Regardless of the desired size, style, or function of your dream home, it all starts with the house plan. Well-crafted house plans, designed and custom-tailored to your specific needs by a qualified draftsman are essential to the successful, sustainable, and durable construction of your future home.
What are House Plans?
House plans are drafts or sketches (sometimes in digital format), that include very specific measurements and other details used by builders to accurately construct your house to your exact specifications.
House plans consist of 2D, and sometimes 3D, models that includes a plethora of exact details that provide the builders and contractors with information such as dimensions, materials to be used, in which direction the home is supposed to face, where to begin construction, and so much more.
House Plans: Gauging Your Needs
There are many factors to consider when choosing the appropriate house plans. And don’t forget, your future home isn’t to be designed to meet your needs alone. The needs of your spouse and children must also be met, so it’s in everyone’s best interest to get them involved in the house planning as well, for a more comfortable living situation for everyone.
You should also be planning for the needs of new additions to your family, including children and pets. Perhaps you want a large yard, or maybe some extra rooms, or even some special safety features. In short, plan ahead for a growing and changing family.
House Plans: Budgeting and Costs
Your budget for a new home often molds all future decisions while you and your draftsman design your house plans. Unless you’re willing to pay “whatever it takes,” it’s essential you set a budget beforehand. Otherwise, before you know it, your costs have skyrocketed, and you end up paying far more than can actually afford.
With that in mind, you have to keep in mind that this is likely to be your home for many years to come, and failing to dedicate the proper financial resources to the project, could result in many cut corners and shoddy construction.
Determining a budget isn’t typically easy for most people, so enlisting the services of a professional advisor will help ensure your financial security before, during, and after the construction of your new home.
The materials and architectural styles you choose to pursue will come into play in a big way when it comes to the construction itself. However, you have to also consider the long term costs, like heating/cooling, lighting, and maintenance. Consult with your draftsman to get a general idea of how certain materials and design conventions fit within your budget, and how they come into play with the long term costs.
House Plans: Ideas and Inspiration
Now that you a general idea of you and your family’s needs, and what financial restrictions you have to adhere to, you can start looking for inspiration for your new home. Certainly you have seen homes of friends and in passing that you’ve been attracted to, and that is a fantastic place to start.
However, in order to attain a true grasp of your ideal home, further research is likely required. There are masses of house plans available online to look at for inspiration. Popular house plans are available for inspiration and ideas of what architectural styles are trending and are in vogue.
You should also investigate house plans that are designed for your specific region and climate. For example, should you be planning to build a home on the coast or island for vacations, browsing coastal house plans will offer priceless insight into what’s already working and appropriate for the terrain and climate you plan to build in. These will be more
House Plans: What is a Draftsman?
You’ll of course want to get a professional involved to ensure the construction of your new home starts off on the right track. This is where drafters, or draftsman, come in.
Draftsman, like architects, are tasked with the job of sketching out house plans. Some draftsman only produce the structural and foundational drafts, others specialize in electrical or plumbing, while others are jacks of all trades, and can do it all.
Today, most qualified draftsman use computer software to draft out house plans faster and more accurately. This method of drafting is referred to as Computer-Aided Design or CAD. This method of house plan drafting often relies vector models that significantly reduce the margin of error, and allow for easy editing. This creates the opportunity for massive savings of time and money.
House Plans: Hiring a Draftsman
Hiring a draftsman is perhaps the most important step of the whole house planning and construction process. Match up with a skilled drafter that truly understands your vision, and you will have an insane advantage over your neighbors and will practically guarantee the success of your building project.
Hiring a local draftsman that understands the terrain, climate, and building regulations in the region will provide you with an even further advantage. With overlapping municipalities and regulators can be cause for headache when you’re trying to get construction done. A thorough understanding of these regulations is essential, and more often than not, hiring a skilled draftsman will be the best chance you have of building a home without interruption.
Picking a draftsman’s name out of a hat is a big no-no. You will want to ensure you hire a qualified draftsman, with a well respected local reputation, and proven track record. You will, of course, want to hire a drafter that has a style similar to your own. You’re really in for a stress-free experience when you hire a draftsman that you get along with on a personal and conceptual basis.
The interview process is almost like a science in itself. Find out more about choosing a draftsman that is perfect for capturing your vision, and building the house of your dreams.
Are you interested in receiving a Free House Planning Quote for your business or house plans?
Contact Sunshine Coast House Plans online or call our office on 0403 829 376 to get started. We understand that your time is important, which is why our no-obligation free quotes have a 48 Hour Turn Around – start now!