House Plan Review Blog

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Putting the Cart Before the Horse

One of my biggest pet peeves about new homes is when it is obvious that someone wanted the floor plan because they wanted it. They did NOT fit the plan to their lot. Maybe they started having architectural drawings done before they found their lot - BIG mistake. Never buy a set of plans before you have purchased your lot!

Anyway, some telltale signs of a home being forced onto a lot are: tons of fill being brought in, excessive amounts of excavating, or the front door not facing the street - I HATE this blatant lack of curb appeal!

I know some sites are difficult. I know some floor plans are irresistible. I also know that finding a floor plan that suits your home site is the first step towards building one heck of a dream home - one that will bring top dollar!

Kissing a Lot of Toads

Before I built my home I had poured over so many house plan books that I could tell when I picked up a new edition if there were repeat plans in the book. I could tell by the floor plan which architect drew the plan. I knew that for the most part I was drawn to plans by Frank Betz or Donald Gardner. I was obsessed with finding the perfect floor plan.

That was fine, but I had to keep in mind that once I found the lot of my dreams I’d have to reassess whether the house plan of my dreams really fit on it. Needless to say I went through at least five ‘Dream Homes’ - I kissed a lot of ‘toads’. None of them mattered until I had the lot purchased.

Ask For Help

Don’t be afraid to pay money to get professional advice. Narrow your choices down to a couple of plans that you really like then hire a landscape architect (or someone else who is excellent at siting homes) to come out on-site to give an opinion on home placement and which plan best fits your lot.

Ask things like:

• Is there an opportunity for a walk-out?
• Which direction lends itself to more privacy and what uses inside the home should take advantage of this?
• Where is the sun rising and setting?
  • • What rooms will get the most light?
• What are the soils like?
  • • Heavy soils can lead to additional building costs
• Where will the driveway come in?
  • • This will dictate which way the garage will face and may affect the front door location

I think any builder I was seriously considering hiring would come out and walk my site with me for free. I’d use my site visit and their ideas for placing my home on my lot as my final determination for who gets the job.

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