I really really like your barn-red idea with the cupula and silver roof (like the wavy galvanized panels?).

It's nearly impossible to find small and simple plans online, hopefully someone will have a good suggestion. It sounds like you will have an idyllic little spot totally worth it when you're done!

I understand about the cash issue, we pay for everything up front since I am terrified of ever being in debt....except for our mortgage. We just had to decide what was most important to us.

Will it be a 2 bedroom or 3 bedroom? I wasn't sure if the Jack n Jill bath was between the master and another bedroom, or not.

Do you have a scanner, and can you make a rough sketch of your idea so we can get an idea? Maybe someone here can put it in their software. I've downloaded a couple of different ones and I can't figure them out either.

It will be a 3 bedroom - How do I post sketch? I have a plan I like w/some modifications. It does not have all of the measurements but it is the general idea.

You might try cottage and vacation homes. Small lake homes might work, too. They are usually smaller square footage, with views out the back.

Here's a smaller home from the eplans website. You can enter your own parameters and see if anything you like pops up :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to eplans

To post a hand drawn sketch, you'll need a scanner. But you can also go to Ashley Furniture's room planner. It's super simple and nothing to download. I have never registered there, I just make a plan and then do a screen save, crop it, and post it to photobucket.com to my free account there.

Or you can go to ikea and use their planner, but I've never used it. My laptop must not have enough memory for it to work right.

Marti, did not know Ashley Furniture had a room planner...gotta check it out. I've not had much luck with IKEA either, it drives me nuts.

I like www.tinypic.com better than the other places, but maybe because I learned it first. It too is a freebie. To upload a picture to GWeb, just take the photo you uploaded to Tinypic and choose the HTML CODE, and paste it into your GW post.

Screensave is a lifesaver at times. I also use PaintShop Pro 12, which has SCREEN CAPTURE, works much the same way, and creates a great photo image of good size.

I've got a sketch and have scanned and now can't figure out how to post it.

Good, you are halfway there. Just open a free account at a photo hosting site, like tinypic.com, photobucket.com or flicker.com, etc. I like photobucket better than flicker, and have never used tinypic. There are probably others.

Once you have opened a free account, just upload your picture, click on the html code to copy, and paste it in the message box here.

Marti8a: thank you for the information, I will work on this next

Hang in there. You won't be sorry you are not getting yourselves up to your ears in debt.

Ditto what katrina said. You might also look for expandable floor plans that you can build the minimum now and add onto when you have more money.

I scanned a rough sketch and emailed it to myself, it is in pdf format. I set up my photo bucket but it will not upload (or at least I can't figure it out) any ideas or does anyone know where I go from here. I would really love for you all to look this over as you seem to have such insight and are so helpful.

You need to open it in PDF then save it in jpg. Or see if you can open it in paint. or just open it and do print screen and then past it to paint. Then save it as jpg. I do not know what jpg means but it is the extension needed for saving pictures in a smaller file format.

Print screen is usually in upper right on your keyboard. Just tap it. Nothing appears to happen. Then open a blank Paint window. Click file and paste and your picture will appear. Then resize it so it is not the size of a place mat, or your living room rug. Click save as and there will be a drop down you can choose many ways to save. Scroll down until you see jpg. Name it. Then you will be able to load it to photo bucket.

I've got it into photo bucket - thanks, now where is the html code?

If there are not some boxes with code below the picture, mouse over the picture and they'll show up. Go to the one that says HTML code. You click on it and it will automatically copy it. Then come here & paste it.

a big thanks for helping me - I've finally figured out how to post drawings and I did under another thread. Please look at my marked up drawing and give your thoughts or suggestions. We've gone too far into debt buying our property to go and buy a house already built so now, I'm committed to building the best little house I can for my money.