Art of Blueprinting
When thinking about building a home, you"ll have a head full of ideas, and a heart full of hopes. How to transfer these ideas and hopes to paper is the job of an expert blueprint preparer.
Blueprinting is the point at which your home idea goes from abstract to concrete. The blueprint is often the official point of starting a home, which can be a daunting prospect. Be assured, however, that the hardest part might simply be getting started.
For many, blueprinting can be intimidating because there"s a feeling that they"re making a commitment to a builder or a project. In fact, creating a blueprint is merely putting a home idea on paper, then evaluating the design. Choosing a builder, determining a price of the home and other decisions come later.
For instance, first plan where the laundry room should be drawn, and its general size--later decide where to place the washer and dryer, he explained. He recommends meeting with a builder before developing a blueprint.
"If we design a home with a customer, we can more easily accomplish their goals, which, in turn, will make them happier," he explained.
In designing a blueprint, things to keep in mind include:
the style--ranch, two-story
the size--square footage
the number of beds, baths and additional rooms, such as an office or sewing room
the general layout of rooms, hallways, stairs, etc
Put all these things together, in line with your budget, and you've found an excellent place to start.
When choosing a blueprint service, take advantage of an experienced builder, such as Koehne Construction, to draft your home plan. Their expertise is invaluable, and they'll offer great advice. Bill has gained a structural awareness of what works in home construction and also has the financial background to determine if your plan will fit your budget.
Bill Koehne has over 10 years of personal drafting experience combined with 23 years of building homes. The use of the CADD system, plotter and blueprint machine, all in-house, allows for better accuracy and detail on each print, plus faster turn-around time for the customer.
Blueprint prices range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on the architect chosen. Koehne Construction blueprints cost approximately $350, which also includes an on-site evaluation of the property on which you're building. An onsite evaluation, done before or during the drawing of a blueprint, allows Ark Homes to better analyze the home site and understand what the customer has envisioned.
An on-site inspection focuses on the best location to build the home, keeping in mind:
-the sunlight available
-topography of the soil, which could allow for a walk-out or daylight basement
-northerly and southerly directions
-size, type and position of trees
-special features that would lend to a better design of the plan
Koehne Construction offers a blueprint at a lower cost then many services for the opportunity to present ideas and demonstrate the services they offer. It also gives the customer a chance to get to know the staff better, and decide if Koehne Construction is the best choice for building the home.
So take your ideas and hopes to Koehne Construction, where they create beautiful and functional new homes.
