Frustrated by the inability to find house plans that offered more than cookie cutter designs, we spent a great deal of money and time creating plans with an architectural company. However, after two years, the plan is still not what we want and the cost of building is far more than we are willing to spend. We’re back to searching the net, purchasing numerous books, and questioning whether we want to build at all. Aren’t there any custom plans for the empty nesters that have the beauty of a custom home without the unnecessary square footage size and costs?
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Look at any of Sarah Susanka's books. She is into smaller, but well designed houses. I'm surprised (well, not exactly surprised...) that the architect couldn't help you, as that is what they are supposed to do. I have often thought about providing a service where I or others would act as a go between between the architect and the homeowner to get the plans more real and in keeping with what the owner wants instead of what the architect wants. I am not really soliciting business, but if you lived in Michigan I would be happy to talk to you.
It seems that there are lots of people in your situation, who have some ideas, but want them refined or need to have more ideas coaxed out so the house that is produced is really something they can live in and use. When I worked for a framing carpenter I constantly saw that the "custom" plan was just an off-the-shelf plan that the architect or builder modified as slightly as he could get away with. People would come up to me and ask questions about where and why things were the way they were because they hadn't really been totally immersed in the planning process.
I was going to suggest your contacting some local custom builders and talking to them to see if you have the same ideas about things--sort of mutual beliefs about the pupose of a home. But you can't just start phoning people in the yellow pages and expect good results. You could go to building shows or builders' open houses and see if there are homes that seem to be along the lines of what you want. You could ask friends, or people who own houses you like.
When I was a student in Architectural Technology at a community college, I designed a home for a couple. I met with them many times. It was a long process--they thought they knew what they wanted, but husband and wife had some seemingly mutually exclusive ideas. We even drove together around a neighborhood that had some houses they liked. That was actually how they found a house that was low-looking (what husband wanted--one story ranch), yet had a loft (a must have for the wife--a place to do her sewing where she could look out over the rest of the house). My work involved some coaxing of ideas out of them, much revisions to the original sketch they'd made, and some convincing them of better, cheaper ways of accomplishing what they wanted. When I was through, I'm sure the people told their friends that they had designed this house, and I am okay with that. I was more a facilitator, to bring their ideas out into a constructed reality.
To do it right, an designer needs to meet with the client enough to get to understand them as people, not just see them as suppliers of money so he can to make his boat payments while also allowing him to build another statement of his own ego. He has to sometimes let go of his own pet ideas and allow the client's tastes to come through. Maybe I'm being unfair. Anyway, I wish you luck.
Similar questions have been asked before--you may find doing a search here or on the Breaktime forum (in grren box at top of this page, click on "Breaktime" right after "Other Taunton Sites:"), or just ask your question at Breaktime.
Seven years ago we (male 75 and female 72) discovered David Wright, architect in Nevada City, CA. He designs all kinds of things from mountain cabins to $M edifices. He is widely known for his "green" designs, and most are of contemporary design. Needless to say, we are VERY pleased with our 2600 sg ft home and the architect who designed it . . . with lots of input and overseeing by us. He recommended three different builders and the one we chose could hardly be better.
We lived in our 5th wheel for 19 months on site to oversee all parts of the process. We highly recommend this, as momentary decisions can happen, and there are thousands of these to make.
If this sounds interesting try 530-265-3011 for David Wright. He is very good at everything architectural except kitchens. If you want YOUR kitchen be sure you know what you want and then stick to your guns until he gets it right.
Look on the 'the bugalowcompany.com' site. Lots of homes, great designs, sustainable sizes. My next home will be one of theirs. It would also really help if you like craftsman style homes.
Very impressive. Thank you!