Many Dream Homes Begin With Online House Photos and Plans

While building your own home is definitely a thrilling idea, the reality is that you may find the many details involved overwhelming. A good solution is to begin by choosing a house design and plans from an extensive online collection. You can browse through photos at your leisure, and when a particular house catches your eye, you can work with architects and home planners who can help customize the design to suit your vision.

House Plans Include Photos

The old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words" might well apply to the belief of a house design specialist, such as Great House Design, that photos trump written descriptions. Of course, details and instructions are very important, but for the sake of clarity and understanding, photos of the finished house design you’ve approved will accompany the plans you order.

Styles to Please Everyone

The style of home you choose will largely reflect your personal vision, but the kind of lot (flat, hilly, narrow), the size of the lot and the neighborhood will all have a bearing: You probably wouldn’t want to build a Tudor mansion on a small lot in a community of modest ranch-style homes. Whether your dream home is a traditional style, Victorian, country, European, or an out-and-out luxury design, you can expect to find just what you’re looking for when you begin your search online with a reliable company that can provide a house design with plans.

Sets of Plans for Many

The more complex a house design, the more sets of plans you will need; the usual number is five to eight sets. In addition to yourself, the recipients might include your contractor, certain subcontractors, your mortgage lender, the building department and possibly the building inspector.

What the Plans Include

Most published plans will include a coversheet with an artist’s rendering of the home; exterior elevations along with suggested finish materials, such as brick, stucco, siding or stone; floor plans that show how the rooms are laid out; a detailed foundation drawing; cross sections of the house showing structural details, rooflines and ceiling heights; interior elevations showing built-ins, such as kitchen cabinets, bookcases, moldings and handrails. There will also be pages indicating basic electrical locations for switches, outlets and fixtures as well as simple plumbing locations for showers, tubs, toilets and sinks.

Building Codes and Other Legal Considerations

Plans will be drawn to conform to national building codes, but it will be your responsibility to see that local building codes are met. Consult with building officials regarding regulations that affect the neighborhood in which your home will be built. You may need to work with your contractor and local draftsman or architect to make necessary modifications to your plans.

On to the Next Phase

A reproducible master set of plans will include a copyright release that will enable you to make changes to the original plan and as many copies as you need to build your house. Having chosen your dream house design and plans from those available online, you’ve taken the initial steps to an exciting homebuilding experience.

John Trinh has been writing for 10+ years. He first delved into the world of writing when he wrote his first article for his university's paper.