The initial contract is signed and we put some money down to hold a lot. Our builder has a time frame of how things need to happen. Within the next 30 days, we would need to pick out all of the home’s finishes, both inside and out. Then, an additional 3.5% deposit would need to be given to the builder to get construction started.
The Right Interior
The style of our home is one of those narrow lot ranch home plans, as seen to the right, that’s becoming more popular than ever. The final floor plan is similar to House Plan #592-031D-0047 from House Plans and More, but that floor plan is too small for us, so we modified to make it larger. Customizing the home exactly the way we want it to be is a simple task since we know what we want. The customizing process works best if you know exactly what type of changes you want to make and explain them carefully with your builder.
Making Changes
The floor plan you see here to the left is the original floor plan layout before customizing. Eliminating the huge spa style tub for a large shower with a bench and an attractive transom window above the shower for additional sunlight adds floor space. The extra space now available in the bathroom from removing the tub is a large linen closet. It’s easy to clutter up a bathroom and additional storage keeps things looking just like the builder’s spec home – perfect!
Our layout has a formal dining area in addition to a casual breakfast room near the kitchen. We have a large family and married kids now having children, and extra dining space is smart. Adding a vaulted ceiling spanning the entire area including the kitchen, great room, breakfast room, creates a more open feel. This helps open everything up and keeps it feeling airy and more spacious. Now our floor plan looks like the one you see to the right.
The Right Exterior
Lastly, we love Craftsman style home designs. We love their simplistic exterior, the use of stone, and their overall character, which is refreshing after always living in Traditional style home designs. The exterior is a Craftsman style featuring vertical and horizontal siding, shingle siding in the gables, and stone across the lower portion of the home with slim columns at the front entry like you see here to the right. I think it’s a perfect home for our family for many years to come.
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