.png "Modern Unique Home Plan Under 2000 Sq Ft")
Designers Comments "A Work In Progress"
Always check with your building department on these comments as there can be differences of opinions on building codes, zoning ordinances and check which Building Codes your building department is using.
Number one and foremost - these are not Computer Generated Generic Plans. Almost too much human thought has been put into this design (thats my nature). The design will be evolving in due time as more of these are built. New fresh ideas will be welcomed to help perfect the design for others to enjoy. I will be interacting with customers as much as I can. This is not a 1 and done project for me, I will be attached to this design as a mother is to her son. This is my baby (so to speak) and I'm hoping to see the Urban Legend Design grow and improve over time.
Owning many homes with very steep roofs (impossible to walk on) and not being good with heights, its reassuring knowing that I can easily walk on this roof to inspect, maintain and clean, broom, power blow or power spray. The incline is negligible (5” per 20’) but enough to drain water. Accumulation of limbs, seeds (debris from trees) has always been a problem and accumulation of this stuff is never good and is now a breeze to clean off. Cleaning gutters from the roof is now possible and easier (although still recommended from a ladder). Disadvantages, Honestly - the only one I can think of is losing attic space in the trusses area (which I never used because insulation was so thick I couldn’t lay anything up there anyways. Attic space to me was useless anyways.
Developing Comments:
*Most building departments will use side yard setbacks starting from the basement wall to the side property yard line (usually both cantilivered side build-outs do not count when measuring for side yard setbacks).
*This Building Design was created and built using the Michigan 2015 Building Code in Zone 5 for Energy Code. (Again check what Building Code your City/Township or County is using.
*The Original Design calls for a 20' wide basement which means the 2x12 Joists were 19'9" long (with (2) 1-1/2" outside rim joists on each side = total 3"). Well I thought to myself, why cut 3" off of a very expensive 20' joist (especially since there are approximately 99 of them). So, if you can cut off 3" and make the total length 20' OR you can use the ENTIRE 20' joist with 1 1/2" 2x12 rim joist on each side and make the basement exactly 20'3" wide. This does not affect the joist span length on SPF or Southern Pine 2x12s (Span Charts). Again why throw away 3" on each 2x12 joist (they are very expensive).
The same approach can be done with the 2 car and 1 car garage (a more detailed explanation will be included with each set of drawings purchased).
*The Original Design calls for 48' length and this works fine but a nice idea would be to make the length an even 50' and adding 1' to each end (1' added in living room and 1' for bedrooms at the other end). Ideal.
*Check your lot size before purchasing this beautiful design. Basic home is 20'W x 48' L. SETBACK REQUIREMENTS are crucial. For instance Garden City, MI REQUIRES 30' front setback, 35' rear setback and total of 15' on side yard set back (minimum 3' on 1 side and a total of 12'). In this munincipality the home itself would need a minimum lot depth of 113' (with Garage/s 123' would work. Check your town or counties "set back" requirements.
* P.S. - Get the Setback Requirements "in writing" - as I made the mistake of getting a VERBAL telling of the setback requirements, which was wrong. This caused me much anquish as I had no proof.
*Thoughts of putting a 2nd story deck on top of the 2 Car Garage with Clear Glass Railings with access from 2nd Story hallway at top of stairway - working on that idea.
*Possible to do brick on entire front and aprox. 2' on front sides of House and Garage's as the front facades have room to tuck brick on underside - working on that idea. For now prints are for vinyl siding.