Helping You Build Your American Dream Step-by-Step
Home Design 101

One the most exciting, but hardest, aspects of building your own home is
choosing the plans. You probably have an idea of the type home you would like
to have, but there are many other factors to consider.  Does the plan fit both
your lot and your budget? Does it blend with the homes surrounding it? Is it
approximately the same size as other homes in the area? The number one rule
in real estate (besides location, location, location) is to be careful not to
overbuild, that is, build the most expensive house in the neighborhood!

All things considered, you can find a home design that meets your demands
and your budget if you do your homework.  No matter the size of your home,
you can find a design in almost every genre.  Take a look below to educate
yourself on styles and designs (click on each picture to enlarge).  We also
recommend the plan books and sites to the left, so be sure check them out!

Victorian Farmhouse

A return to nostalgia makes this
style timeless. Features of this
style include the extensive use of
exterior decorative trim, a mix of
siding and shingles, steep roofs,
and over-sized often wrap-around
front porches.

Bungalow

A desire to downsize and live
simplistically is the driving force
behind bungalow architecture.
Features include small footprints,
simple lines and front porches for
additional living space.  

Ranch

These single story homes are
uniquely American in origin and
have gained a new popularity
because of their easy one story
living especially for the retiring
baby boomers.

Colonial

Sometimes refer to as "five, four,
and a door" (indicating the
windows), this classic American
style has endured for nearly four
centuries. Features include
two-story symmetry, a
front-to-back gable roof and a
portico over the front door, but not
always.

Craftsman

This retro style is wildly popular in
some areas of the country now.
Features include decorative beams
under gables, wide overhanging
eaves sometimes with exposed
roof rafters, huge front porches
with thick square pedestal-like
tapered columns and a mixture of
exterior finishes.

Traditional

Classic traditional remain popular
and often incorporate a mixture of
Colonial and European elements
such as the use of brick or stucco,
arched windows with masonry
trim, and multiple gable roofs

Cape Cod

These homes also have historical
roots and have stayed the test of
time.  Features include a square
or rectangular shape, steeply
pitched gable roofs with small
overhangs, center doors and
symmetrical dormers.