Getting Started
" Royal Lime" by Phil Capen
Designing Your Dream Home
Good planning is an essential element of a successful project. Let's review the steps needed to create your perfect home plan. Whether you decide on a round Island Gal Home or an Island Gal Cottage, the following questions will help you on your way.
1. Prepare a Budget. Decide how much you can afford to spend on a new home. This decision will have an impact on nearly every decision you make regarding your design.
2. Decide on the style and size of your new home. Some factors will dictate what size, shape and style of house you can build on your land. Since you are building in paradise, the view is one important factor. Placement of the home on the site. The following are other things to take into consideration before you buy.
A. What size home, in square feet do you want?
1. How many bedrooms and baths.
2. Number and types of other rooms, i.e. great room, home theater, den,
office, etc.
B. How many levels do you want?
1. One story
2. Story and a half or split level
3. Two story or other - extra wings, attached garage
C. What type of foundation is appropriate?
1. Slab on grade
2. Crawl space
3. Piers or other
D. Determine your lifestyle. Your design should reflect your lifestyle.
1. Is your style formal or informal?
2. Do you prefer a lot of open space or smaller, cozier rooms?
3. Do you like having the family rooms together or is separate space for
adults and guests or children preferable?
E. You should also take other considerations in your basic design.
1. Traffic patterns throughout the house.
2. Is a large kitchen a must-have?
3. Placement of windows and doors to fully enjoy island living.
4. Location of special use rooms if desired, i.e. a gym, home theater.
F. The placement of your house on your land.
1. Is the view a prime consideration?
2. How large a house can you place on the lot?
3. Placement of the house with regard to entrance from the road.
G. Prioritize your needs and wants.
1. Gather ideas from magazines and what you have always dreamed of and
make a list of everything you want.
2. Label each item on your list as:
a. Items you absolutely must have in the home.
b. Items you would like to have, budget permitting, i.e. home theater,
fireplace, gym.
c. Things you dream about having in your home.
d. Items that can be added on later, i.e. decks, a pool.
Once you have completed the above, you are ready to consider developing your floorplan. Island Gal Homes wants to help you design the home of your dreams and can assist you in your floorplan design. Continue on to our Floorplan Development page to make some decisions that will help us help you.