Design-builder v. purchase home plans
nclawyer
3 years ago
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WestCoast Hopeful
3 years agoCharles Ross Homes
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Designer v. Architect v. Builder
Comments (2)Welcome to the forum. Since you've been reading for a while you've seen the range of opinions, and the tough love. Renovating an older home, 1800s? How much investigation of the house did the architect do? Hopefully you and the architect know quite a bit about the house at this point and could share with us. I'm not sure how large of a project this is. Presumably there have been a number of alterations over the years to varying and uncertain quality. Possibly materials that would be hazardous if disturbed through demolition. Or was everything completely renovated in the last 30 years? If there's been some investigation, then you might want to keep your architect. Rather than get someone possibly less qualified to do the construction documents--someone different who will have to play catch up or may not even ask any questions or be aware of all of the existing conditions before putting pen to paper. If you're not going to get enough details with this architect and you have a very specific outcome in mind, then you might as well write the check to someone who will give you that. But keep in mind that while it's never to early to think about details, you might not see them in the drawings now, depending on where you are in design and the architect's scope of services. Have you seen examples of construction drawings produced by your architect? Anyway, if you're concerned about total cost, stay with an architect and reduce the number of unknowns before the builders bid. At the end of the project it might be architect ($$), home designer ($$$), design-builder ($$$). Builders bidding on the whole thing right now would be assuming a lot of risk, and would rightfully account for this in their bids. Going with one builder means no competitive bidding. If the architect doesn't have a good understanding of the existing conditions, then no one should be getting the "thing drawn up" and you might want to consider a different architect....See MoreFirst time home Builder Looking for Advise on Plan
Comments (46)I own a 1960s tract home in Southern California. One would think, based on its location, that I would have an abundance of light streaming in. I don't, though, because of the orientation of the house and the location of the rooms and windows. I agree with David and others that you've got to look for a plan that solves this issue first. Given that your front door faces south, it seems to me that your garage should be in the southwest corner. Then use the southeast corner for your main living area (e.g. your great room). The kitchen and dining areas could be in the northeast corner. I would move the bedrooms to the back (north) side of the house, and perhaps the master could be behind the garage in the northwest corner. It would be very secluded there. With Tamara's plan, while better than yours, the bedrooms are still clustered in the south and east sides of the house, and the main living spaces are all of the north side, where you're not going to get much light during the day....See MoreDesigning $1M+ Home in Austin TX- Floor Plan, Elevations and Site Plan
Comments (372)My thoughts are all about the master suite: - Do you think you'll want a TV in the bedroom? If so, note that you won't be able to place it at the foot of the bed, which would be the natural spot. - I'd move the bedroom door down the hallway. This allows you to eliminate the door from the bedroom itself ... and it allows you to move the bathroom door into that entrance hallway (illustration below). This keeps bathroom light from spilling out onto a sleeper, and it would allow you a shallow linen closet across from the sink. More storage is always welcome. - Note that by using double sinks, you've crammed one person up against the wall. I'd much rather have one nice sink with a good drawer stack for each person. - I'd flip-flop the shower door's direction; it'd be more natural to enter the shower without having the walk around the door. - I hate that you have no natural light in this bathroom. The same is true of the mudroom and the master bedroom entrance hallway. Dark hallways are not pleasant. - For a house this size, the closet isn't particularly spacious. Consider, too, that this layout requires you to walk the whole length of the bathroom to reach the closet. I'm not against bathrooms-in-closets, but they're often poorly arranged -- and this is an example. If you were to flip-flop the bathroom and the closet (make the closet a walk-through), the closet would become more convenient, and the bathroom could have natural light. - On the other hand, the bedroom seems oversized to me -- it's a lot of empty square footage for a room where you'll be asleep -- but I'm in the camp of "bedrooms aren't a space to splurge on space". - Where is the laundry room? Most people want it to be convenient to the master bedroom and/or the kitchen. - Are you going to be happy with a master suite off the mudroom? It may hurt resale. And the garage entrance: - Instead of making people walk catty-cornered across the mudroom, I'd place the door across from the kitchen entrance, which allows you a straight-line into the house. You don't lose any mudroom storage; it's just divided into two runs, which could work out well....See MoreOwner builder - best resource for home design?
Comments (15)Interview several candidates and look for someone with a compatible work style and design sense to your own. (Compatible and complementary, not clonal!) Look at some of their projects and talk with their clients. Big bonus points if they offer an idea that changes how you're thinking about your project in a positive way. Choose an architect or firm where you will get the time and attention of the person you're interviewing-- it's fine (and desirable) for a lot of the work to be done by assistants and draftspeople, but you want the person you talk to to be the one driving the design, not have it handed off to a junior assistant you haven't met. Know your weaknesses and hire someone who will fill the gaps-- if you are extremely detail oriented you want an architect who can help you envision the big, sweeping overall vision, for example, or if you are very focused on function and efficiency you may want to hire someone who can add artistry and flair. Both of you, of course, then need to be able to engage in a conversation and make the compromises that produce a delightful outcome....See MoreWestCoast Hopeful
3 years agoCharles Ross Homes
3 years agoUser
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agocpartist
3 years agocpartist
3 years agoCharles Ross Homes
3 years agoWestCoast Hopeful
3 years agobeckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
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3 years agoDenita
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoworthy
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoJeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor
3 years agoWestCoast Hopeful
3 years agobeckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agobeckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
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3 years agoCharles Ross Homes
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3 years agoArchitectrunnerguy
3 years agoEdward J. Shannon, Architect PLC
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoDenita
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3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoMark Bischak, Architect
3 years agoWestCoast Hopeful
3 years agoEdward J. Shannon, Architect PLC
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