House plans, home builders & dreams

Contents 1
Acknowledgements 5
Introduction 6
Buying vs building 7
Buying 7
Building 8
Finding your land 10
Budget 10
Size of the land 10
Shape of the land 10
Slope of the land 10
Access 11
Neighbors and other things in the building vicinity 11
View maximization 11
Noise potential 11
Pollutants 11
Existing easements 11
Restrictive covenants 11
Encroachments 11
Services 11
Getting a survey done 13
How to read a survey plan 13
What do surveyors do? 13
What types of equipment do they use? 13
Getting a soil test done 15
What does a soil test involve? 15
What do the results mean? 15
Finding a builder 16
Deciding whether to be an "owner builder" 16
Finding a builder 16
Expertise 16
Cost considerations 17
Getting prepared for your quotes 17
Getting more than one quote 17
Deciding if their quotes are fair 17
Construction options 19
Factory built 19
One house suits all 19
More tailored approach 19
Totally customized 19
Customized house plans 20
Doing your own initial plans 20
The type of consultant to use 21
Expertise 22
Preliminary plans 22
Final plans 22
Extra costs 24
Designing your house 25
Designing to suit the climate 25
Designing to suit the views and neighbors, etc 26
Designing to suit the intended use 26
Deciding on the size 26
Traditional vs contemporary 27
Trendy or timeless elegance 27
Deciding on what you want and don't want 27
Deciding on hallways 28
Width of walls 28
Ceiling heights and shapes 28
Ventilation 28
Building a sustainable house 28
Feng Shui and Sthapatya Veda 29
The shape of the house 29
Security issues 29
Property values and saleability 30 Specifications 31
Creating your own specifications 31
Getting quotes 31
Footings 26
Things to consider 26
Pillars or poles 26
Strip footings 26
Slab 26
Building materials 28
Framework 28
Wood or fake wood cladding/siding 28
Brick veneer or double-brick 29
Masonry block & cement sheets 29
Metal or fibro cladding/siding 30
Strawbale 30
Mudbrick, rammed earth and adobe 30
Roofs 31
Roof shapes 31
Types of roofing materials 31
Wind resistance 33
What does wind resistance involve? 33
Levels of protection from wind 33
Insulation 32
Insulation basics 32
Bulk insulation 34
Reflective insulation 34
Termite risk control 35
Physical methods 35
Stainless steel mesh 35
Crushed granite 36
Chemical methods 36
Inspecting for termites 36
Doors 37
Internal vs external 37
Door heights and widths 38
Door decorations 38
Double-doors 38
Sliding doors 38
Bi-fold doors 38
Screen and security doors 39
Kitchen cupboard / cabinet doors 39
Garage doors 39
Handles 39
Locks 39