Our parody on the Twelve Days of Christmas continues. We dare you not to sing them out loud!
Four house plans to choose from,
Three French city planners,
Two steel-toed boots,
and a journal for my hopes and dreams!
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There are so many options but only one will do. When looking at house plans, it goes back to the priorities and wishlist you should have from your journal (remember the one from the first day of building -the one for all your hopes and dreams?) You may find yourself with a shortlist of plans that are spot on or very close to your priorities. Of course, they will also be within the local zoning parameters (third day of building).
When making your final decision for your plan, run through this checklist:
Privacy – how much and where is it required? Most new home owners prefer home plans with more privacy in the master bedroom and personal living spaces, others might need privacy in a home office space. Is it more important that these rooms are private from other occupants or neighbours? Check the placement of windows to see if they will provide adequate privacy from neighbors’ windows and yard spaces. Also consider your outdoor spaces, how you will use them and if they will have enough privacy with your selected plan.
Consider the views. Make sure your design capitalizes on your views, whether a scenic vista or a great cityscape. You may even go as far as to take a ladder to get an idea of what the actual views from an upper level will be.
Where do you want the morning sun? Take note of the way the sun tracks in relation to the plans you are considering. Do you love waking up with the sun shining in? Kitchens are also a strong consideration. It is very common to orient the kitchen to the morning sun. Natural light plays such a strong part in mood that this is a very important consideration. Sometimes a plan you love can simply be reversed to take advantage of natural light.
Geographical and natural landscape features. Lot features including slope and mature trees will dictate the suitability of a design. Also, while choosing a plan, consider whether the lot space and features will allow for outdoor recreation space and landscaping, lawn or gardens.
Life happens. Think of your typical household flows and imagine how the design you are considering will work. Think of your daily routines and imagine how this flows in the plan you are considering. Which entry will you use? How will you deal with bringing shopping bags in? How often will you access backyard spaces and how easy is this?
Tweak your plan. As you fine-tune your decision, it is a great opportunity to address any parts that don’t quite work for you. It is far simpler to fine-tune your design before building than living with a plan that doesn’t work for you.
At Drummond House Plans, we recognize that changes are commonly required to meet your unique needs. Plans can either be customized or features from several plans or ideas can be merged in a custom design from our design team. We are accustomed to assisting in this process and look forward to your questions.
Stay tuned for all 12 days or look at the full 12 days of building series for articles you may have missed!
Happy Holidays!
