Home style: The thing about house plans

We all get to that age when thoughts of homeownership keep you up at night. Are you working on building a house? There are a whole lot of house sizes and types to choose from.

The first step to getting your dream to reality is by drafting your own house plan. When you leave a professional to do this, you end up with a house you will not quite like.

Making your own plan allows you to create a space that works for your specific needs.

First things first

There are a lot of factors you should take into consideration. Find the style of house you would like -- different styles already have age-old plans that make them unique.

You can use the universal plans for the house you like and tweak them to suit your personal needs.

The size of your land will also be a determinant of which house style you can build. If you have a little land, you could consider a storey house plan. Your budget will also determine how much house you can afford.

See yourself in the house

Visualise daily living in your floor plan. Think sizes and think activity. Take a tape measure and understand what a 2 metre by 2-metre room is.

A good way to judge size is to add on or deduct from the current sizes you are living in.

Would you want a bigger bathroom? By how much compared to your current one? Which activities do you want for each space? How close do you want the kitchen to the living room? Several people make floor layout mistakes, don’t be these people.

Consider light

Natural light and how your building receives it will be the difference between living in a cave and living in a house. Which rooms do you want facing the sunrise? Which ones will not receive the sun in the morning?

Burst your bubble

Now that you have a draft, it is time to get your bubble burst by a professional because sometimes dream homes are just that -- dreams.

Your architect will advise you if your dream home is viable with the topography, geology, geography and climate of the area.

They will also help streamline your expectations with zoning regulations. Eventually, they will use your plan to make a professional house plan.