Drawing your own house plans.

[Jared]

I've drawn a few house plans that are simple and i like them. I have trouble finding simple square or rectangle house plans that I like, so I've taken to drawing my own. I've tried modifying the Saltbox plans and have come up with something I like, but I'm never sure if it'll stay standing up once it's built. So who would I have to look over something I've done on 3D Home Architect? A draftsman? An architect? It's only one of a lot of plans I'm considering, but eventually we'll settle on one that we like and I want to make sure it's structurally sound. In the Saltbox, I've changed the sunroom into a master bedroom and there's no masonry heater. Anyway, who would check it out for me?
Jared

[JRR]

Its always good to get an experienced professional set of eyes to look over plans ... whether they be custom plans or not.  Someone who is local is much better ... will know the local requirements.

I happen to know a licensed building engineer that I met through a local tract house builder.  Even though the builder was using out-of-the box plan sets, there were often changes desired by the client or imposed by the terrain.

I bet if you were to stop in on some building site and ask around, you would discover who provides such service in your area.

[Amanda_931]

You could hear all about our pet peeves in the way of house plans if you could find a way to put your plan somewhere ON THE WEB and then use the URL for the picture itself and the little picture icon above the smilies to post it here.

Oh, heck, it didn't work.  

I can't show you Hildegarde von Baunzen's (Bouncen, Bounzen, any of half a dozen different spellings) Christmas Card.

[RAB]

This is a common garden shed or as I call it a #7 with rice.
For interest I have posted the "framing view".
Builders and engineers – I have left out the porch roof plate beam and support posts for clarity.
3D users – I have lowered the porch "floor" down into the "grass" for clarity.
Here are the steps that I will use to post the image.

-Go to drop down menu "3D"
-Scroll down and click "Framing Overview"
-Use arrows to adjust viewing angle and ultimately your posted picture
While in Framing Overview...
-Go to drop down menu "File"
-Scroll down and click on "Export"
-Look to the far right - click on "Bitmap File..."
This will bring up a regular windows File saving screen.
-Change the default file name from bitmap to something that you can remember - in my case Garden Shed.
-Change the folder name from the annoying My Documents to something that you can remember and actually exists – in my case picture transfer folder.
At this point you have moved a "3D Architect file" to a folder of choice in a "bitmap form" – a file that most people can open on their computers.
-But wait...
Don't torture the dialup users - you need to reduce the image for faster file transfer rates.    
Open file in a low cost image manipulation program and reduce image file – somewhere around 100K is a starting point. In my case I went from 3m to 110k.
Follow Johns' steps for posting in a reply.
Quick step list of above.

Framing/File/Export/Bitmap/Save to folder/Reduce image/Send to Design Build/Make tea/Read forum

Any constructive comments for improvement on the above steps or the posted design is welcome.

[jraabe]

http://www.irfanview.com/

The above link is to the free IrfanView image program. It can convert bitmap and metafile images into the jpg format you will normally need for posting in forums. Does lots more as well.

And yes, ask around for a practical engineer to review your design. As mentioned this is a good idea for any plan - even ones you don't modify since a good engineer may spot changes that are appropriate for your climate or local construction techniques.

My local inspector gave me a list of all the engineers in the phone book with a thumbnail review of each. The inspector sees and evaluate the work of local engineers daily. This was a very valuable list that has saved me and my clients thousands of dollars.

[peg_688]

http://www.irfanview.com/



My local inspector gave me a list of all the engineers in the phone book with a thumbnail review of each. The inspector sees and evaluate the work of local engineers daily. This was a very valuable list that has saved me and my clients thousands of dollars.

 Care to share with a fellow Islander? PEG

[glenn-k]

Sorry PEG --- you mention Islanders and all I can think of are grass skirts. :-/

[peg_688]

Sorry PEG --- you mention Islanders and all I can think of are grass skirts. :-/

    Huummm expand your vision , althought it is a balmy, 52° on the Rock today  Wool skirts might be better    But we is Islanders , as we live on a Island  [smiley=tekst-toppie.gif] PEG  

[Daddymem]

If you have Windows XP, Windows Picture and Fax view will open and save in various formats too.