3D Home Plans

Archive for the ‘Home Floor Plans’ Category

Credits:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/homepage/20100221_Builder_s_winning_formula.html
Virtual 3D building tour by arie@schinnar.com of BIMarchitects
(Happy Go Lucky music track composed by Jonathan Atkinson; home furnishings from Google 3D warehouse)
Marketing: Tali Marketing and JDT International.

The Flats at Girard Pointe is a JDT International, LLC development consisting of seven single-family homes located in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia. The townhomes were manufactured by PennLyon, a leading manufacturer of custom residential modular homes—www.pennlyon.com. Five unique floor plans are offered, designed for eco-friendly city living. Each three-story residence has an 8 ft high full basement, and is accentuated by aesthetic facades and modern finishes. For additional information contact: www.girardpointe.com.

Location: 1221-1233 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122
Property Owner: CRL2 Associates, LLC.
Architect of Record: Leonard J Ciccotello, AIA.
Sales office: Star Real Estate Group.

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This article is part one in a two-part series on making home

improvements.

Once upon a time, investing in property was a sure-fire way to make

money, but as the property market has slowed down over recent years,

homeowners need to be wise about how they maintain and improve their

property in order to make money from it as buyers are becoming more

demanding. There’s a wide range of upgrades that can be made, from

large-scale property development to a spot of DIY. A great deal of

capital will be required for the former and isn’t a realistic option

for many people, but self improvements needn’t cost the earth and if

done well can make a big difference to property value.

A word of warning though: you won’t always get back what you put into a

property – you’ll need to spend your money wisely in order to make a

profit. The biggest mistake that most people make is to focus too much

on cosmetic improvements without making a real difference to the key

features of the property. What homebuyers always want is space, so

whatever improvements you make, you should aim to create more space (or

ensure that whatever changes you make aren’t at the cost of space). As

a general rule, the more bedrooms the better – this is what sells a

house (although only if they are all a reasonable size).

There are numerous ways in which to increase the space in your

house – converting a loft or cellar, adding a garage, building an

extension or conservatory, redesigning the garden or moving interior

walls.

Loft conversions are a specialist job and should be done by an expert.

There are various building regulations that must be adhered to. For a

start, most lofts aren’t designed to cope with the loads that domestic

use would entail – in many houses even the cold water tank is mounted

between the roof rafters as the loft floor isn’t load-bearing. The

ceiling and floor will therefore have to be strengthened, and the roof

may also have to be altered to ensure that it can support the windows

that will be fitted. Fire safety is another aspect that must be

considered – materials must be fire-resistant and the space must be

designed so that there is a suitable escape route. This will affect the

design of the staircase, doors and windows. To be on the safe side,

it’s best to employ the services of an architect or structural engineer.

If you have a cellar in your home, you may be able to convert it into a

utility room, a playroom, a gym or even a home cinema! Bedrooms, living

rooms, dining rooms and kitchens in a basement space aren’t a good idea

unless you’re able to fit windows, as they can be dark and need

constant artificial light. Cellar conversions are also best done by an

expert, as they are also subject to building regulations. You’ll need

to waterproof and insulate the floor and walls to make the space warm

and dry. This will involve coating the walls and floor in a damp-proof

membrane and installing drainage and a sump for channelling any water

or moisture. Fans and/or humidity controls may also need to be fitted

to ensure adequate airflow.

Building an extension is a major undertaking. You’ll need to employ an

architect or a surveyor to draw up plans to submit for planning

permission and building regulation approval by the local council before

you start building work. Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want

done, the next step is to work out the costs involved in the building

work and draw up a clear financial plan. Costs often spiral out of

control once the work is underway and it can be difficult to keep

within budget. Factor a contingency fund into your plans when working

out how to finance the project to cover unexpected expenditure. The

most common methods of paying for extensions are by remortgaging or

taking out a personal loan. Speak to your mortgage provider and

various banks to work out the best deal for you.

Think about how the extension will affect the existing space before

making any decisions. If the garden is very small, the finished house

will be completely out of proportion to the plot and may reduce its

marketability. Garages are valuable storage places, so think carefully

before knocking down a garage to make space for an extension as it

could end up backfiring – a large house with no garage and no car space

may be very difficult to sell. Instead, consider extending over the

garage if it is attached to the house, or knocking down a detached

garage and building a new one adjoining the house so that you can

create living space above it. If getting rid of the garage is the only

feasible option, try to redesign the garden to allow plenty of driveway

space as it can be very difficult to find street parking in many urban

areas.

A much simpler option for increasing living space is to get a

conservatory.

Compared to extensions they can be much cheaper and they don’t always

require planning permission – although you should always check before

undertaking any work. It depends on the size and type of the existing

property (detached, semi-detached, terraced, flat), whether it has been

extended before, the size of the planned conservatory, the amount of

space in the garden, and whether the property is in a conservation area

or is a listed building. Speak to your local council for advice. The

cost of building a conservatory can vary dramatically – a conservatory

kit from a DIY store is the cheapest option, but even between

professional companies there can be a big difference in prices. Get

plenty of quotes before making any decisions.

If you’re daunted by the prospect of having major building work done,

you may want to think about redesigning the existing interior space in

your home. It’s easy to knock down old partitions and put up new ones,

but of course you’ll need to check whether any of the walls are

load-bearing and it’s best to speak to an expert before you begin. One

large bedroom could be divided into two, or an ensuite toilet could be

added. Make sure that you don’t end up decreasing the actual living

space though. Dividing an existing bedroom in order to create an

additional one will not add any value if the two new rooms are too

small – in fact, it could end up decreasing the value of the property.

Alternatively, you may simply want to move a wall to increase the size

of a key room such as your living room at the expense of an adjoining

room, as long as the adjoining room will still end up a reasonable size.

Even redesigning your garden can make an enormous difference. Think of

your garden as outdoor living space – a deck, terrace or patio can make

a garden much more useable. Car space is also an important feature for

homebuyers nowadays. If you don’t currently have any off-street

parking, think about building a carport or driveway.

Whatever you decide to do to your home to increase its value,

bear in mind these useful tips:

Do your research – find out whether the work will be worth the

expenditure.

Always check whether you need planning permission.

Speak to an expert for advice – there may be many potential snags

and pitfalls that you’re not aware of.

Work out a budget in advance.

Only do what you can afford – don’t overstretch your finances.

Benedict
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/increase-the-value-of-your-home-build-or-extend-100276.html

I am looking for an old Centex Homes floor plan, the first home that I could find built with that floor plan was in 1999 and the last was in 2005. I am fairly sure they stopped building this floor plan, but I would still like to try and find it online somewhere. If anyone knows a website (besides one of the Centex ones) that I could use to search for this floor plan, or if anyone knows the name of this floor plan, I would be very grateful! Thanks!

http://images.mlsearthview.com/idx/fthoodidx/picts/156813a.jpg
^—– one of the houses built with the floor plan I am looking for. Some of the floor plans have a single door garage and are flipped with the garage on the right, instead of the left.

Anyway, thanks. I know that if I want to order the floor plans I need to buy them, but I would still like to be able to at least look at them online. =)

call large "track"/sub division home builders and ask them.

http://www.HousePlanGallery.com – Search hundreds of Traditional House Plans and Home Plans at House Plan Gallery!

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This article is part one in a two-part series on making home improvements.

Once upon a time, investing in property was a sure-fire way to make money, but as the property market has slowed down over recent years, homeowners need to be wise about how they maintain and improve their property in order to make money from it as buyers are becoming more demanding. There’s a wide range of upgrades that can be made, from large-scale property development to a spot of DIY. A great deal of capital will be required for the former and isn’t a realistic option for many people, but self improvements needn’t cost the earth and if done well can make a big difference to property value.

A word of warning though: you won’t always get back what you put into a property – you’ll need to spend your money wisely in order to make a profit. The biggest mistake that most people make is to focus too much on cosmetic improvements without making a real difference to the key features of the property. What homebuyers always want is space, so whatever improvements you make, you should aim to create more space (or ensure that whatever changes you make aren’t at the cost of space). As a general rule, the more bedrooms the better – this is what sells a house (although only if they are all a reasonable size).

There are numerous ways in which to increase the space in your house – converting a loft or cellar, adding a garage, building an extension or conservatory, redesigning the garden or moving interior walls.

Loft conversions are a specialist job and should be done by an expert. There are various building regulations that must be adhered to. For a start, most lofts aren’t designed to cope with the loads that domestic use would entail – in many houses even the cold water tank is mounted between the roof rafters as the loft floor isn’t load-bearing. The ceiling and floor will therefore have to be strengthened, and the roof may also have to be altered to ensure that it can support the windows that will be fitted. Fire safety is another aspect that must be considered – materials must be fire-resistant and the space must be designed so that there is a suitable escape route. This will affect the design of the staircase, doors and windows. To be on the safe side, it’s best to employ the services of an architect or structural engineer.

If you have a cellar in your home, you may be able to convert it into a utility room, a playroom, a gym or even a home cinema! Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens in a basement space aren’t a good idea unless you’re able to fit windows, as they can be dark and need constant artificial light. Cellar conversions are also best done by an expert, as they are also subject to building regulations. You’ll need to waterproof and insulate the floor and walls to make the space warm and dry. This will involve coating the walls and floor in a damp-proof membrane and installing drainage and a sump for channelling any water or moisture. Fans and/or humidity controls may also need to be fitted to ensure adequate airflow.

Building an extension is a major undertaking. You’ll need to employ an architect or a surveyor to draw up plans to submit for planning permission and building regulation approval by the local council before you start building work. Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want done, the next step is to work out the costs involved in the building work and draw up a clear financial plan. Costs often spiral out of control once the work is underway and it can be difficult to keep within budget. Factor a contingency fund into your plans when working out how to finance the project to cover unexpected expenditure. The most common methods of paying for extensions are by remortgaging or taking out a personal loan. Speak to your mortgage provider and various banks to work out the best deal for you.

Think about how the extension will affect the existing space before making any decisions. If the garden is very small, the finished house will be completely out of proportion to the plot and may reduce its marketability. Garages are valuable storage places, so think carefully before knocking down a garage to make space for an extension as it could end up backfiring – a large house with no garage and no car space may be very difficult to sell. Instead, consider extending over the garage if it is attached to the house, or knocking down a detached garage and building a new one adjoining the house so that you can create living space above it. If getting rid of the garage is the only feasible option, try to redesign the garden to allow plenty of driveway space as it can be very difficult to find street parking in many urban areas.

A much simpler option for increasing living space is to get a conservatory. Compared to extensions they can be much cheaper and they don’t always require planning permission – although you should always check before undertaking any work. It depends on the size and type of the existing property (detached, semi-detached, terraced, flat), whether it has been extended before, the size of the planned conservatory, the amount of space in the garden, and whether the property is in a conservation area or is a listed building. Speak to your local council for advice. The cost of building a conservatory can vary dramatically – a conservatory kit from a DIY store is the cheapest option, but even between professional companies there can be a big difference in prices. Get plenty of quotes before making any decisions.

If you’re daunted by the prospect of having major building work done, you may want to think about redesigning the existing interior space in your home. It’s easy to knock down old partitions and put up new ones, but of course you’ll need to check whether any of the walls are load-bearing and it’s best to speak to an expert before you begin. One large bedroom could be divided into two, or an ensuite toilet could be added. Make sure that you don’t end up decreasing the actual living space though. Dividing an existing bedroom in order to create an additional one will not add any value if the two new rooms are too small – in fact, it could end up decreasing the value of the property. Alternatively, you may simply want to move a wall to increase the size of a key room such as your living room at the expense of an adjoining room, as long as the adjoining room will still end up a reasonable size.

Even redesigning your garden can make an enormous difference. Think of your garden as outdoor living space – a deck, terrace or patio can make a garden much more useable. Car space is also an important feature for homebuyers nowadays. If you don’t currently have any off-street parking, think about building a carport or driveway.

Whatever you decide to do to your home to increase its value, bear in mind these useful tips:

* Do your research – find out whether the work will be worth the expenditure.

* Always check whether you need planning permission.

* Speak to an expert for advice – there may be many potential snags and pitfalls that you’re not aware of.

* Work out a budget in advance.

* Only do what you can afford – don’t overstretch your finances.

Benedict Rohan
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/increase-the-value-of-your-home-build-or-extend-98278.html

View a collection of One Story House Plans by Donald Gardner Architects. Our porftolio contains a large selection of one-story homes, offering everything from classic floor plans to unique home designs. View the complete collection by following the link below.
http://www.dongardner.com/One_Story_House_Plans.aspx

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Setting up a home office can be a tremendous challenge.  How do you separate your work life from your home life when they occupy the same space?  Here are 10 tips to create a home office designed for maximum productivity.

1. Know yourself.

Think about your perfect working conditions.  Short of a lounge chair at the edge of the ocean on a warm sunny day, what do you see?  Do you have a large conference table and plenty of room to spread out?  Do you have a large recliner and a laptop desk?  What are your ideal working conditions?  Don’t just think about comfort.  What conditions do you work best in?  Is there music playing?  Is there a phone in your office?  What is on your desk?  In and out boxes? Is there a place for everything or are you more of a scattered creative type? Do you have pictures?  Plants?  A fountain?  The key is to envision your perfect productive space, not what you think should be your perfect productive space.

2. Don’t forget wall space.

What is on the walls of your office space right now?  Are they blank?  Are they covered with family photos?  What about inspirational prints with motivational sayings?  Do you have a large writing surface on your wall or a cork board?  Planning boards are fantastic if you’re a visual person.  You can use a whiteboard to draft the navigation of your website or create long range plans and a timeline.  Corkboards are excellent for posting notes, tasks, and ideas you don’t want to lose.

What about shelving?  Use your vertical space, your wall space, to optimize your home office.  Shelves are an excellent way to store items you frequently need while saving space on your desk and conserving valuable floor space.  An office that feels roomy and clutter free is often much more productive than an office that feels cluttered and disorganized.

3. Let there be light.

Natural light is best for productivity and feelings of well being.  However, natural light isn’t always an option.  Quite often home offices are built into the center of a home or worse…the basement.  Uniform ambient light is better for productivity than task lighting and it is better on your eyes.  For an expensive uniform lighting set up, consider natural spectrum fluorescent bulbs.  They last a long time and are good for your mood and the environment.

In addition to natural light, it is helpful to have a bit of ventilation. If you can open a window from time to time and get some fresh air, by all means do!  If there are no windows available in your home office, consider air purifiers, fans or some sort of ventilation system.

4. Don’t sit at the kitchen table!

Placing yourself right in the middle of the house and all of its activity is a certain time stealer.  How can you avoid distractions from chores, people, pets, and folks knocking at your door trying to sell you magazines or financial services?  While the kitchen table is great because it enables you to spread out and work in a comfortable location – there are probably plenty of windows and sunlight there too – there are no doors to keep out the distractions.

5. How much memory do you think you’ll need?

 The basic rule of thumb when setting up a home office is to buy as large of a computer as you can afford.  You might be surprised at how quickly your memory and storage will be used up.  If you don’t buy a big enough computer, you’ll end up having to buy a new one anyway.  If you already have a computer and a larger capacity computer isn’t in your budget, consider an external storage drive.

6. Backup regularly.

Speaking of external storage drives…it is imperative that you back your equipment up regularly.  I know that backing up takes time, sometimes it feels like it takes forever; however it is critical to the future of your business and your sanity that you back up.  Stop for a moment and consider what would happen if everything on your computer suddenly vanished.

For many, it might mean the end of their business, which is why it is critical that you not only back up regularly – weekly isn’t too frequent – you will also want to make sure your backup is working.  Backup and then go through the process of retrieving your information to make sure your backup is working the way it is supposed to.

7. Set up your office to function smoothly.

This means comfortable equipment, and processes that make sense for you.  Is your chair comfortable?  How about your keyboard and your desk positioning?  The more comfortable you are in your office, the more productive you’ll be.  If your wrist is hurting and your back is stiff, you’re going to work slower and chances are you’re going to be distracted.

What about the system you have set up.  Is everything you use frequently within easy reach?  Is your phone close by?  What about your files? Take a minute and look around your home office.  Is it set up optimally for you?

8. Organization and storage.

 Do you have a place for everything?  Storage and organization is extremely important when creating your home office.  If you skip this step you’ll spend much of your time trying to find things instead of getting them done.  Create a paper organization and storage system – file cabinet.  Also create an effective storage system on your computer.  For paper files, it is recommended that you have a file for every bank account, taxes, receipts, expenses, payables, receivables, marketing and sub folders for each marketing project.

Also consider keeping your copywriting ideas in a file.  On your computer the system will work much the same way. You’ll likely have major folders for each category and sub folders contained within.  For example you might have a category labeled Marketing, and sub categories labeled SEO, PPC, Direct Mail etc…

9. Do you need an address?

When you have a home address, it is tempting to have your business address be the same.  However, take a moment and step back.  There are distinct advantages to having a separate business address.  You are able to keep your home address private.  You are able to separate your work from your home legally.  Having a business address looks a little more professional than 1015 Butternut Circle on your business correspondence.  Additionally, having to go pick up the mail gets you out of your house on a regular basis!

10. Modems, and phones, and faxes oh my.

Do you need all of these fixtures cluttering your office?  There are numerous electronic devices available now like e-fax, wireless internet, and 800 numbers that are economical and can be forwarded to your cell phone eliminating the need for a separate office phone and line.

In fact, there are automated attendants that will answer your phone for you during your off hours, send them into your ‘business’ voice mail and actually email the message to you or forward it to your personal voice mail system.  All for less than $20 a month.

When it comes to working out of a home office, you make the rules.  What works for the masses in terms of organization, hours, processes and so on are not necessarily what will work for you. Develop a system that works for you and stick to it.  When you design a system and space that work for you, and stick to it, your productivity will increase ten fold and so will your profits.

Jeremy Gislason
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-business-articles/setting-up-a-home-office-10-tips-to-getting-it-done-right-the-first-time-688817.html

You should think about laying down Pergo flooring in your home if you want great flooring. It has a great tongue and groove system that will make sure your floor looks great and is installed easily and accurately. You can do it on your own or hire a pro to install your pergo floor. Installing flooring is something you can do on your own if you really want to or get your retailer to recommend a trusted professional.

You will need to determine just how much flooring you need before you buy anything. You can use a room sizing calculator to help you figure out how much you need to buy. If you want to lay the floor down on your own than you will need to just buy your Pergo floor and go with it. It is a complete system so everything you need will be including in your installation package. You will receive the following:

• Pergo Glue (Make sure to use this so the warranty will be honored)

• Installation Kit – This will ensure tight joints and has spaces and a tapping block

• Pull bar – This will make sure that you have a tight fit in hard to get to spots

• Under-layments – This will get rid of any issues with your sub-floor and give you great insulation

• Floor clamps – These can make the installation mush smoother and will make your floor even sturdier

• Pergo Sealant – This will make sure that the gaps are secured between the fllor and the wall to make sure that moisture stays out

• Pergo Putty – This will help to repair any damaged areas that might occur when you are laying the flooring

• Installation straps – These will help make the whole task simpler for you

You should realize before you lay down your Pergo floor that it is for use inside only. You must lay it down as a floating floor and there must be enough room around the sides. You can not attach it to the sub-floor.

You also need to keep in mind you local temperature and humidity, as well a the movement in your home and around other objects. The expansion distance is about ¼” normally and you need to realize this for proper installation especially in a doorway or corner.

Make sure that your Pergo products are allowed to acclimate in their sealed boxes before installation. 48 hours is usually enough, but 96 hours can be required when the temperature is very dry. The humidity should be around 30-90% where the carpets will be installed.

Pergo can be laid on or below grade. You should also make sure the Pergo plans are installed over the Pergo Underlayment Foam or Whisperwalk. If you install on top of concrete then the Pergo 6-mil polyethylene vapor barrier is necessary. Check out sub-floor info before you install.

Greg K. Hansward
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/a-pergo-floor-will-last-for-years-128912.html

Golden Eagle Log Homes presents the Double Eagle Deluxe floorplan.

Golden Eagle Log Homes. Log Homes for Sale. Log Homes and Log Cabins, floor plans by design.

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poppajoe is correct. All you need is the manufacturers phone number, serial number, and the model number. Be warned, though, if it’s really old it won’t be available.