Our Newest Plan

We're pleased to introduce our newest house plan called the "Evandale". It's based on the "Glenmoor", one of our most popular plans. Some of the new and improved upon features of this home include a larger Kitchen with Breakfast and Sunroom combination with lots of windows and French doors. This creates a wonderful area for families to gather together and relax as well as for entertaining. Add to this, a Covered Porch on one side of the Sunroom and Screened Porch on the other side with access also from the Gathering Room and the result is limitless funtionality and flow. Although only 2325 heated sq. ft., this home feels much larger due to the openness of the floor plan and the higher 12' ceilings in the Foyer and Dining Room and vaulted ceilings in the Gathering Room and Sunroom. Upon entering the Foyer, a feeling of spaciousness is achieved by being able to see thru the Gathering Room all the way into the Sunroom. In the Master Suite, we added a tray ceiling and a sitting area that also accesses the Covered Porch through French doors. Finally, if you're tired of a Garage that's just barely large enough to walk all the way around your car, and you would like to be able to open your car door without fear of "dinging" your other car's door, then you're going to love the oversized Garage and third bay which provide ample space for 3 cars and/or workshop areas. Needless to say, we're very excited about the "Evandale" and feel it will prove to be that "just right home" many are looking for at this time. So, please take a look at it for yourself. We welcome your comments and hope you will feel the same ...

Architectural Styles

The following is an article written by Trish Stukbauer and published in the January/February 2009 issue of Today's Custom Home magazine.

Frank Snodgrass is known for creating timeless residences of enduring beauty. To create those residences, the architect borrows from the past. "If you're building a home today, someone should be able to drive by it 10 years from now and not be able to tell if it was built then, today or 100 years ago. To achieve that, we like to practice architecture that has historic roots. Because we create architectural design based on historic styles, we incorporate details that are appropriate for each particular style of architecture. We do a tremendous amount of research to ensure that we get those details correct, which is what will help the home endure. Craftsman Bungalow, Country French and Shingle styles are all rooted in American and European history. They are the types of styles that people always come back to. There's a sense of tradition inherent in the structure," he says.

Many of the elements characteristic of those architectural styles have their roots in necessity. "A lot of architectural elements were designed to control climate. So, for example, a Mediterranean home will have a low roof pitch and wider overhangs that work together to control the amount of sun that reaches the interior. Likewise, they would use materials that were indigenous to the region, like clay for the roof tiles. A Country French home, on the other hand, would have a steep pitch roof and use a lot of stone from the surrounding countryside, whereas the French Normandy style would make use of the heavy timbers common in that area. Every style of architecture has its own rooflines, eave details and building materials.

"We also practice four-sided architecture, which in essence means that we want the home to look good and be symmetrical on all four sides. Every side is just as important as the other. We want the product to be pleasing to the eye, so we line up elements like windows and doors so you're not just seeing a hodgepodge effect. Even in an asymmetrical design, there will be symmetry within each section of the facade," he notes.

"Massing is also an important consideration. As lots become smaller, you often have a courtyard garage that's 22' or 24' wide, and in some cases, you may not have 22' left on the lot for the main body of the house. The task then becomes playing down and visually breaking up the mass of that garage to focus attention on the main body of the house," he notes. The pitch of the roof and where it is sloped, the width of overhangs and diverse materials used on the facade all contribute to how the house carries its visual weight. "When it's done properly, people will ride by and like what they see, but they may not know why. These are the types of steps we take and the thought we put into each of our homes, whether they are 1,100 square feet or 11,000 square feet," Snodgrass says.

A Solid Green Foundation

A Green foundation is the point at which your home connects with nature. We’re talking: cold, moisture, and pests. You can deal with much of the cold aspect by using good sealants and thorough caulking. This is not a typical concern for a new homeowner, but as a Green home builder, you will want to monitor everything, especially where energy loss can occur.
Trying to include recycled materials in the foundation of your green home can also make a huge difference in cost and in your impact on the environment. Persuade your builder to work with you on locating recycled CMUs or at least using recycled concrete aggregate as a coarse fill below grade. (Take care to avoid moisture problems around your foundation; this is nothing new to green home building.) You can also specify recycled content in your concrete, such as fly ash and slag. Take this opportunity to install insulation for your concrete forms.
To avoid pest problems, and the later use of environmentally harmful pesticides, make plans now. Use permanent pests shields – especially termite shields – around the perimeter of the house. Employ plastic and metal dividers and fasteners to separate wood and concrete along the perimeter of the foundation from the surrounding ground.
And while you’re at it, protect your foundation from invasive roots by moving your shrubs and trees at least 3 feet from the house perimeter. A green home or any other can’t be happy without a sound foundation. These efficient building practices can be applied to any house plan.

Low Country House Plans

Our new Low Country house plans have grown from a tradition of coastal and resort homes - many were originally elevated off the ground! - to be interesting and complete homes that promise satisfaction for everyday living.

Once especially popular in the South, our Low Country house plan designs have been built – with exciting visual impact and full of relaxing comforts – all over America. The slightly formal appearance of the Low Country home plan emerges from the symmetry of the large front windows, the French doors and the broad front steps. But the warmth of the interior offsets that semi-formal first impression. Your family gathering space is one of less formality: the open floor layouts that waste little space to hallways and make for delightful family-style interiors. See this home plan.

Craftsman House Plans

If you're drawn to an American favorite, consider the broad earthy shoulders, the sheltering eaves and the forceful details of our Craftsman house plans.

Since the earliest days of publishing house plans, Craftsman home plans have been in strong demand.That may be why it’s easy to identify the Craftsman house plan:

• The natural materials and master carpentry leap from one element after another.
• Your new Craftsman home plan welcomes guests onto a spacious front porch, often boasting tapered columns on stone bases supporting the low protective rooflines.
• Wide overhanging eaves with corbels and exposed rafter tails are common features of craftsman house plans.
• Wooden angle brackets along the roof edge, with planter boxes and decorative fretwork at gable ends or along the porch.
• The windows of a Craftsman house plan may feature transomed windows, with a multi-pane upper sash over one large pane at the bottom.
• The options of highly crafted built-ins throughout the Craftsman home plan like ceiling beams, tailored bookcases and a custom-made front door. As if growing out of the earth, Craftsman house plans stand strong – a solid part of the landscape, as if at one with its setting.

Your new Craftsman house plan will be part of a century old tradition but with discriminating new elements and workmanship that have broadened and renewed its appeal – the picture of beauty and strength. See this plan.

European House Plans

European houses have a distinct look and feel to them. Living Concepts offers European house plans that pull from many different European home plan styles. These plans feature architectural elements from French country, Spanish, Italian, and Mediterranean house plans.

These European house plans tend to be for large homes with 1 1/2 to 2 stories. However, there are small European house plans for one story homes and these are growing in popularity.

Normally a European house plan features a stone, brick or stucco exterior. Roofs for these European home plans tend to be steep and can have sloping and angular. Roofs for these homes come down to the windows.These details give the European home plans that architectural interest. See this plan here.

The Traditional House Plan

One description that springs to mind when looking at Traditional house plans is elegant simplicity. Its understated appeal has something for everyone. A Traditional house plan can strive to be striking. Many say that Traditional house plans do not borrow from one particular style but instead collect interesting features from several home plan design fashions. The exterior features of this home plan are the best that many schools of architecture have to offer. As you imagine your new Traditional home plan, you will have tremendous flexibility: It can be impressive in stone or brick, stucco or lap siding. It can be dazzling in one story or two. See this Plan.

Affordable House Plans

The only thing you can be sure of with Affordable House Plans is that they will be less expensive to build.

Affordable house plans are indeed economical. But that is not all. The Affordable Home Plan is just as likely as any other home to be beautiful, charming, and a joy to live in...But the Affordable House Plan we offer, under 2,000 square feet, are not just versatile, inviting and easy to maintain; the cost a lot less to build. Great thought has been engineered into efficient interiors and pleasing exteriors.

The interiors have integrated designs, often with an open style with consideration for the likely placement of furniture. One of the ways that affordability has been achieved is to suggest the use of stock doors, windows and finishes. Limit the corridor space. Even so, you will see that your Affordable house plan can be something very special. Quality and elegance is maintained but without the over the top expense of custom materials.

On the exterior, we refrain from elaborate framing techniques and unique structural fixtures – bay windows for example.

You will find single level ranch plans and two story floor plans in a variety of delightful design styles. Our Affordable house plans have been one of our most popular house plans. Tour through the designs that follow and see if your new dream home is among them.

Tips when choosing a house plan.

1. Pay close attention to the grade/ slope from front to back on your lot. I have seen a lot of people have such a high foundation wall on the back of a house that they paid for and with just a little more money could have had a basement , finished or unfinished that could almost double the value of the home.
2. A hard finished deck on the house will give a more perceived feeling of value over a wood deck that after a few years will look tattered and dilapidated.
Do not get wrapped up in the square footage as much as the finishes in your home. You can always add more expensive finishes to your house but it is very costly to add a foot back in that Family room or Den where you spend all your time. You have a tremendous amount of control of your final price with the finishes you choose.
See this home.