storybook cottages - need to buy plans?? help??

Started by water8, May 03, 2006, 04:50:48 PM

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glenn kangiser

#25
May 06, 2006, 12:14:35 AM
The carport resembles our house roof in the valley -- I was told it was a Dutch hip.  
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

water8

#26
May 06, 2006, 08:04:26 AM
Well - a picture of what I mean is here http://www.storybookhomes.biz/tinybook.htm on page #18 in the tiny book - plan named "Gimlet".  I can't get over how adorable these houses are!  Why would anyone build anything else?!?

Amanda_931

#27
May 06, 2006, 08:39:20 AM
I think I'd want what is being called "universal design."  Something that I can live in when I'm 80.

And I like the idea of being able to see the "most beautiful" part of my property while drinking my morning coffee--even when it's snowing.  (a la Chrisopher Alexander).

But good grief, those places do make me think that I want them.  And they'd look great (including from the inside!) tucked in a mature forest.

water8

#28
May 06, 2006, 09:14:53 AM Last Edit: May 06, 2006, 09:15:46 AM by water8
Wanna hear something funny?  I happened to mail my sister (in Minnesota) the storybook website and now her and her husband are bound and determined to sell their house, come to Vermont and build one too!  LOL maybe we can get a 2-fer-1 deal from the Post and Beam guy up here.  I'm really concerned about the cost of the conservatory additions, though.  Every website I've looked them up in has "quotes", but no hard cold price...scary.  We may be able to fake the look though, with some fancy ridgeline work and spires, and build them ourselves - like a glassed sun porch with skylights.

water8

#29
May 06, 2006, 09:21:36 AM
This is the one I like for the main part of the house - with the two gables facing forward...

water8

#30
May 06, 2006, 09:22:18 AM
But, I would add the shed roof addition seen here, to the left side of the house (for the kitchen)....

water8

#31
May 06, 2006, 09:23:39 AM
....and a conservatory, similar to this one, to the right side of the house to act as a sunroom/away room.  I gridded it out and it comes to roughly 650 sq ft, all included - main floor.

Samuelh(Guest)

#32
May 11, 2006, 10:54:21 PM
Hello everyone, I just wanted to say "Thank you" for the nice compliments about my cottage designs ( I especially got a kick out of clipping images from our web site).   I really appreciate the nice words, it keeps me going because I truly have a passion for cottage design and think if you're going to be living in a house it may as well be the cutest thing around.  By the way, I am the owner/designer of Storybook Homes and was wondering if any of you may have any specific questions for me????
Best to all,
Samuelh

glenn-k

#33
May 11, 2006, 11:51:58 PM Last Edit: May 11, 2006, 11:54:54 PM by glenn-k
Oh Oh -caught with our hand in the cookie jar  -- at least we were sharing the cookies.

Welcome Samuelh.  Please feel free to sign up as a member and answer all the questions you feel like.  Lots of our members love your cottages and we are trying to compile a vast wealth of knowledge here.

Thanks for having a good attitude about people using your images --- we use images under the fair use provision and refer to the owners site but will always remove them where the copyright owner objects.  Many have noticed traffic to their sites go up when they get referenced here --- even though we're a small group.

Looking forward to you becoming a regular here.  Thanks.

John is very open minded and generous and many times brings attention to other designs himself.  He just loves to share the wealth of knowledge.  Everyone benefits.

water8

#34
May 12, 2006, 08:37:44 AM
Samuel - I totally agree!  Your houses are gorgeous, and why live in anything just average?!?  Well - actually, I live in an average home now - a stick build vinal sided - nice little cape...but one of your homes is where I plan to retire.  I got an email from your company, and I forget exactly, but what is the average cost per square foot to build your home?  I recollect it was similar to a handcrafted log cabin cost per square foot.  As far as fitting in with the neighborhood (or resale value) there are 10 little cottages in a row on the main street nearby in North Adams, Massachusettes...I have even stopped by and they walked me through one - nice guy.  Anyways - In the last 10 years, they have occasionally gone up for sale - at very high prices, and always been off the market in about a month.  I almost bought one (about 600 sq ft for almost $200,000), but the yard was too small for my liking - only a quarter of an acre or so.  The only question I can think of now, is do you have any actually photos (rather than b+w conceptual drawings) of any of your cottages built?
(ps. thanks for not minding about the pics - they were not blocked for rightclicking as web sites which do mind usually do with their art)

Samuelh(Guest)

#35
May 17, 2006, 02:12:45 PM
1) Images of our cottages that have been built.... I have been patiently and anxiously waiting for some of our clients to send us some but nothing as of yet.   We will certainly post them on our web site when we receive them and notify you when we do.

2) Cost to build:  This really depends upon each individual client, how much they follow our designs and suggestions and where they live in the US.   For example. if you live in the south our Midwest (some states) the cost for labor is generally less than where I live (north of Seattle,  and West Coast) or in the North East where the costs of labor and land are generally more expensive.   The cost to build probably varies from $175sq.ft. to $400sq.ft+.   Once again, this really depends on what YOU as the owner decides to adorn your cottage with.  If you use real stone vs. artificial stone, or use real clay tiles vs. asphalt shingles.   We spec them "high end" and then of course you can choose to use these types of beautiful embellishments or find some less expensive nice alternatives.

Great questions!!!

Thanks again.

Jimmy C.

#36
May 17, 2006, 02:40:10 PM Last Edit: May 17, 2006, 06:37:37 PM by Jimmy_Cason
You should start a forum that will allow people to post their pictures or progress on your web site!

I would visit it often.

Remember....If you build it ... They will come..... :D
The hardest part is getting past the mental blocks about what you are capable of doing.
Cason 2-Story Project MY PROGRESS PHOTOS

Cathi(Guest)

#37
May 20, 2006, 11:46:30 AM
I am looking for plans for a storybook cottage too.  I am ready to build now, but try as I might, I haven't found anything.  Have you yet?   I found some really cute children's cottages at www.customplayhouses.com.  I really like Audrey's and Gina's.  Has anyone found a site yet for full plans along these lines?  I'd like to use strawbale for the walls.

Amanda_931

#38
May 20, 2006, 10:28:54 PM
Not plans to buy, but have you looked at the projects sections from places like cob cottage?  Some of those are story-book enough for nearly anyone.

e.g., http://www.cobcottage.com/taxonomy_menu/13/16/29/25

(drawing at the top of the page looks to be Heart House.)
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