Any wannabe house designers or draftsmen BP members?

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Any wannabe house designers or draftsmen BP members?

Rich Weese
Real Estate Investor · the villages, FL · Member since 2008 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes

Are there any house designers or wannabes here on BP? I'm getting ready to start a couple more homes in my subdivision in South Texas. I have a plan I really like for one of the lots but I want to build on one of my other lots that has an extra utility easement down the side, which limits the width.

Here is what I want. I need a four bedroom, two bath, two car garage (minimum 20' wide) with entry from the front in approximately 1400 to 1600 ft.². The key is the width of the house may be no more than 46.5 feet wide. The depth of the house has no concern. I would like the kitchen, Nook, and family room with views to the rear. A covered patio would be a nice extra.

If I select your design to build, I will pay you $500. You do not need to do foundation, framing, electrical, or roof drawings. Simply a one sheet floor plan with individual dimensions will suffice.

You don't have to be a draftsman or architect and hopefully someone will enjoy this practice. It might be something you will use for yourself somewhere down the line!

Imagine the braggings rights, having designed a house for Rich Weese, tic.

Rich

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Uwe S.
Property Manager · Dublin, OH · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 291 votes
14y

Karen M.,
thanks for the insight. My design was not for Germany but with german edgy :).
Biggest problem was for me the garage and the closets, in Germany we don't have a garage in front of the house mostly on left or right side and not connected with house. I'm unfamiliar with closets, in Germany we use real cupboards for it.
So we have big differences in design but was an good experience for me.

-Uwe

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  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    14y

    Having built and sold our own subdivision and homes, I can tell you, Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. Buyers like room to move in the kitchen, and double vanities in master baths.

    Split bedroom plans are popular too, and we've used them quite successfully on plans that were smaller and larger than the ones here, BUT they only had 3 bdrms. The split plans work better for retired couples, or families with teens. Younger families like their kids close by. Also bedrooms directly off living space is hard for younger families due to noise when kids have earlier bedtime.

    I think all the plans have some unique features, and were well thought out. Congratulations to all the designers. The most challenging part of the equation was that Rich needed 4 bedrooms - AND the width of the house could only be 46.5 feet! There are only a few configurations where that can work, and these designers drew them.

    @Uwe it was great seeing the differences between designing in Germany and the U.S.

    1Reply
  • Uwe S.
    Property Manager · Dublin, OH · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 291 votes
    14y

    Karen M.,
    thanks for the insight. My design was not for Germany but with german edgy :).
    Biggest problem was for me the garage and the closets, in Germany we don't have a garage in front of the house mostly on left or right side and not connected with house. I'm unfamiliar with closets, in Germany we use real cupboards for it.
    So we have big differences in design but was an good experience for me.

    -Uwe

    2Reply
  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    14y

    @Uwe That's interesting that garages aren't attached to the house, and you don't have closets. I watch on HGTV sometimes when they have the international programs, I always like to see what different countries have in their houses.

    In some areas land prices are so high that they have really think out every inch of space in houses, in fact, here in America there are cities like that! We also have areas where land is cheap and you can build sprawling homes relatively cheap. But, it's always fun to see what other people are doing.

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  • Rich Weese
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · the villages, FL · Member since 2008 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    14y

    Thanks for all the involvement from BP members. We do have a winner and he is a BP member, as is his Mother. Michael Margrave had a check mailed to his address today and he has been informed. His plan was #3 and he is just getting into this business. If he would like to post, he certainly may give his input. This home will be started within the next 60 days in my TX subdivision and I expect it to sell! I'll furnish updates and photos as it progresses. Rich

    3Reply
  • Steve Babiak
    Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    14y

    Rich,

    How does the winning floorplan compare to the floorplans that you already have in that development? Just to understand how well it will "compete".

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  • Rich Weese
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · the villages, FL · Member since 2008 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    14y

    As Karen mentioned, the challenge was 46.5 feet wide. The lots are 60' minimums and 6' side setbacks. I have several lots that have a 7.5 ft utility easement and hence 46.5 is max width on those. This home will compete very well- 4br-2ba-2car with full landscape and fully fenced. The minimum sq footage is 1400, but I only have one not over 1500. Thanks to all. Rich

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  • Michael Margrave
    Contractor · Orange County, CA · Member since 2012 · 1 post · 0 votes
    14y

    Rich,

    I really enjoyed working on this with you. It is exciting to know that you will be developing the home this year. I meant to get on here sooner but I have just been extremely busy the last couple of weeks working on a house we are developing. Thank you again and thank you everyone who commented on the plans. I look forward to being able to work together in the future.

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  • Steve Babiak
    Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    14y

    Rich Weese - I see that this is narrower by 1.5 feet, so not too vastly different, and of course it will be longer to get to similar total sq footage. How about the room layout compared to the other plans in your subdivision? This one has a half of the house as the "private" area (bedrooms to one side), and the other half is a more public area; are the others similarly split on the interior?

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  • Rich Weese
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · the villages, FL · Member since 2008 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    14y

    Actually, as Karen pointed out-it is somewhat difficult to shrink house by 1.5 ft in width and still have the same # of rooms. This house will be somewhat different than existing homes and I like the change. We'll see. Rich

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  • Rich Weese
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · the villages, FL · Member since 2008 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    14y

    FINALLY!! This winning home will be started within next week. I'll post the completed plans when I figure out how...Rich

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  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    14y

    YAY!! Can't wait to see it get built!

    0Reply
  • Steve Babiak
    Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    14y
    Originally posted by Rich Weese:
    ... I'll post the completed plans when I figure out how...Rich

    Rich Weese - post it to the fileplace, link below:

    http://www.biggerpockets.com/files

    After that, you can tell people to look in the fileplace, or we can show you how to put a link to the fileplace area in a post (users will still have to visit the fileplace to download though).

    1Reply
  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    14y

    Ok I uploaded the PDF file to Fileplace - Under "Other Documents" for anyone wanting to look at the great floor plan Rich Weese will be building. Here's the link too.
    http://www.biggerpockets.com/files/user/brighterdays/file/rich-weese-house-plan-1800

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  • Grant P.
    Denver, CO · Member since 2012 · 218 posts · 48 votes
    14y
    Originally posted by Karen M.:
    Rich Weese The biggest part of the challenge was for designers to keep the width of the house to 46.5 feet AND you needed 4 Bdrms! I didn't think it could be done.

    We built my parents new house. 5 bedrooms and the total width is 23'

    We only do city infill projects, and scraped a house to build it. You don't even want to know what a piece of 33' dirt goes for in their area.

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  • Rich Weese
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · the villages, FL · Member since 2008 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    14y

    Thank you Karen for helping out on this post! This home should sell for high 150's . Rich

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