Popular Starter House Plan - HPG-1509B-1 - The Wilson Creek

Becoming a homeowner is the dream of many individuals and couples. Selecting the home that you will spend the beginning of your new life in can be an exciting experience and the thrill of your new independence is exhilarating.

Your first home is about planning your future; whether that includes children, job changes or a spouse. Considering this, your first home should have room for your life and your family to expand. Since many first time home buyers are young professionals on tight budgets the most important consideration should be the affordability of your new home.

A World of Options

Modular Homes and Prefabs – Modular and prefabricated homes can be an attractive option for first time home buyers because they can often be constructed at a much lower cost than existing or custom homes. These units can be customized in a variety of ways and are offered in a wide range of styles to ensure that you receive the home that suits you perfectly.

Unique Stock House Plans – There are so many stock plans available that can be modified cheaply to meet your needs that you would be hard pressed to not be able to find what you desire. Buying stock plans can save you thousands of dollars versus hiring an architect to design your home from scratch. The internet offers hundred of sources for stock plans and the experience of being able to browse these different styles and designs will save you a great deal of time versus visiting home shows and tours.

“Kit” Homes – If you have a do-it-yourself attitude, a flexible schedule and know how to swing a hammer then a kit home can be a big money saver. Kit homes are often smaller than traditional houses, so if you are a single individual of new couple without children in your immediate future these may be perfect for you. Kit homes are most popular in cabin and cottage style layouts and usually feature just enough living space for first time homeowners. However, if you require, some can get rather large and ostentatious.

Custom Home Designs – Do you have an amazing idea for a convenient and affordable home in the back of your mind? Working with an architect to turn these ideas into a reality will guarantee you get exactly what you want out of your first home.

Rehabilitation – There are plenty of homes out there in poor condition or in gentrifying neighborhoods waiting to be transformed into something new. Shells and other properties, like prefabs and kit homes, can often end up costing much less than an existing home. In addition, the character and ambiance that these existing structures offer can be incorporated into their new modernized appearance.

Getting it Right

When you are young it is hard to know what the future has in store for you but you are probably not short on ambition. Your first home is the chance to put the hopes of your future into something that represent your goals and prepares you for your life ahead.

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Award-Winning Traditional House Plan - HPG-1752-1 - The Remington

How many people have dealt with contractors without getting a signed contract only to say later on, “I wish I’d got that in writing”?

Far too many to count, and you may be among them if you are having work done on your property or having a new home built – without proper contracts in place.  

A contract is your “ace in the hole” when it comes to dealing with shady contractors or those that try to tell you one thing and then do another!

Even for the most simple home improvement projects, when you hire a general contractor to make the project go along more smoothly, you still need a written agreement with the contractor.  

Let’s look at some tips to keep your project from turning into a money-pit and what you should do before you hire a general contractor.

Signing on the “Dotted” Line

When hiring your general contractor to build your new 4 bedroom house plans, find out if he or she have their own contracts, or if you need to draw one up – either way is fine as long as both of you agree to and understand the terms of the contract.  

If the contractor has his own contract, make certain that you read through the entire contract and that everything in the contract is something that you are willing to say “yes” to; if not, make sure that you go back to the drawing board and have the contract revised before you sign it.  The contract between you and your general contractor should cover all of these very important points:

- Spell it out.  No matter how minute or unimportant something may seem, you want to make sure that you have spelled everything out for the contractor, including your name and address, the contractor’s name and address, the exact specification of what work is to be completed and so forth.  

Everyone involved needs to be able to look at the contract and determine that everything is completed at the end of the project so that neither you nor the contractor is surprised at the end of the process building your small house plans.  

It is completely legal for the contractor to demand more money for work completed that is not within the scope of the original contract, so make sure to spell it out before the work is started so that you don’t end up paying extra.

- Itemize all materials.  Your contract should include an itemized list of everything that the contractor plans to use for the project.  Do not use phrases that are non-specific of a particular cost or item, such as the phrase ‘of equal value’.  

This gives your contractor more room to pocket the difference between an item that you plan to pay for and something that may cost less but is considered to be of an equal value.  Your contract should state that any substitutions require your prior approval.

- Arrange for milestones.  You should outline the milestones for the project, and the date that certain parts of the project should be completed by, along with a payment plan of a certain percentage of the project’s total cost to be paid at the time the milestone is reached.

The reason that milestones are so important is very obvious; many contractors will ask for a percentage of money upfront, and you may not hear from them for long periods of time.  For this reason, make sure that the contractor understands that work must be completed in a timely fashion to qualify for payments under the milestone plan.

- Penalty section.  While not legal in all states, a penalty section is a good idea to protect you against problems that may arise if the work completed is not up to code or to your specifications.  

You can also include a penalty for late work that is not completed according to the milestone payments plan – but you will need to make some considerations for inclement weather or circumstances beyond the control of the contractor.

- Always triple check your contract before signing it.  If possible, have an attorney review contracts for especially large projects, and to make sure that the contract is legally binding in your location.

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Award-Winning Home Design - HPG-2510B-1 - The Windsor House

You may have always heard the old adage that “first impressions” are the ones that count most – and this is all too true when it comes to curb appeal and your home.  

If you are having new home floor plans designed, or revamping your existing home (perhaps to put it on the market), then you must add some curb appeal in order to make your home a stand out in the neighborhood. Landscaping choices can go a long way towards adding curb appeal – which means that lawn maintenance and lawn care has taken on a whole new importance.

Curb Appeal Tip: Go For a Healthy Lawn

Just like a bright smile is a sign of health, a beautiful, healthy, green lawn that is lush and full, yet manicured, is a sign of a well-kept home.  Whip your lawn into shape by using fertilizer, weed eliminator, and good techniques with edging to add maximum curb appeal.

Curb Appeal Tip:  Choose Contrasting Plants

The plants around your lawn can make or break the appearance of your Country style house plans, and give it an inviting look.  Choose plants that contrast with the mulch you are using for maximum visual impact; as an example, if your plants are dark and rich, then choose light mulch and dark mulch for light colored plants.

Curb Appeal Tip: Choose Plants by Foliage, Not Flowers

While flowers are beautiful and can add some nice curb appeal, they don’t last very long. To get the most for your money, choose plants and landscaping that have beautiful, dark foliage instead.

Curb Appeal Tip: Keep it Manicured

When we want to make a good impression, we make sure our appearances are manicured.  The same is true for your lawn.  Mow it, trim it, edge it, and clip it – including your lawn, trees and plants – to get the most curb appeal.

Curb Appeal: Don’t Go Over the Top

Keep your landscaping simple and clean, don’t overdo it.  One of the obvious disadvantages to “too much” landscaping is that it is harder to maintain properly.  Likewise, it creates visual clutter that may detract from your home.  You want your home and your property to be inviting, but too much landscaping can actually be intimidating – especially if you’re trying to sell your house.  Who wants to trim two acres of hedge? That might be an exaggeration, but never do more landscaping than you are comfortable with maintaining regularly.

Curb Appeal: Other Exterior Concerns

Besides your landscaping, there are other concerns for the outside of your traditional home design that you should take into consideration when it comes to adding curb appeal.  Obviously, you want a great walk way to the front exterior.  Make sure the walk way is uncluttered and laid out well.  The driveway to the home should be in excellent shape (no “pot” holes or cracks).  The exterior lighting should be clean and in good working order as well.

When you take these considerations and put them into action, you’ll find that enhancing your home’s curb appeal is easier than ever.

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