House Plans:
House plans are a set of working construction drawings, which are still often called blueprints or stock plans. This set will include the following plans:
Foundation Plan: Indicates the type of foundation selected and all of the specifications necessary for construction, which includes dimensions and locations for the footings. The foundation may be a full, partial/daylight basement or a crawl space.
Framing Plan: Details how all of the walls should be constructed, as well as the size of lumber to be used.
This is typically 2x4 or 2x6.
Floor Plan: Detailed layout of the sizes and locations of each room, door, window, stairway, and other built in features such as plumbing fixtures or cabinets. There will be a separate floor plan for each level of the house.
Roof Plan: Provides the detail on which type of roof is selected and the pitch and framing that is needed for construction. It will also provide the layout of any rafters, dormers, and gables, as well as special features such as skylights and windows.
Interior Elevation: Drawings of your interior walls which detail the cabinets, fireplace(s), built-in units such as bookshelves or television cabinets, and any other special features.
Exterior Elevations: A separate drawing of each side of the home (front, rear & sides) to illustrate what the house will look like. These plans also include the exterior measurements, materials and details.
Cross-Section Drawings: A vertical view of different parts of the house from roof to foundation showing the details for insulation, flooring, roofing, ceiling height, and window & door dimensions.
*Note: Detail on heating, plumbing and electrical work vary by region and therefore a universal layout cannot be provided with each plan. These details, such as duct work & venting depend on the heating/cooling system that will be used and the type of energy being used. You will need to contact your builder, contractor or local supplier to ensure you have the proper plans.
Builders have come to trust these stock plans because they have been designed to meet the national uniform building codes and are generally ready for permitting. They know that all of our house plans come from the best architects and designers from all over the United States as well as Canada. A stock plan may also come with an Itemized List of Materials, which details the quantity, type and size of each material needed to complete construction. When available, this list can be used to receive a more accurate quote from your builder.
Choosing a House Plan:
When choosing a house plan, there are many factors to take into consideration. It is important to choose a design that fits your individual needs, but you need to be sure you have taken your building location & natural landscape into consideration, not to mention marketability to the possible future buyer. Below are some helpful tips in selecting your house plan as well as a brief overview on how to interpret your blueprints.
*Consider the terrain on your lot when choosing a house plan. If your lot slopes for example, you may want to choose a house plan where the garage sits under the home.
*Take the neighborhood into consideration as well. Does it allow for privacy or will your plans need to include a privacy court or backyard patio?
*Will your home have a view? If so, you may want to incorporate large windows on the appropriate side of your home, which may play into your interior floor plan layout.
*What size and shape is your lot? You may need to choose a design that rises up instead of sprawling out. You should also check with your local building department to determine if there are any restrictions on where your house construction can be placed on your lot.
*What will your estimated taxes be? Are there any restrictions on the size or type of the house you can build?
*Does the lot have access to public water and sewer service? What are the requirements and costs for a septic system? Where are the utility lines and are the accessible?
*Be sure your estimates include the cost for driveways and utility hook ups.
*Know how much you can afford to spend before you start.
*Your contractor is responsible for building a high quality house, coming in on budget, and completing construction in your agreed timeframe. Take extra care in choosing your contractor by obtaining more than one estimate, researching their background and past performances, get recommendations from local business owners, and ensure that they have an umbrella general liability policy. You do Not want to choose your contractor based on their offering the lowest price and above all else, do Not rush into your decision or pay a deposit upon your first meeting.
Reading Your Blueprints:
Blueprints are always drawn to scale and each page should have the scale size labeled for the architect or designer. The most common scale is 1/4 inch, meaning every 1/4 inch shown on the blueprint equals 1 foot in actual size (i.e. 1 inch equals 4 foot of space). Room dimensions, on the other hand, will be labeled with their actual sizes on the blueprints. You will see these measurements indicated by a solid line with a mark at either end. This marking, |---4'----|, is known as a dimension line. A cross-section will often include a dimension line to denote ceiling height for each room. Some other common markings you will find on blueprints are circles, triangles, and hexagons with numbers inside them. Finally, you will not just see solid lines on your plan set. There will be dotted lines to indicate overhead features such as archways, special ceiling treatments, or wall cabinets. Dashed lines can also indicate the structural componets below the grade, and example being the footing below the chain wall. The solid lines will be thick for full height walls and thin for other built-in structures such as bookshelves and plumbing fixtures. These are just a few of the key symbols and notations that you will want to be aware of when selecting and building your new home.
 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural Dictionary | |||
|
|||