Author Archives: HouseplanGuy

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Every new home begins with an idea followed by a house plan. The plan may in fact be the most important aspect surrounding the completion of your dream home. Here, we will cover the differences between purchasing a stock house plan and hiring an architect to design your home.

Most people will develop a budget for their home building project that needs to be strictly managed throughout the entire process. This budget always has the potential to seem thinner and thinner as the project progresses if the planning process becomes lengthy. This can be the case especially when one hires an architect to design their home. This method certainly has its place and although appealing in theory, this route may be more expensive than finding a house plan from a vast collection that already incorporates the elements that you are looking for in a home. In fact, buying a stock house plan will save you near 80% of the final costs compared to hiring an architect. At Monster House Plans, we even offer a cost-to-build feature that provides a rough estimate of what your home will cost in your zip code area. This useful feature takes out many financial surprises during the construction of your dream home. For this reason, staying on budget is our number one advantage.

Advantages of buying a house plan:

  • Higher level of flexibility found with buying a stock house plan. They are readily available and easily accessible.
  • Budget friendly and flexible to alterations
  • No hidden costs found with making adjustments. You search through numerous plans with varying features to find the perfect plan; therefore, the likelihood of making changes may be slimmer
  • Customizable features found with some building plans publishers, such as our professional staff and on-hand architect at Monster House Plans.
  • Time saving! Purchasing a house plan shortens the amount of time it takes to acquire the plan itself.

Advantages to consulting an Architect:

  • Architects will consult with you in person and draft based on your descriptions.
  • They may add unique flair to certain elements of the house (Although these features usually increase the cost of building the home)
  • Can design with building materials in mind when possible

However, all the advantages of consulting with an Architect can be equalized depending on where you purchase the house plan. For example, Monster House Plans maintains relationships with licensed architects and designers that you can contact if you should have any questions.

Blue Prints

Although building a home is not a quick and easy process, the process of planning the home can be much simpler than imagined. Finding what works best for one’s specific needs is essential. There are now many different house plans available to anyone. The diversity in available house plans ensures that you will be able to find the right plan with all the desired elements.

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Dream homes come in all shapes and sizes and when it comes to one’s log cabin dream home, there are certainly many options to choose from. Log cabins derive their beauty from the materials themselves as well as by the home’s breathtaking surroundings. Log Cabin style homes invoke the rustic and natural beauty of the wilderness and mountain environments while simultaneously bringing a sense of simplicity to the homeowner’s life. Many individuals choose to build their log cabin dream home as a vacation or getaway destination for friends and family. However, they later find themselves drawn to the comfort that is evoked by this home style. Log cabins maintain their beauty and only get more alluring as time passes. For this reason, they tend to stay within a family for generations. Building a log cabin home has become increasing popular for families everywhere.

Log cabins have the ability to incorporate numerous appealing details in their design. They can include the most extravagant amenities or be minimalist for a cozy home feel. Here we offer you a glimpse into 7 amazing styles of floor plans for log cabins. We are almost certain one is sure to become your next dream home.

  1. Hybrid floor plans: This style encompasses the combination of log and timber elements within the building process. This design generally will require a more technically savvy plan that focuses on the engineering aspects of the home in order to successfully incorporate both log walls and timber framing. This is a creative and structurally sound style to consider when building your log house.
  2. Ranch house plans: Ranch style log home plans provide a sense of comfort and flexibility that is accompanied with the simplicity found in its traditional elements. This style allows you to incorporate tasteful elements like high ceilings while simultaneously having the option to have a simple, one story build. The ranch style usually incorporates a rectangular design or an L shape that is usually front-faced. This style also usually does not incorporate porches, but is an addition that can be made easily. This design is focused on utilizing all the interior livable space.
  3. Lodge-style log home plans: Lodge-style log cabin homes embody extravagance at its best. This floor plan style incorporates the alluring elements that are usually found in a luxury vacation lodge. The lodge style is ideal for beautifully crafted covered entries, large ceilings, and large windows for natural lighting.
  4. Traditional log home floor plans: This simple yet functional style basically speaks for itself. Traditional log home floor plans are minimalist, inviting, and appealing. This style focuses on the originality found in historical log cabin builds. This home plan is often where many begin their search when beginning to build a log cabin. The style is also completely flexible, should any additional elements be desired for the design. This style will both withstand the traditional and rustic log cabin feel with its interior and exterior aspects.
  5. Single story log cabin homes: Single story plans are perfect fit for large construction lots. This style allows for the interior space to be planned out as broadly as possible. A large lot is ideal for a single story plan, as it allows for fluidity in planning communal and private living space within the home.
  6. Multiple story log cabin homes: This plan allows one to be as creative as possible with interior space. Communal living space and private living space are more clearly delineated in multiple story cabin homes. This style also lends itself to unique building elements such as 1st and 2nd story decks which increase the appeal and value of the home.
  7. Prow style floor plans: This floor plan crafts both wood and glass to make for an eye-catching architectural statement that is both entertaining and beautiful as it incorporates the beauty found within the location. This style is ideal for homes that have panoramic views due to the glorious windowing that creates a wide-open feel inside while also creating a visually appealing exterior.

Log Cabin

No matter what your preference or style is, it isn’t hard to fall in love with one if not all of the many options and styles found in the intimate and welcoming style of the log cabin. From log cabin luxury home plans to simplistic cozy homes, we invite you to start your journey in creating a dream home that will last more than a life time.

Click here to learn about our wide variety of house plans. We’re confident you’ll find one you’ll love!

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Ever gone to a new housing development and gone “I really like that this house is exactly the same as the one next door.” Or “I can’t wait to see the other three options?” Nope? Neither have we. A house should be as individual as the person that owns it. While some may like the idea of being in a community where everyone’s house/yard/tree looks exactly the same, it isn’t for everyone. That’s why many people opt to buy house plans and build their own castle rather than go with a planned development or community.

Not having the same shade of aubergine as the house five doors down is nice. And being able to add in a workshop or in-law suite where you want it is great. Now imagine your house being a completely different style. Like colonial but live in Alaska? Live in Texas but not a rancher at heart? No problem. With Monster House Plans, you can access any of our over 23,000 house plans to find the one that fits your dreams and your budget.

Ordering a house plan from us is as simple as point and click. Hop on to our Monster Search; choose the plan type you want (single family, duplex, etc.); select your foundation type (basement, crawlspace, pier, etc.); optimal square footage; desired style (Georgian, Mediterranean, Victorian, and more); and whichever add-ons and features you want, and see what we have available. Love the sweeping grandeur of Gone with the Wind? Take a look at our selection of plans with grand entrances and plantation-style houses. Once you find the one you want, just head to the check out and once it is processed we will ship it directly to you within 1-2 business days.

But why buy a house plan when you could have a custom built house? On average, buying a house plan means saving approximately 80% of what it would cost to hire an architect, and while these houses are really cool, not everyone can afford an architect’s fee. As well, with our cost-to-build software, for a small fee, we can estimate for you what it will take to build the home of your dreams, which means fewer surprises for you down the road. Not to mention, our plans can be customized to meet the zoning requirements of the area you live in, so there is no worry about your house not being up to spec.

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 Buying a house plan is an affordable way to create the house you’ve always dreamed of and with the Internet and companies like us, it is easier than ever to find that style that speaks to you. Cookie cutter houses and carbon copy developments are not for everyone, and the best houses are those that truly feel like they are your home. Choosing to buy a house plan gives a person the freedom to choose how they want to live, with none of the restrictions of planned communities. So be unique, and see which style tickles your fancy. Log cabin in Sarasota, anyone?

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You look at brochures and scour different sites online and think, wouldn’t it be great to live in a log cabin? Yes, it would… maybe. Yet there are a number of issues to investigate seriously to see if this romantic idea will be worth the hassle. Issues such as should you buy a pre-built or purchase log home plans and build from scratch.

First, is it even feasible? Can you really live in a log cabin… unless you own real estate on a beach? The promotional brochure looks idyllic, and claims to be beautiful in any setting, but is a log home plan even functional? Is it really practical in a climate more than 10 degrees north of the equator? Aren’t you just asking to freeze to death?

Secondly, what’s the purpose of your log cabin? A permanent residence or a vacation home? A couples’ getaway place or an alternate family gathering location? The answer to this question will determine the square footage needs of your log home plan and the quantity and quality of features to include in your design. At some point, one needs to ask the question, “How much money do I want to spend building a log home?” A large gathering place for your family as you and your children grow older may mean you are essentially building a second home, not a simple log cabin getaway. There is almost no agreement on the cost of building a log home versus a conventional home, some indicating it is less expensive and other identifying higher costs.

Part of the reason for the cost debate is because one needs to understand what is and is not included in the package. Most log home builders provide a cost for a cabin’s shell as described in the log home plan. Yet cupboards, cabinets, closets, etc. are necessary for the home to be liveable and those are often additional to your basic price estimate. The type of roof, quantity and quality of extra features, windows and other accessories obviously affect the cost also.

Finally, when it comes to the cost of a log home, while you may intend this to be the family gathering place for the next 50-100 years, you will pass off the scene and the next generations may wish to sell the cabin. Since you don’t know what will be trendy years down the road, the more unique features included in your log home plan, the more problematic it may be for resale value. Just because you didn’t need a “front door” but chose an open deck at the front of the house in 2012, doesn’t mean that will be appealing 50 or 75 years down the road to buyers. If there are a few of those quirky features, you might leave your family with some great memories but some awkward resale explanations.

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Log home plans can be a beautiful idea! A log home can be a one-of-a-kind, durable, energy efficient and environmentally friendly home for generations to come. Yet wisdom urges a person to thoughtfully consider a number of issues before investing in this picturesque venture. At Monster House Plans, we offer beautiful log home plans to consider for you and your family’s future!

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Building a home is one of the most daunting tasks a family will ever go through. There are so many questions, so many unknowns and a tremendous amount of anxiety over what and how to build your dream. And always, the penultimate desire is to have the best possible home for the best possible cost. More and more, people are turning to the positive benefits afforded by the smaller home to address these concerns. Plans for smaller homes are becoming increasingly available and growing more popular all the time. The demand for small house plans is growing steadily and their popularity illustrates this shift in consumer preferences. It is becoming well-known that small house plans are the ideal place to start when embarking on the foray into building a home to suit your dreams.

With so many unknowns and variables, more and more people are choosing to go with smaller domiciles. The smaller house has a lot of merit when compared with some of the truly massive miniature castles on the market today. With growing concerns over energy consumption, ecological footprints and green living, the smaller home is often an answer to these concerns in and of itself. The idea that “bigger is better” is falling by the wayside in a cultural movement that calls for more responsible stewardship of our limited, and thus precious resources. The smaller house, like the smaller car, is by its very nature not only more affordable to you, but also less costly for our already overtaxed, overburdened environment. These are the kind of careful considerations designers and architects are now putting into their small house plans with you, the consumer, in mind.

Having considered how smaller homes offer an answer to many of the concerns and anxieties that arise when you first begin to contemplate building a home, let’s take a closer look into the benefits of small house plans. House plans are now widely offered through a variety of venues from hardware stores to online, searchable archives such as on offer through Monster House Plans. With 23 556 plans available on our site alone, you, the consumer have a great array of choices to suit your needs and ideas. In keeping with the philosophy of the smaller home, small house plans abound. These plans are carefully drawn up considering the best possible stylistic, architectural and construction options available through the work of leaders in the industry.

While searching through our small house plans you can rest assured you are looking through the best in what the housing design world has to offer. Efficiency is absolutely key. With the amount of knowledge and expertise that has been used in the development of house plans over the many years of their existence, these plans have grown steadily more refined. Redundancies have been cleared away. New techniques and technologies are considered. All in all, the value contained within the small house plans available rivals that of much more costly custom designs.

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When you are looking for the best possible smaller home for the best possible cost, small house plans are clearly worth your consideration. At Monster House Plans, we have a vast selection of small house plans for you to choose from.

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Many small children spend their time looking around, examining, wondering and thinking about their surroundings. Sometimes, it is merely: “My, these walls are tall and that ceiling is far away.” And sometimes it is along the lines of: “What is between the ceiling and the sloping roof that is above the ceiling? I know where the ceiling ends in conjunction with the outside view of my home, and from the outside I can see the shape of the roof and where it starts, and from there I may deduce that the ceiling is not an accurate representation of the space in my home…so what really is between the ceiling and the pointed top of my roof?” Well, as many children later learn, this would be the attic. The attic is a common feature in many house floor plans, though depending on the culture, fashion and utility, the attic may not exist at all!

For one, the utility of an attic depends largely on the climate of the region in which it is being built and will be shown in the house floor plans being used to build one’s home. In snowy climes, where winter reigns often throughout the year, one may often see steep steeples on almost all the homes in order to prevent snow from piling up and collapsing the roof (much to the detriment of many people inside). While hot air rises, it will always pile into the attic and diffuse into the air around the house. To prevent this, every good house plan will include placement of turbine ventilators or exhaust fans and total area of the attic ventilation must be equal or greater to 1/150th of the floor area of the attic, with at least half of those vents in the upper half of the attic. This prevents the buildup or moisture and heat so that mold growth and wood decay does not occur as fast. Never thought an attic could be so complicated, huh?

Enough about attics! The main purpose of house floor plans are to give the builder, consumer or renter a sense of what they are, quite literally, getting into. After all, a blueprint for a house could be completely nonsensical, if being contrived by an amateur. And attempting to read a blueprint could be a very confusing task for the uninitiated, though given time and a little thought, any amateur could discern a doorway from a wall! The point is that while there are oodles of house plans to choose from, there will only be one in which you will live with for a very long time (unless you are a builder or someone who is building properties to rent).

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Assuming you are building your home with the intention of living there for a very long time, you should really do the research into which house floor plans will work for you. No matter what house floor plans you are considering, we have a variety to choose from, for a variety of locations.

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Bachelor, bachelorette or even a small family, small house plans can be extremely effective for anyone starting a life and looking for their first home. It is for good reason that North Americans think that all Japanese people live in cramped dwellings: many of them do. But they make a smaller dwelling work no matter how many people live there. The Swedish company Ikea develops entire interiors based on the intelligent use of space. Using the concepts that those two cultures developed, a North American home could have a highly efficient use of space while retaining comfort.

Small-House-PlansCabinets with sliding doors or doors that do not open outwards are one hallmark of both cultures that provide an effective use of space. Notice how the Japanese use sliding rice paper doors. While rice paper may not be everyone’s choice of door material, the concept is very useful: doors remain in the wall and do not open out or in, allowing for the space usually reserved for the door’s path to be used. For small house plans, it is hugely important to use every square foot available in the home.

Many appliances are made for the reason of saving space in small house plans, and ones plans should take into consideration the size of those appliances before planning. While the trade-off for smaller, space-saving appliances may be smaller loads, if with washers, dryers and dishwashers, it also means that there is less energy and water used in each load and a faster cleaning time. One will only have to do more loads, but laundry is fairly easy!

A small and permanent home for a small family, single person or couple can be a great investment for saving on heating bills. The smaller the space, the smaller amount of heat needed to warm it. A wood-burning fireplace could heat a small space cheaper than natural gas, and with the right construction of the fireplace and vents, it’s possible to not need much wood during winter seasons or colder days. Small house plans mean a smaller impact on the environment, both physically where construction materials are concerned and emotionally with overcrowding in urban and suburban areas. The amount of electricity, gas and sewage used and produced is lesser, again meaning a smaller impact on the environment. Combined with a wise architect and good interior designer skilled with space saving efficiency, ones homes could be both small and comfortable. See us today about your small house plans needs.

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Do you often feel you should have a wonderful place as your home, a place which exclusivelycustomized house plans belongs to you and reflects your style, preferences and persona? Do you think a home is not only an asset which you can buy and sell as necessary but a personal space which you’re eager to return after a long, exhausting day at work? No matter how many restaurants, clubs and malls emerge in the city, the feeling of ‘being home’ can be achieved nowhere else but your house and designing it with your very own house floor plans can help you make it a true sanctuary.

Monster House Floor Plans is here to transform your everyday into a tangible slice of heaven that is sure to leave lasting memories. We offer you more 230,000 floor plans to fit your style, budget and needs perfectly. Finding your dream house could be just a few clicks away! You may ask, “Why should I choose Monster House Floor Plans over others?”

Firstly, we offer you an amazing variety of house floor plans to browse through. Now you do not need to browse through dozens of websites and hundreds of floor plans to find the right match. We have every type and styles of home you can imagine, all in one convenient place. We save your time and resources with a user-friendly database that will assist you to filter your search through only features you care about. Thousands of floor plans can be scary but you don’t need to review them all, just the ones that fit your criteria.

Our site offers you the ability to save your favorite house floor plans to a list that you can review at any time. This will make is easy to review your options with your spouse or you builder. Even if you do not have a good idea of what style or the design elements you want for your would-be house, our company can help first-timer home builders narrow down their options or even just navigate the site more effectively. If you’re not sure about what design features you need, our ‘quick search feature’ will help you by introducing a wide range of floor house plans which you can then choose and customize according to your requirements.

At Monster Floor Plans, the house floor plans have been conceived and designed by the best architectural experts that North America has to offer. We believe in customer satisfaction and service which means we make sure our customers get their floor plans within days, not weeks. Placing your order with us means you saw plans within your budget that meets your criteria. You won’t have to wonder “What if?” because we guarantee that if it’s not in our database then it isn’t worth seeing!

There are many house floor plan designers on the market today but if you want to utilize the largest selection with the best customer service available, you are going to want to talk to us. Check us out online to begin your floor plan search today and see what you’ve been missing.

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Remember the days when we used to use floppy disks to store data, accessed the internet through a dial-up connection, and rented movies from an actual video store? If the memory of these scenarios seems hazy, that’s because those days are far behind us. Now we have compact USB sticks/hard drives to store data, we have broadband and high DSL internet connections, and we rent our movies online or through our cable provider. There are many examples to choose from of technologies and processes that have evolved significantly, and have had a huge impact on our daily lives, but one important example is also connected to improving our home life. This is the ability to view high-tech house plans when we are looking to construct a new house.

evolving-technology-house-plansJust a few years ago, our best option in this situation was to look at a typical 2D computer generated stock plan. Sure, this gave us an idea of what the floor plan of our future home could look like, but it didn’t bring the design to life. Now, through companies like Monster House Plans, new intelligent 3D house plans are being used to show customers how truly liveable their new home will be. For the first time, you can actually envision what walking through your brand new house will be like!

Much like the difference between a smart phone and a basic cell phone, these new 3D house plans open up a brand new world of accessibility to potential homebuyers. Imagine owning a smart phone, and then having to go back to a regular cell phone where you can no longer browse the internet and connect to social networks? You would feel like you were left behind in the dark ages. Similarly, the difference between a 2D and 3D house plan can have a huge impact on how you feel about your potential new home and whether it will reflect your unique personality.

How else can you get the full picture of the designer’s vision and style, and judge whether your vision matches? With these types of house plans, you can see multiple different perspectives and vantage points of both the interior and exterior of the building that you hope to make your home sweet home! With a combination of 3D perspective, and specific construction detail that doesn’t even require additional software, these plans offer an in-depth look at the potential constructability of your desired new home.

Three dimensional house plans also allow you to preview and alter material finish selections throughout the entire modeling process. You can be sure you are receiving the highest standard when it comes to the construction of your home, and that you will receive accurate material reports. You will have the ability to make quick additions to the custom design and fix specifications to fit your unique personal style!

Who wouldn’t want an in-depth, aerial view of the building that has the potential to be their home for decades to come? If you are a young home buyer who is used to using technology that can give you access to everything you need to know, it might be a good idea to check out our 3D house plans. You never know when a model or design will capture your heart!

Click here to learn more about our house plans; we’re confident you’ll find one you love!

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When you think of a scene from a storybook, what do you think of? For many people, it seems that the image of a cottage or cabin nestled in the woods somewhere is what first pops into their mind. Often, this is a log cabin, rustic and beautiful with a charming atmosphere that both comforts a person and fills them with awe and mystery.  This is a beautiful picture and one that can fill you with nostalgia about your childhood, a time when you were so transfixed and enchanted by stories like Little Red Riding Hood, and Hansel and Gretel that you wished you could be in them. Once you are an adult, it is hard to get that feeling back. But what if your home in real life was modeled after one of those log cabins? What if you could have the ideal blend of the novelty of a traditional cabin with the convenience of modern features inside? If this idea appeals to you, then it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to look into modern day log floor plans that could make this fantasy become a reality!

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Whether you live in an urban area of a city or own your own acreage miles away from any city life, the unique escapism you could feel living in a log home could be a priceless addition to your daily life. However, you wouldn’t want it to feel like too rustic of an experience either. You don’t want to feel like you are camping every day. Comfort is a major thing that one should look for in a home. Well, if the look of a traditional log cabin appeals to you, but you don’t want to have to worry about living in something shabby, then you no longer need to worry! With modern Log home Plans, you can design a state of the art living space.

You might wonder how it works. Well, many modern day log home plans come in kits, which are already drawn, and include modern day conveniences. Through the use of these kits, you can create a home that is comfortable, efficient, and reflects your style, while still maintaining the novelty of having a rustic, log cabin-like appearance. Plus, you will save money on architectural fees because the plans are pre-designed anyway! The logs that are used to build the home are usually already grooved to accommodate electrical wiring. They will also protect your home from unruly weather and unwanted insects. You can even get log home plan financing if you so desire, making this a convenient and cost-efficient option for almost anyone!

With log home plans, you are bound to be happy with the house you end up creating. Certainly, you won’t be the bitter and malicious villain of the fairy tale, but instead the prince or princess, happy in your enchanted throne, which can range in size from cabin-size to the size of a mountain lodge. If you want to stick with tradition, but give it a modern edge, then a log home plan from us is the right way to go for you!

Click here to learn more about the variety of house plans we have to offer!