Modifying Plans

When designing a home, many times people are needing a house plan that has unique features. This does not mean that they should spend the extra dollars for a custom house plan. Most times your designer can make a stock plan work with a few modifications, saving you money.

This happened to a couple with water front property in East Tennessee. In an article in the March 2015 issue of Builder Magazine, it was disclosed that their lot sloped so much to the water that if they built the plan as is with a true walkout basement, it would have been 23 feet below the main level.

After discussing things with their designer, the couple added a mezzanine floor between the main and the basement. Large picture windows ran across the back of the house, to allow plenty of access to the great view of the lake out back. An elevator was added to make it easy to get up and down the multi-level home. This gave them plenty of room for their grandchildren to have playroom, which was away from the adult area.

Now obviously, some of these changes were costly to build. But, the project does show how a challenging lot situation can be handled just by modifying a stock plan. They saved thousands of dollars modifying the plans, which helped them afford items like the elevator.

Stock plans are commonly modified by the designer to fit lots, or to meet homebuyers wants and needs. These changes can include rotating garages, adding a second floor to a single story plan. It can even be a change in the elevation to get the desired look that the customer wants.

Got a wish list? Come by one of our offices or call and talk to a Creative Home Designs designer. He can help you find the plan that will make you happy. Visit our web site www.creativehomedesign.com and check out our plans.