| If you're in the market to build a new home and | | | | into the market you live in and shows you what |
| you've even begun to consider what kind of a plan | | | | people around you are doing and "not" doing. Having |
| you should buy it's quite likely that you've been | | | | a wonderful idea that you absolutely have to have in |
| completely overwhelmed by the number of choices | | | | your home is great, but if you ever have to try to |
| you have in the market today. There are literally | | | | sell that house and EVERYONE else is doing the |
| hundreds of online sources and published magazines | | | | complete opposite of your plan you might have a |
| with house plans, ideas and designs for you to look | | | | problem selling your home into that market. So it |
| at and you're probably beginning to wonder how you'll | | | | might not be a bad idea to think long and hard about |
| ever make up your mind. Don't stress out anymore | | | | that door from your bedroom into the garage...or |
| because I'm going to give you 7 steps to take that | | | | that carpet in your en suite... |
| will let you take a HUGE list down to just a few plans | | | | Step # 4: Know your budget |
| and make your design process a great deal easier. | | | | It's really important before you start looking to have |
| Step # 1: Start a Binder | | | | an idea of what you can afford to spend on your |
| Whether you're searching the Web, sifting through | | | | new home. I recommend talking to some local home |
| magazines or shopping show homes you'll need some | | | | builders and finding out what they build for on a price |
| sort of resource to help you catalogue the plans | | | | per square foot basis. This type of price guessing |
| you're looking at to compare them. So before you | | | | isn't the most accurate as it can vary widely from |
| even go to Google to look I recommend having a | | | | builder to builder and based on what kinds of finishes |
| place to store all your ideas and I've always found a | | | | you put into your home but it will give you an |
| binder to be the very best. This way you can not | | | | important benchmark to begin with so you can keep |
| only sort all of your favorite plans into a set of tabs | | | | your expectations realistic and avoid a very |
| but, if you're going to have someone do a | | | | disappointing estimate once you choose the plan |
| completely custom design for you, you can also | | | | that's right for you. |
| store plans and photos that have ideas you would | | | | Step # 5: Start with the Web |
| like to incorporate. | | | | The internet is fantastic when it comes to searching |
| Step # 2: Understand what you want | | | | house plans and sorting them into categories. Not |
| Right off the bat you know more about what you | | | | only is it a free resource with companies competing |
| want in your home than anybody else just based on | | | | tooth and nail to get your attention but it offers you |
| what's happening in your life. You know if your family | | | | so many options to sort and catalog plans that you |
| is growing or shrinking. You know what kind of land | | | | can easily sift out the plans that don't fit your goals |
| you have to build on. You know if you might need a | | | | and only look at the ones that really might make the |
| bit of help with the mortgage, can anyone say legal | | | | cut. |
| suite? | | | | Now that you've assessed your needs and what you |
| A neat trick I came up with a little while ago is to | | | | want to be able to grow into in this home you can |
| make a list of the 3 biggest events in your life in the | | | | easily make decisions about the type of house plan |
| past 3 years and the 3 biggest events you WANT to | | | | you are looking for so no matter what website |
| happen in the next 3. Then throw in 3 things that are | | | | you're looking at for your plans you can make good |
| just fun. | | | | choices for a design that works for your life. |
| Last 3 Years - Events in my life | | | | Once you've begun searching you want to keep hard |
| 1. Baby Daughter born 2008 | | | | copies of everything you like. Try to print off plans |
| 2. Purchased a new business | | | | that have ideas you like and especially plans that are |
| 3. Mother had a Heart attack | | | | the right size and have the right spaces for your |
| Next 3 Years - Events in my life | | | | family. Catalog them in your binder and put your |
| 1. Another baby (maybe a boy this time?) | | | | favorites to the front so you can easily track them. |
| 2. Buy a new car | | | | Step # 6: Pictures and idea books |
| 3. Lose 10 Pounds | | | | Whether you found 1, 5, 25 or no plans on the |
| Fun Stuff | | | | internet that you think fit your needs the next step |
| 1. Took a cooking class | | | | will be to look in plan magazines and home idea |
| 2. Daughter started swimming | | | | books. If you already have a plan that your set on |
| 3. Bought new camping equipment | | | | GREAT, but keep in mind that many plan designers |
| I think you can see where we're heading here. Even | | | | will allow you to customize that plan with any |
| from just this short list of life events you can see | | | | revisions you like in order to make it just right for |
| that this family is growing. They're going to need | | | | you. So take a look through some magazines and |
| some extra bedrooms and a lot of storage space for | | | | start cutting out some pictures for your binder that |
| their expanding lives. | | | | have neat features, window & door ideas and |
| Maybe an extra garage bay or an exercise room | | | | cabinet & kitchen layouts that appeal to you. If |
| might be important for them, and they definitely | | | | you have those in hand when you go to the plan |
| want room for an office in their home. | | | | company to have your revisions made they will be |
| You can probably make this list in your head fairly | | | | better able to give you exactly what you want. |
| quickly but the importance of it appears when you | | | | Step # 7: Finalizing your decision |
| start to look at the kinds of spaces you need to | | | | So here we are at the end of the process of |
| have in your life for the next few years. I highly | | | | selection. Hopefully you've found a home plan that is |
| recommend taking a serious look at it and deciding | | | | perfect but more likely you're choosing between 2 or |
| what you need to have from highest priority to | | | | 3 plans. If you're struggling to make a decision you |
| lowest before you even start to look. That way | | | | can refer back to your list of needs to help with the |
| when you start getting creative you can keep track | | | | choice. Ultimately you need a plan that will satisfy |
| of those priorities throughout the process of design. | | | | your needs for the next 3 to 5 years or perhaps |
| Step # 3: Research your area | | | | longer but whatever plan you choose your new |
| I always encourage people to have a look at the | | | | home will be the best place for you and your family |
| show homes and new homes that are being built in | | | | because of the work you've put into its selection. |
| your area first. There are so many great reasons for | | | | Best wishes in your new home and may your future |
| this step being #3 but most importantly it gets you | | | | be bright. |