Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Start by introducing
• Method 2 of 2: Project in Development
• Tips
• Warnings

So you've decided you want to design your own home? It is not surprising if, like most potential homeowners, you have in your head a picture of what you could call your "dream home", and also, among the existing, you rarely meet your inner vision. There are many things to keep in mind when designing your own home. We'll show you how to make the most of this process so that your next home can be the dream you envisioned.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Start by introducing

1. 1 Get inspired. Before you draw the first line, consult with an architect, or buy new software that does it all, consider your dreams. At the very beginning of the process, it’s not about the size of the panels or even the floor plans. It's about how you define your desires. You already know most of this. After all, this is your dream!
2. 2 Visit the neighbors you like. There are reasons you like them, and more than likely you like them because you like their homes. Don't think about price and other practical things just yet. You are looking for what inspires you.
3. 3 Visit open houses. Look for homes for sale in a neighborhood you like, and during this period, make it a rule to inspect homes on weekends. Each of them will have features that will inspire you and features that will not move you. Take notes on each occasion: it is also important to know what leaves you indifferent or clearly dislikes.
4. 4 Take photos. Capture every corner of your home that you love, inside and out.You will discover more details in photographs than by being present, and after visiting dozens of homes, they will be a great help to remember what you liked from the very beginning.
5. 5 Get organized. Dreams are good. It is vital to have an idea of ​​what you are going to achieve, but achieving this can become much more difficult if you constantly search for that piece of paper that you think you left there somewhere.
   • Start a sturdy cloth-bound notebook (often called a “calculus book”) and keep it with you until your home is finished. You can tape or glue there photos, reference sheets, suppliers, numbers, and anything else related to the project.
   • Dedicate a couple of pages, right from the start, to what should be in your home. It could be 3 bedrooms or bamboo flooring, but this is what you need in your home.
   • Dedicate another page or two to compiling a list of traits or desires that have been gleaned from various sources and call it a Wish List. It can be anything from custom shaped moldings to Italian tiles in the bathroom.
6. 6 Paint a big picture. Now that you've decided what you like and what you want, it's time to focus.
   • Do you prefer urban or rural lifestyle?
   • Do your needs include a spacious home with a children's room and a place for a dog to run, or do you need a cozy bungalow for two?
   • Are you more into clean, modern lines, or artful craftsmanship with lots of detail?
   • Are you satisfied with standard building technologies or are you considering green, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly projects? LEED-certified
   • Perhaps the most important thing in all of this thinking is what your budget is.
   • These questions will help guide you as you begin to focus on the practical steps.
   • The more information you can give an architect or developer about your vision for a home, the more likely you are to not only plan your dreams, but also stay on budget.
7. 7 We find a place. This is where the wheels start to move ... or maybe more appropriate, where the shovel meets the ground. Before you really dive into designing your dream home, you need to know what you are building on.
   • The landscape matters. building on a hill has a different set of requirements and design challenges than building on flat ground. Building on a hill has different requirements and can pose complex design challenges as opposed to building on a flat surface.
   • A densely forested area can have significant differences in window design and lighting, not to mention solar panels and other energy options.
   • Areas near highways or other noisy areas will require more acoustics than isolated rural areas.
   • Access to utilities varies by location. Make sure there are things we take for granted wherever you choose.
   • Zoning can mean the difference between a dream come true or a home made of compromises.
   • Get the help of a real estate professional to help you evaluate your options objectively.

Method 2 of 2: Project in Development

1. 1 Consult a professional architect. Designing a home should be a project that will bring you years of satisfaction after your dream has come true. The best way to ensure that the process is going well (and in the most cost-effective way) is to involve an architect in the design. Your part in this process is to know what you want. The architect's job is to help you make design ideas work and guide you between design pitfalls.
2. 2 Sketch your floor plan. This will help you translate ideas from concept to practice. As a very simple example, let's say you want 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, an open kitchen, and a "large room" for dining and entertainment.
   • Start by identifying the main areas. For example, on the right side of the house, there are 2 bedrooms that face one side of the hallway with an attached bathroom, and 3 bedrooms on the other side with a master bathroom. In the middle there is an entrance opening into a large room. And on the left side is the kitchen, laundry, garage entrance. You may find the process more fun and flexible if you cut out the rooms out of paper and move them around until you find an arrangement that suits you.
   • Armed with basic layout ideas, start looking at the outside that will surround it all. Crafsman style homes have docks such as level breaks, colonial elements, domes. A floor plan that will work in a home of this style may not be as comfortable under a dome.
3. 3 Create a floor plan. For these purposes, there is software available to help you place rooms, walls, windows, etc. and will create a completely professional looking project. But it should be understood that your ideas and program will only take you to this point.
   • A truly working project will require not only great design ideas, but also practical consideration of things like structural comparability, drainage, drainage, slopes and all the other little details. It's important to work with an architect.
   • Mistakes made during the submission stage are worthless. Mistakes made during the design phase will cost time. But if they go to the construction stage, they will cost more than your budget can afford.
4. 4 Delegate. Knowing when to hire a professional is what makes designing your dream home a reality. Let the strong hand of an experienced designer guide you through the completion of your plans. He will work with an architect and general contractor to make your dreams come true.
   • You have created a concept, you have realized a dream. You have completed all the hikes, found a place, decided on your design goals and you know exactly what you want. You now have more important tasks to manage the construction of your dream home.

Tips

• Take a break. Think about how you use each space, furnish it, move through and around, and what is most important in that space. Cut pieces of paper to fit the size and shape of upholstered furniture and cabinetry and try to see how they work with windows, doors, and walkways.
• If you're having difficulty rendering, consider 3D rendering software. Nowadays, they can reproduce interiors or exteriors with lifelike photographs. Search for "architectural rendering" for more information. Now you can find incredible programs in Florida, New York and other big cities.
• Another idea is to find a parking lot where you can walk and at least roughly check the dimensions of the house, including all rooms, doors and hallways. This will give you the opportunity to walk through your future home and feel how the spaces relate to each other. Of course, you will need to imagine walls and doors. Despite its limitations, it is a fun experience that can lead to new ideas.
• Talk to a professional about getting help with this from the beginning. Most good interior designers will advise you early on and will save you tons of time and money in the long run.
• Scissors, glue and a photo copier are the best helpers in the revision process. Cut and paste for your pleasure.
• The tools are simple - pencil and paper, and don't forget the ruler. Architects use lined paper, which can be found in any office supply store, and a wooden kitchen cutting board makes a great drafting table! The white board surface and erasable markers will provide an excellent opportunity to see live a project that rapidly changes or grows in size in its development. There is nothing better to involve everyone and everyone in the design than a white board!
• When you start, put all the materials in folders and keep them in one cardboard box. When you find something, the cardboard box will be the place to fold it and the place to find it when you need it.

Warnings

• Avoid the mistake of bringing ready-made plans to the very beginning of the process. The most important thing to design success is to let the people involved in the process just take everything away. Everyone has something that they want the most. Don't ruin your chance to take advantage of these thoughts, hopes, and desires by simply focusing on the wrong things too early. Get what you want out of this stage!
• Visit the city's planning and zoning department before things get very far. Find out what you can build on your land, where the limits are, how tall a house can be, and what options you might need to consider.
• Check with a professional that the drawings are legal. These are the building code, electrical, mechanic, water supply and sewerage, fire safety. Code compliance is required to obtain a building permit.