Most people dream for the day when they can finally build a home for themselves and their family. Most likely they already have an idea in their minds of what the perfect home would be like, down to the number of bathrooms, number of bedrooms and style of home. But after months of searching for the perfect log home floor plan, you still haven’t fell in love with any certain plan. Investing in custom drawn home plans is an option, but may be too expensive and time consuming for your needs. But don’t give up yet! Another solution is available to you and it won’t break your budget.

After spending countless hours reviewing stock plans, you probably came across a plan or two that was almost exactly what you were looking for. Maybe you wish to add a bonus room to use as a home office or play room. Or possibly you are searching for log home plans that have a slightly different exterior and one room that is slightly larger. All of these changes are possible when it comes time to customizing stock plans to fit your particular needs. Many home design firms and architects that develop stock plans have modifications available for their home plans. Taking advantage of these options will allow you to turn an “almost perfect” plan into the home of your dreams at an affordable cost.

Modifications to stock plans typically change some structure of the plan – from moving an interior wall, altering the exterior facade, or swapping out one foundation for another. To take advantage of these customizations, you need to be aware of your dream home’s needs and limitations:

• Know your lot – Before setting your heart on a specific stock plan with modifications, be familiar with your lot. Is there a hill that will be built into or leveled out? What is the water table like? Is a finished basement practical or should you look for a plan with an upper level bonus room?

• Look ahead – Right now your family of three is perfectly comfortable in a two-bedroom house. However, what about a year or even five years from now? New additions to the family will need their own space, from children’s nurseries to elderly parents who may move in with you. You cannot always perfectly anticipate your family’s needs, but preparing now by finding a plan with an extra bathroom or a multifunctional bonus room is an excellent idea. In addition to space, look for plans that will allow easy incorporation of technological advances as well as good future resale value.

• Know your weather – The weather not only affects the way you dress but also the way you outfit your home. New England homes have peaked roofs so heavy snow will fall off the roof rather than cave it in. Coastal homes that face tornado and hurricane assaults have flat roofs that help avoid detrimental wind damage. Be aware of what your dream home will need to avoid unnecessary work and repair in the future.

• “Almost” does not cut it – The most important thing is to love the plan you choose and the modifications you incorporate. If something still does not seem right, do not ignore that feeling. Take the time to look the plan over carefully. Look at a few more stock plans and see if modifying a different plan would be better. Remember that customizations are being done to get exactly what you want, not just as-close-as possible.

Once you have determined the modifications you desire, it’s time to get them done! Depending on your stock plan, the process may differ. Be prepared to submit a modification request form that should include detailed explanations of the modifications desired, referring to the rooms as they are on the stock plan. A quote will be returned to you within days. Accepting this quote will lead to approving drafts, and sooner rather than later you will be ready to start building.

The process to get to the dream home you imagine may seem challenging and overwhelming at times. But with a little patience and determination, you will be ready to build your dream home in no time. Designers and architects often benefit from your modification requests. By hearing what the consumer does and does not want many times leads to entirely new plans. And in the end, these plans turn log home floor plans into a reality!