House Drafting Project! #1: Drawing my dream house

Hey Charles You are pretty good with a pencil.. nearly as good as you are with tools.
Looks like a sweet house.. just make sure you have a workshop space.. big enough for all your tools.
Larry

-- Drink once, cut twice. New website up.... lazylarrywoodworks.com.au

My advice is ditch the pencil and paper and use Sketchup or someother software.

Longtime ago (before Sketchup) there was a program called Floorplan Plus that was a lot easier than Sketchup. Don’t know if it is still around.

-- Joe

sometimes a good old pencil is the right tool… makes it very personal. And sometimes “high tech” is the way to go—can make it faster :)

besides having a workspace that is big enough remember the closets—lots and lots of closets.. and then add some more, just in case :D
oh and have the kitchen easily accessible to the main door -for easy access with groceries.
Those are my two biggies… if I had the luxury of building a new home.

Very exciting for you and you are off to a great start!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

I agree with Debbie, function. Once you have funcion, and everything works, then you can embellish. Embellishment is where your eye, and heart will show. When it comes to your shop, make sure you have function, and like Larry said, room for your tools, but don’t forget lumber storage, and maybe a finishing room, with proper circulation!! And don’t forget to have fun with it!!

Also…..you draw well, Charles!!

-- Matt, Houston Texas

You can pick up version 12 of TurboFloorplan and Lanscape Pro for under $75. I use it to do all of my designs. Then the drawings are exported to Autocad for fina detailing and blueprints. Howver, TurboFloorPlan can be used to make complete sets of drawings.
It is well worth the small investment because you will be able to look at your drawing in 3d, different elevations, d 2d top view, and more enhanced top views. The program is relatively easy to use and has a good starting library that is easy to add more items.

-- Oldworld, Fair Oaks, Ca

Yes it is.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

CJ,

Looks like you are off to a good start.

Some of the folks have mentioned different versions of software to assist your efforts. Did you know that Sketchup has templates for architectural drawings as well as the types of drawings commonly seen here? You might also check at your school. They may have some software that you can use- if that’s the way you want to go. At the school where I taught, all of the student drafts-persons had to learn the “board” first and then move on to computer assisted drafting. So starting with pencil and paper is OK.

Lew

Charles, if you have the time to be on site with your plumber, contractor, framers, etc. you can get by with about anything for a drawing, if you know what you want. The house that I’m almost through building was drawn out on a piece of note book paper. No ruler, no fancy symbols. After the forms were up, I used a tape measure to show the plumber where the pipes needed to be; the framers where the walls, doors and windows needed to be. If you get a contractor that’s interested in building you a nice house, rather than making a quick buck, you’ll be able to get what you need with out the high tech.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

Charles
I’ts pretty hard to see what’s on your drawing but if you can visit floor plans close to what your thinking about it will help you with a better sense of what your planning.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

Looks good. There is something earthy about a pencil, paper and eraser!

-- jack -- measure once, curse twice!

Tim I am going to be my general contractor, framer, trim carpenter, and cabinetmaker. Going to sub out plumbing, hvac, and the electrical.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

Nice looking plans CJ, you’ll do just fine. On HGTV PRO.com they have free plans that you can alter to suit yourself or a program to make up your own house. A program for lumber estimator, drywall estimator etc, etc. Looks to me it could be helpful. Even estimates cement yards. You just put in the numbers. mike

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

Nice looking house, but a few questions… ( at least some that my master would ask of me if I drafted something similiar out. ) Where are the measurements? For the outside walls, the windows, the heigth that the windows are set, the width of the doors? How much wood do you need? (you need the spacing and the number of studs to order wood) Have you designed the room width so you need not bother seeming carpet? (if you have carpet). The thickness of the walls. Tennontim has a point, that you can build a house or anything for that matter, with little as a couple scraps of paper, but if you spend a bit of time planning out everything, you will save money and time later avoiding suprises, because you have already thought it all through and can look through it all. Not to mention contactors can work verbaly too, but if you want outlets and fittings and vents in certian spots, it should be on the plan, again to speed up any guess work or math work in the field and to save money on time not spend scratching your head (maybe not yours but your HVAC guy and your Electrician, Plumber, whoever).

You might save some time as well at the building code office for your local government, when you show up with a completly thought out plan.

You said you wanted tips so here they are….

One last thing, one of my former masters said, if you need to calculate it out at the bench something is wrong with the measurements on the plan. Sounds extreme, but he, as much as I would have liked to deny it at the moment when he told me this, is right.

Ok good luck and have fun!

-- Nicholas, Journeyman Cabinetmaker, Partenkirchen, Germany

Just thought of something els quick… You should be able to from your plan make a complete list of materials without whipping out a calculator (more or less). You know then that your plan is complete.

-- Nicholas, Journeyman Cabinetmaker, Partenkirchen, Germany

those are really good tips!
After we put the addition on our house I realized that rooms should be designed to “fit” standard building practices and flooring/cabinet requirements.. Lesson leaarned!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

see Ms Debbiep, thats exactly some of the little suprises that can come up!

-- Nicholas, Journeyman Cabinetmaker, Partenkirchen, Germany

yes, and I’m a lot wiser now! :D

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

You’re a clever man Charles I couldn’t do that to save my life , you have avery good eye for detail.Please Keep up the good work.Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

I agree… not everyone can see a vision and then put it to paper!
This is exciting—watching the beginnings of a dream unfold.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

I will be adding all of that on my revise plan.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker