Switching building materials is a builder/homeowner option. A similar change that builders make is substituting standard lumber for engineered lumber and vice-versa. A change in vendors may mean a change in the size (or spacing) of the framing members since the structural values are not always equal among the manufactured products. Ditto, with standard lumber. While pine is the most common material for general framing, this is not always the case, so assuming that all lumber is equal is an illusion as well. Even the various (and numerous) species of pine vary in strength.

Aesthetic options such as doors, windows, trim, and a homes' color scheme may vary with an individuals' tastes. These options will no doubt have an effect on your homes' final appearance. Once you have gotten past the aesthetics and general structure, you have the building codes to contend with. The IRC code (International Residential Code) alone includes 17 different zones across the Nation. And with each zone, the specifications for construction may vary.

Most of the variances are weather related. Up north, snow is a major factor. On your coastlines, it is the wind that tends to increase the live load requirements and so on. Just as elements fall from the sky and stir in the atmosphere, they vary in the ground below. Are you building on sand, coral, or granite, Etc.? In some instances, a stock foundation plan may need to be re-worked altogether. This is usually the case where pilings are required, or if your home is being built in an area subject to earthquake activity. Both scenarios would require a local engineer to review your drawings, no matter how detailed they are.

A general 'guide' to be sure that all of the trades are on the same page is critical. These days, the building inspectors are getting tougher. They are beginning to want real plans that show how a building is supported. In an effort to try to please everybody, I have found that sometimes it is best to offer simple plans at an affordable price. The individual vendors will provide the engineering specifications for their products, so this is not a requirement that must be met by a home designer. It is important though to map out the skeleton of the home and provide bearing locations for the vendors to work with. Calling the zone location in which a plan is originally designed for, and letting the individual builders make adjustments from there makes more sense than to try to design for the worst case scenarios nation wide.

If you care to review some of the home plans that I've designed to date, please stop in for a visit. My designs are all unique with an average family's lifestyle in mind. Many of my designs are very basic given the state of our economy. More plans will be added as time goes on. For now, I've posted what I have already drawn up. Please stop in and sign my aplication.