For most people, the chance at designing their dream home is rare. If you are fortunate enough to ever be in a position to do so, then you should be aware that it takes considerable time, planning, and money to complete the job. Most people will choose to hire an architect to get it done, but this can be expensive for the average person. As an alternative solution, a professional building designer (aka home designer, residential designer) can provide the same services, in most cases, at a much lower rate than that of an architect.
Develop a must-have and wish list
You can get the ball rolling and save some time in the early stages by doing at least part of the design yourself. It doesn't have to be to scale per se, but a simple sketch and notes can prove to be very useful in the beginning stages of the design process. Begin by making a list of must-haves and a separate wish list of things you'd like to include in your house plans. Your must-have list is going to obviously include the necessary rooms which include the family room, kitchen, dining room, and bathrooms. Your wish list, on the other hand, can and will include a number of extras that are only limited by your home's total heated square footage, land space, and most importantly your budget. Wish list items may include things like an extra bedroom for guest, an office, a bonus room, an entertainment room, or a game room.
Creating a basic floor plan
Take a sheet of paper and a pencil and let your creative juices flow. So what if you can't draw? You can create squares or circles and position them in the general location of where you want rooms to be located. It doesn't have to be perfect. The idea is to develop an outline from which to build upon.
Develop a must-have and wish list
You can get the ball rolling and save some time in the early stages by doing at least part of the design yourself. It doesn't have to be to scale per se, but a simple sketch and notes can prove to be very useful in the beginning stages of the design process. Begin by making a list of must-haves and a separate wish list of things you'd like to include in your house plans. Your must-have list is going to obviously include the necessary rooms which include the family room, kitchen, dining room, and bathrooms. Your wish list, on the other hand, can and will include a number of extras that are only limited by your home's total heated square footage, land space, and most importantly your budget. Wish list items may include things like an extra bedroom for guest, an office, a bonus room, an entertainment room, or a game room.
Creating a basic floor plan
Take a sheet of paper and a pencil and let your creative juices flow. So what if you can't draw? You can create squares or circles and position them in the general location of where you want rooms to be located. It doesn't have to be perfect. The idea is to develop an outline from which to build upon.
Design to maximize room space, size, and usage. Which rooms will you and your family spend the most time in? Perhaps it is the kitchen or maybe it is the family room. These decisions will depend on your lifestyle and this is where your focus should lie when it comes to designing your home. For example, if the kitchen is going to be the most important room in your home, then you should allocate as much space as you can to it. Move to the second most important room and apply a little less footage in terms of space and work your way down the list until you feel comfortable with all room sizes. However, you must also remember to include room for necessary things like stairways and connecting corridors because that can account for some of that important space. Once you have the primary rooms in place, consider if you have additional room for more and begin to tackle your wish list.
Enlist the help of a designer
Now that you have a rough concept of your ideal home, it is time to move ahead. At this point you'll want to take your rough plans to a home designer or an architect so they can create a professional set of house plans to build from. You will also need to know the style of architecture you desire, so the designer can create that look in the design of your homes exterior. This may change the basic footprint of your floor plan rough draft, but a skilled designer can overcome this challenge.
So there you have it, a simple and easy process to design your own home. You don't have to be skilled at drawing or know every aspect of putting a floor plan together. As long as you can put together a written list and a sketch merely showing room locations, you can design your own home and literally be a partner with you designer in the conception of your dream home.