When to Design Your Home
Some
people design their home and then look for a place to build
it. Other people wait until they
find a place
to build the home before they start designing it. Regardless of which
way you do it, you will need to buy
the land and design the home before you can start
building.

There are many options available for designing a home. For custom plans, you may want to hire a licensed architect. Although hiring an architect may be more expensive than purchasing stock plans, an architect can help you find ways to save money on the design and on energy efficient features. Architects can also help you by soliciting and reviewing bids from contractors.
If you are interested in stock plans, then you will find a large selection of them on the Internet. You may also purchase plans from home plan books and magazines or you can buy software and design your own plans. Buying stock plans does not prevent you from modifying them. In fact, most people who buy stock plans end-up modifying them to meet their individual needs. Home plan companies usually offer modifications for a reasonable hourly fee. You may also have the option of hiring a local designer to modify the plans.
To get started on designing your home, it is helpful to spend some time looking at designs and floor plans. When you see something that you like, print or photograph it. Keep the pictures in a notebook or folder to make it easier to focus on the characteristics that appeal to you. Make sure that the floor plan that you select will be compatible with your lifestyle and avoid the temptation of settling for a design that is satisfactory but does not excite you. Building a home is a big commitment and you will need inspiration and vision to complete your project.
If you want to know how much you will be able to borrow to build a home, then give us a call toll free at 1-800-438-2704. Consultations are free and at no obligation.