Best/Free online house plan designer/creator

**Iowagriz** · 10-30-2018, 11:31 AM

Searched without luck and yes, I'll eventually have to hire a pro to get to a buildable plan.

But, dreaming about building our next house. Have been touring open houses and getting ideas and want to put them into something viewable. Would like to design myself, or have the ability to take a current plan and modify to fit our needs (I have a plan in mind).

Anyone have anything that they currently use for fun?

**Foggy_Goggles** · 10-30-2018, 12:08 PM

I'm interested in this also. I've used Sketch Up a bit but it isn't particular to home design. The architect I use just tells me to do it on graph paper. I don't know your expertise/background and it sounds like you are in the preliminary/fucking around phase, but don't let an architectural picture of a house drive your design unless you have deep pockets. There are some good rules of thumb regarding structural spans, roof design, MEP and such that should be the primary consideration. For example, every corner beyond 4 probably adds about $15K.

**Iowagriz** · 10-30-2018, 12:18 PM

My initial work was using Excel. Made each cell approx same visual width and height (w=2.14 h=15)

Then I took a house that we really liked and recently walked thru during an open house. I had some basic measurements of this place, but it is about 400sq too big for us. Once I duplicated what I think that house is, then I started pulling some square footage out of the plan. I think that I'm fairly close....

Good tips on the corners adding cost. I assume that is the outside of the house corners for 15k?

**nickwm21** · 10-30-2018, 01:22 PM

Sketchup. Draw plan view wall lines as a single line, then use the offset tool to give it thickness.

You could also drop in an image file of plan view of a similar house you want to emulate, adjust it to scale, then build off that and make changes.

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**DJSapp** · 10-30-2018, 01:55 PM

3rd to sketchup. There's thousands of youtube videos to teach you the basics. Pretty simple program to get 3D concepts modeled. Then it can get a lot more complex

**RootSkier** · 10-30-2018, 05:00 PM

Yeah, Sketchup is the answer. It does not take that long to get to a point where you can accurately draw even relatively complex concepts.

Also, since your post contemplates lifting an already-built design: https://www.archdaily.com/328870/the...ral-copyrights

**Iowagriz** · 11-01-2018, 01:18 PM

Thanks all - I'll give Sketch-up a try.

I'm all for giving credit and $$ where due, but how do I look thru the millions of online house plans to find the starting point for this house? Or, others that I've walked thru. The online house plan sites are a real pain to try to find what I'm looking for.

**iceman** · 11-01-2018, 02:02 PM

If you know the rooms you want and the approximate sizes it can help to make some to-scale paper cutouts and play with putting them together in different ways so you can get an idea of where you're trying to go before you get into sketchup

**I've seen black diamonds!** · 11-01-2018, 02:03 PM

https://minecraft.net/en-us/

**VTeton** · 11-01-2018, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

If you know the rooms you want and the approximate sizes it can help to make some to-scale paper cutouts and play with putting them together in different ways so you can get an idea of where you're trying to go before you get into sketchup

BigDaddy recommended that to us and it worked really well.

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**iceman** · 11-01-2018, 04:26 PM

Foggy mentioned this, corners are expensive. Try to minimize corners. And it's a lot cheaper per sq. ft. to build a second floor than it is to build a bigger first floor. And if possible try to group plumbing together in a central-ish location, the idea of a "service core" where heat/AC electric and plumbing are located together is a good one. Less ductwork and less pipes means less money, and putting stuff all in one place saves space.

**Iowagriz** · 11-01-2018, 04:45 PM

What is the rule of thumb for basements? Walkout/Daylight for sure. We are getting old, so ranch style main floor is attractive.

I suppose a slab floor with extra bedrooms upstairs and master on the main floor is the alternative.

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**Slopetime** · 11-01-2018, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

Foggy mentioned this, corners are expensive. Try to minimize corners. And it's a lot cheaper per sq. ft. to build a second floor than it is to build a bigger first floor. And if possible try to group plumbing together in a central-ish location, the idea of a "service core" where heat/AC electric and plumbing are located together is a good one. Less ductwork and less pipes means less money, and putting stuff all in one place saves space.

Corners may add to cost, but they also add to the aesthetics of the design. Boxes are OK, but they have to be very very well proportioned boxes to be aesthetically pleasing and not everyone wants a box. Just my opinion.

**iceman** · 11-01-2018, 05:05 PM

Slopetime I totally agree but it's just something to keep in mind. I'm not advocating square houses, just awareness of consequences.

lowa, yeah spare bedrooms up is wise in terms of dollars. Also makes centralizing mechanical stuff easier. Walkouts can be great if you're gonna use them. I find I mostly stay on the main level here despite a kickass entertainment area being just downstairs but maybe I'm just lazy.

**Buster Highmen** · 11-01-2018, 05:10 PM

Iceman hit the utility clustering: have all the plumbing and major HVAC in one column in order to optimize costs.
Basement is same as second floor: good sqft value for the money.

We put in a vertical duct from the highest part of the house down into the basement so we can move the solar generated heat accumulated during the day down into the basement in the late afternoon.

**Slopetime** · 11-01-2018, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

Slopetime I totally agree but it's just something to keep in mind. I'm not advocating square houses, just awareness of consequences.

lowa, yeah spare bedrooms up is wise in terms of dollars. Also makes centralizing mechanical stuff easier. Walkouts can be great if you're gonna use them. I find I mostly stay on the main level here despite a kickass entertainment area being just downstairs but maybe I'm just lazy.

Yep, as construction costs escalate, everything needs to be thought thru for placement. Simpler forms are becoming more the norm.

I'm in the design world and as I get older I've tried to simplify my designs: bolder, cleaner, better, simpler proportions and shapes.

**::: :::** · 11-01-2018, 06:33 PM

please delay your rush to the cost calculator

instead
prioritize your spatial needs (what activities are you trying to house) & write them down with sizes [it's ok to get them wrong first time thru]
develop layouts that address those specifically
put furniture in the spaces and arrange each piece carefully
re-edit for efficiency in the spaces
re-edit for allowing for nice spaces (don't put the front door in the living room; don't have openings on 3 of 4 walls in a room; don't try to make every room open to every other room)
re-edit for simplicity
create a simple diagram of the circulation (fewer hallways the better)
locate the stair, if there is one, in a spot that maximizes its use on all floors it serves
avoid redundant hallways; prioritize program space
re-edit for 3-dimensional sensibility (don't just extrude spaces vertically & call it good)
develop a palette of materials that are natural and emblematic of the locale (building tradition, style, culture)
avoid manufactured materials, if you can, just like at the grocery store

come up with a modest proposal for the spaces you want - the construction using nice materials will be expensive enough
a modest house well designed will be far more satisfying to live in than one that was maxed out on a proforma to squeeze in as many "features" as possible

cycle thru the steps as much as you need to to get to the balance of nice spaces at a reasonable size & price

**Slopetime** · 11-01-2018, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by acinpdx

please delay your rush to the cost calculator

instead
prioritize your spatial needs (what activities are you trying to house) & write them down with sizes [it's ok to get them wrong first time thru]
develop layouts that address those specifically
put furniture in the spaces and arrange each piece carefully
re-edit for efficiency in the spaces
re-edit for allowing for nice spaces (don't put the front door in the living room; don't have openings on 3 of 4 walls in a room; don't try to make every room open to every other room)
re-edit for simplicity
create a simple diagram of the circulation (fewer hallways the better)
locate the stair, if there is one, in a spot that maximizes its use on all floors it serves
avoid redundant hallways; prioritize program space
re-edit for 3-dimensional sensibility (don't just extrude spaces vertically & call it good)
develop a palette of materials that are natural and emblematic of the locale (building tradition, style, culture)
avoid manufactured materials, if you can, just like at the grocery store

come up with a modest proposal for the spaces you want - the construction using nice materials will be expensive enough
a modest house well designed will be far more satisfying to live in than one that was maxed out on a proforma to squeeze in as many "features" as possible

cycle thru the steps as much as you need to to get to the balance of nice spaces at a reasonable size & price

Good plan of attack. I'd add think about how long you planning on living there ? Needs change every 5-7 years or so it seems. Plan for potential changes/ repurposing of spaces in the future if you plan on planting a flag. The shorter the period you plan on living there, the more important resale features are.

**abraham** · 11-01-2018, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

And if possible try to group plumbing together in a central-ish location, the idea of a "service core" where heat/AC electric and plumbing are located together is a good one. Less ductwork and less pipes means less money, and putting stuff all in one place saves space.

I was visiting family friends last month in Sweden and found out all the heating in their town is from heat exchangers and hot water pipes from a centrally located power plant. So they had no furnace or hot water heater, just two heat exchangers and I think they could get away with one in the house. They said it made it more practical to reduce emissions too, since the town just had to invest in a system in a central location, not something at every house. And they were a ways out in the country but still connected to the heating grid.

**::: :::** · 11-01-2018, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Slopetime

Good plan of attack. I'd add think about how long you planning on living there ? Needs change every 5-7 years or so it seems. Plan for potential changes/ repurposing of spaces in the future if you plan on planting a flag. The shorter the period you plan on living there, the more important resale features are.

While it’s good to think ahead long term, I’m going to respectfully disagree with planning for resale.

It changes the raison d’etre for the house. You end up designing it for someone else. Who that person is is a mystery. So, you end up trying to please someone you don’t even know and will likely just do things that some buyer will want to undo, meanwhile watering down the best moments that will make this house yours.

Simplify your design goals. Design for someone you know: you. Invest in yourself with integrity of layout and materials that suit you.

Be realistic about the prospects for staying in this location. If it really is less than 7 yrs and the site is not an obviously and historically guaranteed area of increasing property value, you should reconsider the goals of this effort. Maybe just buy something that is likely to hold value. Construction is more expensive than most people expect. There is a common misconception that a house is a commodity like an iPhone. Every house is unique even if its difference is in how a generic plan is adapted to a given site or climate.

If you are intending to flip the property, then you have a different client and project goals and need to cater to that end and just put up with living in someone else’s house for a while until you can sell.

If all these things are overwhelming, get help from a home designer or architect or design/build company that has a history of quality work.

**EWG** · 11-01-2018, 11:10 PM

Bunch of dentists designing houses. Excellent. Based on the advice here, apparently a round house with no corners and a shaft in the middle for plumbing and HVAC is optimal. Enjoy living in your bike wheel.

A few things:
Sketchup is exactly what many, many architects use in early stages of design. It's not often you can use what the pros use. It'll take a while to get used to it. Do it - it's free for home use. It's worth it so you can move around in 3D. Unless you do it for a living, it's hard to visualize flat drawings, so 3D is invaluable.

Edgar Allen Poe once said: when you tell a short story, have one single point and make every word you use reinforce that point. Do that. First, figure out what your home will be about. Entertaining? Sustainability? Views? The family living space? Sleeping? Doesn't matter, but make that choice first. Then make sure everything reinforces that.

You get several secondary priorities. Choose those, create spaces that allow those to work, but make sure they don't screw up the most important thing. (ie, if your home is about views first, then entertaining, don't put a bar in front of the best windows)

Smaller and better is better than bigger and crappier.

Tall ceilings are always worth it.

Design for your climate.

Make sure there is an easy place for you to put everything. Everyone thinks they will walk three rooms over to put things away. They don't. Have your home make your daily tasks simple and easy.

Don't worry too much about using something you find online as a starting point. As architects know, almost everything ever designed is a derivative of something that the designer saw. Just don't rip it off whole hog.

I'd say hire a professional, like I tell most people who ask, but it's different here. Mount your own fucking bindings. Good luck, and feel free to ask anything. I'll monitor the thread and help out where I can.

**Foggy_Goggles** · 11-02-2018, 06:16 AM

Oh snap, we got some bad ass architects in the house! Actually, I generally agree with what you guys say about prioritizing the function of the house and making livable spaces. You guys have a hard job, it get that. As I've said before, I don't really know where architect stops and engineer starts. Here is what I see a lot. Custom houses that make me think, "why would you do that?". For example, I have been helping a friend of mine dry in a custom timber frame up here in the 80478. It has zero exterior doors or entries on gable ends, under dormers or otherwise protected. I has a large deck enclosed on three sides with 75% of the 12/12 metal roof draining on to this. So without throwing the profession under the bus, who's fault is this?

The world is full of perfectly functional houses. Not everyone has to be new and different from a design standpoint.

Either fit the house to the site or the site to the house. Super important. I see so many north facing decks. Sweet!

Every decision has a cost impact. Don't run away from this. Make sure your "design professionals" are away of this.

Walkouts can be a great depending on the lot. Basements are questionable. Concrete and roofs are expensive. Wood is cheap.

Finish costs are pretty linear with square footage.

**Iowagriz** · 11-02-2018, 07:08 AM

What do I need to know about a wall of windows?

In my mind, it is the currently popular open concept kitchen and living/dining area. One big room, approx 35' wall that I want full of windows. 9 or 10' ceiling, so not really floor to ceiling windows. Call it 6' square solid panes. This would be a Montana house.

I assume I would need to sink big $$ into amazing windows to keep heating costs in check and to keep that size of a room heated/cooled year-round. I know this gets done, but don't know if this is a futile design effort given moderate costs. $400-500k build budget before land

**iceman** · 11-02-2018, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by beece

Bunch of dentists designing houses. Excellent.

At least one of the guys you're getting catty about is an architect. Others of us have been clients of them multiple times, and have built -and lived in- the results.

Why don't you go design an ornamental cupola, maybe that will make you feel better.

**iceman** · 11-02-2018, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by Iowagriz

What do I need to know about a wall of windows?

In my mind, it is the currently popular open concept kitchen and living/dining area. One big room, approx 35' wall that I want full of windows. 9 or 10' ceiling, so not really floor to ceiling windows. Call it 6' square solid panes. This would be a Montana house.

I assume I would need to sink big $$ into amazing windows to keep heating costs in check and to keep that size of a room heated/cooled year-round. I know this gets done, but don't know if this is a futile design effort given moderate costs. $400-500k build budget before land

I mean, good windows are expensive and they'll definitely impact your heating and cooling costs significantly.