for hot and cold water, and the fixtures and fitting types.
Tim Davis is an Architectural Designer with over 20 years experience in his field. He teaches Architectural Blueprint Reading classes at http://blueprints.8m.com and Architectural Drafting at http://houseplandrafting101.com
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( 2.9 / 186 )Many house plans are drawn today where the drafter or designer is a long distance away. Most often it's because the process is being handled over the internet. If this be the case and you are having your house remodeled long distance, here are a few things that will get the ball rolling for you.
You will need to have the following:
a. Tape measure. 25' would be the best choice.
b. A pad of grid paper. 8 1/2" x 11" minimum.
c. A pencil.
d. A Digital Camera.
Step #1. They will need to know how the home is laid out. Go to each room of the house and measure the depth and width. Draw the rooms on the grid paper using the grid squares as a guide. If you are using small paper (8 1/2" x 11"), each grid will equal one foot (12"). Show the door openings and windows on the grid paper relative to their position in the room. If you draw in a door, place the width inside the opening. If it's a window, place the width then height (w x h) near the window. Where ever possible, photograph special items in the house that are hard to sketch. You will probably need to sketch the Kitchen and Bathroom in the same manner including the cabinets.
Step #2. Go to the exterior of the home and photograph the following views.
a. Front
b. Front Right Corner
c. Right Side
d. Right Rear Corner
e. Rear Side
f. Rear Right Corner
g. Left Side
h. Left Right Corner
i. Photo any special exterior item that is hard to sketch. Try your best to photo as much of the roof as possible.
Step #3. If your home is built on a foundation or basement it would be good to know what type of floor system you have. Take pictures of underneath the floor of your floor joists or trusses. Then measure the depth and spacing for me. If your house is on a slab, you can skip this step.
Step #4. Many municipalities require a site plan even with a remodeling. If this be the case you will need to get a copy of a surveyors plat or tax map showing the general location of your home on the property. It would be nice to know driveway and sidewalk sizes and locations too. Also the locations of any trees you are wanting to save or remove as a result of the remodeling.
Step #5. On a separate sheet of grid paper, sketch out what additions you are wanting to make to the home.
Step #6. Send these to the drafter or designer via mail or email and you have begun the process.
About the Author
Tim Davis is a trained architectural designer who has drawn hundreds of remodeling drawings since the late 1980's. Visit his website at http://customhouseplans.8m.com for more details.
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