FIND THE HOUSE OF YOUR DREAMS

By Wayne Loeffler and Art Paulson

Introduction

Creating a residential plan can be an exciting, challenging, and rewarding experience. A properly designed residence can provide a homeowner with many years of enjoyable and comfortable living. A home can also be a sound financial investment and is perhaps the largest financial investment that most people make in their life. A tremendous amount of thought and effort are involved in developing a well designed house plan. Some of the major components used in developing a house plan include: visually pleasing, structurally sound, space and energy efficient, and functional. Your mission, as a small group, is to create a well designed house plan.

Task

After studying the given building site, your job, as a group, is to evaluate several floor plans, select the most appropriate to fit a given building site, work within a specified budget, and specify the type of doors, windows, floor covering, cabinets, roof covering, insulation, heating system, plumbing fixtures, and exterior finish that will be used in your house plan.

Resources

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Residential floor plans:

to check out numerous floor plans, click here

to check out classified floor plans, click here

to check out additional floor plans,click here

Door and Window options:

to check out the Andersen Window site, click here

to check out the Pella Window site, click here

to check out the Hurd Window site, click here

to check out the Weathershield Windowsite, click here

to check out the Peachtree door site,click here

to check out the Morgan door site,click here

to check out the Clopay garage door site, click here

to check out the Raynor garage door site, click here

Plumbing options:

to check out the Kohler Plumbing options, click here

to check out the Delta Plumbing options, click here

to check out Moen Plumbing options, click here.

Energy efficiency options:

to check out Owens-Corning insulation options, click here

to check out Lennox furnace options, click here

to check out Certainteed insulation options, click here

Roofing options:

to check out Certainteed shingles,click here

to check out Owens-Corning shingles,click here

to check out GAF shingles, click here

Kitchen options:

to check out Merrillat kitchens, click here

to check out American Woodmark cabinets, click here

Attic ventillation options:

to check out Certainteed ventilation products, click here

to check out Owens-Corning ventilation products, click here

Flooring options:

to check out Mannington floor covering products, click here

to check out Armstrong floor covering products, click here

Siding options:

to check out Owens-Corning siding products, click here

to check out Midland Brick products, click here

to check out Canada Brick products, click here

Building materials manufacturers brochures:

to check out the Sweet's Catalogues, click here

Process

The steps involved in evaluating an efficient house are as follows:

1. You will be assigned to teams of 3 to 4 students. Each team will research information regarding residential building styles, building materials and costs.

2. All team members are expected to participate in the project.

3. All team members shall compile data, organize the project design and give an oral report when complete.

4. Using the following criteria, select an appropriate floor plan considering: space efficiency, traffic pattern, plumbing location, room relationships, site orientation, energy efficiency and maintenance reduction.

Evaluation

Conclusion

Upon completion of this project you should have gained an increased awareness of the materials, processes, and effort that are involved in the development of house plans. Perhaps you are now on your way to becoming the next great builder or architect. Good Luck.