Home Style
what's on this page
Spec Plan-A decides the architectural style of the home remodeling project. You need to define layout, number of rooms, sq. footage per room, and other architectural considerations.
Page Topics:
planB: Start Your Spec Planning
what you need to do —
Step 1: start your spec planning by defining your style
- first, download our home building
specification sheet
use it to define your construction specs and building ideas as your move through this site. The spec sheet will be used by your contractor to bid and design the construction project
- the building specification sheet begins by noting the type and style of your home:
— colonial
— english tudor
— cape cod, etc.
Step2: link to our home styles for ideas
- your spec plan will define the number of floors:
— one-story
— two-story, etc.
Step2: review our library of house plans for ideas
- will there be a basement?
what are the ceiling heights on each floor?
- what type of closets for the bedrooms
and other:
— walk-in
— standard
— other
Identify Rooms
what you need to do —
Step 2: identify your rooms
- depending on the number of floors, your next task is to identify the rooms that will make-up each floor
- you will have a kitchen, dining room, master bedroom, master bathroom, laundry room, etc.
perhaps your would like to add a breakfast nook, sun room, rec room, etc.
view some house plans for ideas: click here
or quickly link to our Home Building Gallery for a view of a floor layout. Link to "upstairs", "main floor", and other for a review
- use the building specification sheet (page 3) to list your rooms by floor. Note any finished our unfinished room additions for the attic and basement areas.
Arrange Rooms
what you need to do —
Step 3: arrange your rooms
- how would your like to arrange your rooms?
The building specification sheet (page 4) has a worksheet to complete this exercise
- the idea is to identify your primary adjacencies — rooms that must be adjacent:
• master bedroom / master bathroom
• kitchen and dining room
• mud room, garage or outside entry
• etc.
click to view
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identify those rooms that should not be adjacent:
• master bedroom and child's room
• kitchen and den / library
• bathroom and foyer
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- identify the secondary adjacencies for secondary rooms:
• family room to hallway
• living room to hallway
• sun room to patio
• down bath to cleaning room
click to view
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that leads to adjacencies that basically connect the whole floor:
• living room and dining room
• master bathroom and laundry room
• kitchen and sun room
click to view
Size Rooms
what you need to do —
Step 4: size your rooms
- what are the size dimensions for each room?
the building specification sheet lists
sample sizes for possible rooms
Size A Size B Size C
select the size desired (or specify your custom dimension) and enter the calculated square footage for each room (width times length)
Tools: use our online footage calculator to calculate
- note that you will calculate dimensions for the interior finished area, other finished our unfinished
areas, and exterior home area
these size dimensions allow the architect to customize or find a house plan that meets your dimension specifications
-
total your calculated square footage for each area
note that for the interior finished area, you will need to add 20% to your subtotal for circulation secondary areas (for wiring, plumbing, venting, etc.)
- your total square footage will give you an estimated size requirement for your house
you can then use these dimensions to:
— search house plans: see plans
— estimate your construction costs: view tools
— work with an architect: find an architect
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