Many people will choose an existing house plan from a builder - perhaps with their own extensive customisations and tweaks - and others will choose to have a house designed from the ground up for their tastes by an architect or building designer. Either way, if you’re getting a house built it really pays to understand what's involved, how to liaise with architects and building designers, and how to interpret house plans.
When it comes to planning your house, nothing’s more important than communication. If you’re buying a house from an existing design, it’s important that you’re absolutely clear about every last detail – and that you’re dealing with someone who’s prepared to make sure everything’s as clear as possible.. If you’re getting a house built from scratch, communication’s even more important.
Finding an architect or building designer who both understands exactly what you want and who can translate your vision into the kind of house you’re going to love is vital. The choice you make about who you’ll work with isn’t something you should rush! Getting your head around house plans is a pretty sensible idea too – their purpose is to communicate very clearly to the builder exactly what should be built and how.
While the basics are normally fairly obvious, being able to make sense of house plans may help you to identify miscommunications, and to better understand the building process. Read our articles below for advice on how to turn your ideas into plans – and on how to understand those plans.
