End of Year PLANS special

[John Raabe]

Plans special now over (1/2/06).

[glenn kangiser]

With a deal being offered like that and a chance to take advantage of John, I had to put my order in.

Now maybe I'll be able to know what I'm talking about-- I know - you're all going --Not Likely :-/

[glenn kangiser]

My plans are at the PO right now but I got home from working out of town to late to get them -- just that yellow card saying that something is there that is too big to fit in the box.   What is the word, frustration - maybe more like anxiety. :-/

[Chuckca]

Glenn - whick plan did you purchase  

[glenn kangiser]

Actually I got most of the major ones for two reasons, one is that I eventually want to build one as a rental - need that license from John, and I can refer to them when someone has a question - I may have a better chance of helping them out - thirdly ---- we get so much help from John that I wanted to assure him of enough income to survive Festivus Season.   With him offering this kind of a deal I figured now was a good time to stock up and explore my options.  (Besides - I heard there are a few secrets in the plans - I wanted to find out what they were.)

[beachedandbloated]

Hi John, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays Everyone !

That's a nice offer, John, I hope I can take you up on it !

Got a great deal on a beachfront lot (65'w x 250'd) down here on S. Andros Island, in the Bahamas (a 15 min. hop from Nassau), and I want to build something on it.
I've drawn rough plans for a 'shed style' structure (3/12 pitch and a metal roof), the low end of the pitch facing the water. This 'front wall' is a 20'wide x 10' deep screened porch. Flush with the porch, on 'the left' (south) end, is a 10' x 10' open sided, but roofed, deck. Flush on the north end is a room 10' wide x 25' deep, to function as kitchen and storage, with door access to the porch. Immediately behind the porch are two 10"w x 15' d bedrooms, (each with a small bath), with walls and door access to the porch.
I'd like to keep it all 'open', with only the bathrooms being walled and ceilinged.
Do you think any of the plans available, or a combo of them, would modify to meet my needs ?
Btw, I'm getting as much help as I can afford from a local builder, but hope to contribute in all but the 'heavy lifting' ! And I hope  the good people on this forum will be willing to add to my 'construction education' - I've learned a good deal already, just lurking and reading the links and archives; a veritable plethora of information. Wish I had some skills I could contribute with. Now, if you want to talk fishing......!!
Good cheer for The Holidays to you all!

[glenn kangiser]

Glad you beached yourself here, beachedandbloated.  Sounds like you are planning a fun project in a fun place.  Make you a deal -- keep us posted on your project and we'll help what we can.  Hope you can post some pix too.

Hopefully John will get a break from the grievance airing and be able to tell you what can be done.  I'm actually working on my laundry area now so just pop in for a bit.  My sets of plans are still locked up in the local PO.  Forgot it was a fed holiday here so couldn't get them -- think I'll play hookie from work tomorrow so I can pick them up.  Jobsites too wet --yeah - that's it - unsafe.  :-/

Welcome  to the forum.  Nice Place

[John Raabe]

Hi all and welcome to Beached...

The airing of grievances is over so, Beached...

I would suggest you look at your floor plan layout and determine how long the roof and floor joist spans are and what type of foundation you plan to do. (I would think a simple post and pier layout would be the most straightforward).

Then you could get a plan set that matches your structural layout and work up your specific room layout from there.

The Little House plans are good for up to a 14' wide one story structure (any length) and has simple details for the shed roof. The Victoria plans have a simple 16' wide post and pier layout (again, extendable) and the 20' wide one story could work for wider spans of the building width. It is very easy to turn any of these into one level plans and revise the roof.

On the wider plans you may need a bit of help sizing the roof rafters but we can help you with that.

If you can scan your layout into a jpg and post it as a picture you will get all kinds of suggestions   I am sure.

Then, we will all expect you to invite us down when it is done!

[John Raabe]

Something that might be of interest to folks considering modifications to the Universal Cottage (and other plans)...

I got a question today about how much it would cost to make plan changes. Here was my answer:

"The layout is designed to be modified by the owners and most folks do it themselves.

An easy way to do this is to join my subscription website and download the floor plans and modify them in 3D Home Architect ver 3 (costs under $10). The printout can then be pasted into your plans.

Here's a link to the downloads: http://www.planhelp.com/public/programs/opendownloads.cfm

All are free to subscribers - click on 3DHA plans to see the two options for the Universal cottage plans.

Hope this helps."

Now, I haven't yet worked too hard on promoting the subscription website, but that is where we will be headed in 2006. The CountryPlans site will still be free and open for all projects and questions, but folks who want to modify one of my plans into a personal design will find it much easier to do with a PlanHelp membership. Right now the cost of joining is low as we are still getting more plans and details up and running.

Some of the free downloads (for members) are revised and updated versions of plans sold in the paper version here (Sunroom, skylight plans and the SunKit). Those plans can be worth the cost of joining right there (if you don't have them already  )

[whitewolf]

Can you pleasetell me if modifications can be made with 3DHA Professional 5? I had previously purchased that version.

Also, checked out your link for low cost 3DHA and there are only 36 FREE copies left. ($5.99 S&H) So if anyone was thinking of getting 3DHA, now would be a good time.

Thanks,
Sharon

[John Raabe]

No, later versions of 3DHA are not compatible with ver. 3.

See this thread from the old forum: http://www.countryplans.com/bbs/messages/3489.html
And the overview page here: http://www.countryplans.com/3dha/ (click about 3DHA, version comparisons)

[Patty(Guest)]

John:

  Thanks for making the discount deal available on your plans. I am looking forward to receiving and studying them. Just couldn't pass up a deal like that...Pretty lucky timing for me I reckon.

Patty

[achildofthesky]

Wohoooo
  Just received the sets of plans. Just wanted to say thanks for the quick shipping.

Patty