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Thinking of building a new home? Or in need of an addition to your existing home? These are some of the questions most frequently asked of me: Where should I start? Q. Where should I start? A. You can start by contacting a builder, going to a real estate agent, picking a design, or choosing a lot. However, if you know little about the process of building a home, and feel nervous because it is your first time, it would be wise to do some general research. Bookstores, libraries and the internet are good places to find information on new construction. And many areas have home shows where the latest in home products are featured. There are also many television shows that you might want to check out. Q. How do I find a builder? A. You can start with directories like the local phone book yellow pages. I can also give you the names of several builders in the area, with the recommendation you visit one of their projects currently under construction. Q. Should I buy a lot first? A. If you find a specific lot in which you are interested, and that you can afford, it's probably best to buy it first. Then you are guaranteed of your location. Also, the terrain of the lot can be very important in deciding the type and style of home best suited to it. If your lot is unique and/or unusual, I can help you with a site analysis. Q. Should I use a real estate agent if I want to build a new home? A. You can, but they may be more inclined to direct you into an existing house. Some agents are very knowledgeable about the process of building a new home, and may even be affiliated with local builders. If you decided to work with an agent that specializes in new construction, you should ask them to concentrate on getting you the right lot, in the right location. Q. Should I hire an architect or CAD designer to design my home or buy from a plan service? A. Each provides the opportunity to obtain the dream home you desire. Both an architect and residential CAD designer custom designs "from scratch" to fit your specific needs. For many people, however, hiring an architect is too expensive. Plan services offer a wide variety of plans from which to choose for a relatively low cost. And these plans can often be modified to fit buyers', although there may be limitations set on modifications. As opposed to a "plan" service I offer all the professionalism and individualization of an architectural firm, for residential houses, but at a fraction of the cost. Q. How do I go about picking a design? A. First you have to analyze your situation. What are you looking for in a design and why? A good way to find out what you really want, is to ask yourself questions about your needs, wants and desires in a new home. I can help there. Also, visit local model homes to get a feel for room sizes, appliances, traffic flow from room to room, etc. Second, look through plan books or magazines to find a design that roughly suits you. Building materials stores offer plan books for sale. Q. What is the difference between a one-story, 1-1/2 story, and a two-story house? A. One-story homes (also called ranch and garden-level homes) are generally defined as homes with all living areas and bedrooms on one level (excluding the basement). A Cape Cod style house with a dormer allowing for a bedroom on the second floor would be considered an example of a 1-1/2 story house. Two-story homes are generally defined as homes with all bedrooms located on the second level. Q. What will my building costs per square foot be? A. Based on averages, in our local mid-Coast Maine area, generally the cost of a new house could start about about $200 per square foot for a two-story, 1-1/2 story, or one-story version. This same general cost per square foot would also hold true for most additions, except sunrooms, which could be considerably more expensive due to glass costs. Garages may or may not be included in this pricing structure. These figures are based on our local building conditions only. The price for a new home in a different area could be slightly or radically different. Check with local builders. Q. How big is an average size house? A. The size of houses vary according to peoples needs and wants. However, an average size is 2,000 square feet for a three to four-bedroom house. For example, this could be a 28' x 36' two-story. An average two-car garage is 24' x 24'. Q. Looking at floor plans, how can I get a feel for how large a room will be? A. One way is to measure the rooms in your own home or apartment to understand approximate dimensions. This is also a very good way to determine whether or not your current furnishings will fit in the home you want to build. Visiting model homes, or newly-built homes, is also a good way to get a feel for room sizes. Often builders and real estate agents will provide layouts of homes with dimensions listed. I can recommend homes currently under construction that you can look at, and at the same time see how the contractors work. Q. Does the shown square footage include the garage? A. No. Generally, square footage is calculated as finished (Dry-walled, painted, carpeted), "walkable" square footage. It would include footage from outside framed wall to outside framed wall (not including brick, siding, stucco, etc.) and anywhere the floor joists would project, such as a cantilevered (overhanging) bay window. A boxed (square projecting) window, however, would not be included, because the floor ends at the wall in a boxed window. Other things that are typically not included in a home's square footage are front, side, or back porches, decks, courtyards, patio, etc. Basements are also not included in the square footage unless they are finished. Bonus rooms over the garage are also typically not included in the square footage unless the space is finished. Q. Should I purchase the plan or let the builder purchase the plan? A. No matter who buys the plan, the home buyer will, in the end, probably pay for it. If the builder buys the plan, he will include it in the price of your home.
Q. Is anyone who designs a house an architect? A. No. An architect is a licensed
professional in the field of architecture. It is not a requirement
in the United States that everyone who designs a home be
an architect. However, many states require, as a part of
their local building codes, that before a home can be built,
the blueprint must be inspected and stamped by an architect
or engineer licensed in that state. To my knowledge, this
is not the case in Maine.
Local municipalities/towns make their own rulings through their building code
enforcement officers. There are many excellent home plan designers that are
not architects. All home plans, whether designed by an architect or not, must
conform to local building codes, and have a building codes officer's approval,
before they can be built. Q. What are building codes? A. Building codes are safety regulations pertaining to how a building (commercial or residential) should be built. They are intended to protect both builders and consumers from building an unsafe structure. They deal with everything from nail spacing to handicap accessibility. Many restrictions, regulations and inspections are regionally required due to soil conditions, etc. There are three major nationally-recognized model building codes that are all very similar in content in the United States : UBC (Uniform Building Code); BOCA (Building Officials and Code Administrators); and CABO (Council of American Building Officials). Every state, county and local municipality has adopted some form of one, any or all of these standard building codes. In Maine , BOCA is generally the standard. Q. What are covenants? A. Covenants are rules and regulations set up by committees for certain subdivisions or areas of land development. These regulations are intended to protect property values of the houses built there. Examples of covenants might include regulations on how close homes can be to one another, lawn maintenance, or other such rules as no satellite dishes, attached garages, all wood siding on elevations, etc. Q. How many sets of blueprints will I need? A. That will depend on your financing, and your contractor, etc., but here's a handy reference:
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