help and advise on house plan/style

14 years ago

I've been reading this forum for over a year and getting ready to move forward with building a house on a lake in western NC that will be a future retirement/permanent home.

I started off thinking of building a timberframe home but that is more expensive and also, I really want to build a brick house for the lowest possible maintenance now and in the future. What do you think about building a brick home in a mountain lake setting?

I've seen some brick homes with stone accents that have an old, rustic look. I really want something that is rustic elegant and now I'm considering more of a english cottage look because it seems the brick would fit that style better. I love the look of Allison's house but for western NC I think a hunting lodge look fits the setting better?

This is a plan I like. I have 0 kids but want to be able to entertain friends.

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=781aded3f1&view=att&th=126b9b8fbe964723&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=781aded3f1&view=att&th=127f45a43a0887ce&attid=0.3&disp=inline&realattid=f_g7xwtgvr2&zw

https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=781aded3f1&view=att&th=126b9b8fbe964723&attid=0.2&disp=inline&zw

I really would appreciate feedback because I am doing this build alone and have never done this before.

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Comments (6)

bigkahuna
14 years ago
I am not sure if it is just me but I couldnt get your links to work. anyone else ?
bevangel_i_h8_h0uzz
14 years ago
Same problem here. Looks like maybe they are links to a secure area of Google mail where images that are emailed to or from a google account are stored. My guess is that you found the images on the web and then emailed the image to yourself. The only people who might be able to access them are those with google mail accounts - and maybe only the people to whom the emails were sent.

If you have the images saved on your computer (so you can view them even when your not "online") try uploading them to a photo sharing website like photobucket.com.

OR you can give us links to the original page(s) on where you found the images on the web.
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bigtrain333
Original Author
14 years ago
Sorry about that. See, I need lots of help! I created flickr and photobucket accounts and downloaded the images there. Hope this works.

http://s561.photobucket.com/albums/ss59/amyavent/house%20plan/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39605207@N06/?saved=1
ncamy
14 years ago
Have you considered a combination of stone and hardieplank? To be truthful brick houses in western north carolina aren't common. (I live in WNC.) I'm not sure why but perhaps it is because most of the brick in NC comes from the piedmont and we have an abundance of stone here in the mountains.
swflorida789
14 years ago
Hello Bigtrain333:

We are also looking to build a retirement home, but in Northern Georgia, and we too are considering a Timber Frame construction using (SIP) Structural Insulated Panels for the framing.

One person I have been in contact with is Jeff Johnson in Franklin, North Carolina (see his contact info below). Ironically, Jeff has resently built a Timber Frame Home only a mile away from our present home here in Naples, Florida! Amazing coincidence! Infact it is on his web site "Home Page Images" (green colored home w/dark brown timber frame exterior accents). My wife and I have driven by that home and it looks beautiful! Jeff has also asked the Owners if it would be OK for us see to the inside of their home, which they happily agreed, so we will certainly be calling them to setup an appropriate time to visit.

After emailing and talking to Jeff he too agrees that SIP's are the most cost effective way of enclosing a Timber Frame home, plus they are Energy Star Compliant and provide the highest insulation factor for the money.

One thing to consider when Designing a Timber Frame home is to keep it simple! The more complex your design the more it will cost...Log homes have the same issue.

This is why our Prow Front Chalet design has the Living & Dinning Area (Great Rm), Kitchen, Mast.Bed/Bath plus Laundry Rm/Half Bath...all on the Main Floor. The total square footage is approx. 1,500 sq. ft. or 30ft. wide x 50 ft. long. The 2nd Floor has a Bed/Bath and small Loft sitting area over the Mast. Bath and Laun/half Bath area below. Which allows all the Main Floor ceilings to be open all the way up to the Timber Frame Roof Rafters. and with a Gable Dormer over the 2nd Floor, that also will have vaulted celings.

I've found Jeff to be a wealth of information and a very easy person to communicate with. He has reviewed our Preliminary Home Design and already has ideas how to lower construction costs. You may want to talk to Jeff about your home design before you reject the idea of building a Timer Frame Home completely. Yes a Timber Frame home is more expensive then a normal home, but I for one would rather have well built smaller home then a larger poorer built home that will require more maintenance in the long run!

If anyone out there has prior experience, positive or especially negative with Timber Frame construction? Please provide your feedback so we can avoid those issues before we proceed ahead with our project?

Good luck BigTrain and thanks to anyone who can provide us feedback!

Jeff Johnson Timber Frames, Inc.

http://jeffjohnsontimberframes.com/new/
562 Terrell Road
Franklin, North Carolina 28734

PHONE:
Local.......828-524-7585
Toll Free...866-524-7585
Fax.........828-524-5611
Cell........828-342-5393
bigtrain333
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the info. I have actually talked to Jeff back when I was considering timberframe. I'm not going to build a tf but rather want to have the look by adding some beams in the lr and kitchen.

help and advise on house plan/style

Comments (6)

bigkahuna

bevangel_i_h8_h0uzz

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help and advise on house plan/style

Comments (6)

bigkahuna

bevangel_i_h8_h0uzz

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ncamy

swflorida789

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