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 ...

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.

Selecting a Green Lot

So you're ready to build that efficient and environmentally friendly home. First things first… Do you have a lot to build on? If not, I suggest you get one first. It's best to purchase a lot before you commit to a specific house plan. In most cases you can modify any house plan to fit your lot, but, it's much more difficult to find a lot that will always accommodate a specific house plan. Think about your lifestyle when choosing your lot. Do you have children? Do you have a green thumb? How much yard are you willing to maintain? How important is it to be close to schools, grocery stores, and work? These are important questions to ask yourself, as the old saying goes ... location location location.
Now lets look at the lot. How is the land situated? When choosing a lot with "green" objectives, you will want to take the path of the sun, the corridors of the wind and the slope of the land into your primary factors. Considering how the sun rises and sets on your lot will help you decide on which side of the house you want certain rooms to be, such as a sunroom or screened porch.
Many experts will agree that a gently sloping lot, with a south-facing slope, would be ideal. If your house was located midway between the top and the bottom of that slope, it would be all the better, as you would avoid winter’s cold blast from the north. If you can determine the direction of the winter and summer winds (they usually come from different directions), you can incorporate that into your selection process; since you will want a lot where you can divert or block the winter chill, but channel and exploit the summer breezes. Save as many existing tree's as possible. Trees provide shade in the summer months, but help block cold winds in the winter. Knowing what kind of views you have will also help you select a house plan that will take advantage of the natural setting of the lot. So, Choose a house plan that will best compliment the natural surroundings of the land.

Building Green

Today the Green Building movement is bigger than it has ever been. The environment is precious and anything we can do to help is worth doing. Aside from saving the environment, there are also other benefits from building a green home, a better insulated home will save hundreds in utility bills alone each year. The comfort of being cool in the summer and warm in the winter sounds good too. One thing to remember is that building green can be costly but living green is not.
Most pre-designed house plans you find today, whether it's from a book or even a plan you find at Living Concepts Home Plans is not going to be green by design. Building Green is not just about the plan, it's about how you build the home and the materials you choose to build with. These factors will make the biggest impact on how green and efficient your home will be. Let's face it, the Green Movement is here to stay. So, stay tuned! My next series of blogs will address things that can be done during the building process to build a green and efficient home.

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.