Need Help With Building Custom Home/Obtaining Blueprints from a local builder (Atlanta: work)

[kagmypts]

We are in the very initial stages of building a custom home. We were walking through some new houses today and fell in love with a particular floor plan from Pulte. We would love to use this floor plan as the starting point for our architect (we have not even begun the interview process yet). Any ideas how to go about obtaining the blueprints (we are happy to pay Pulte for them if they are interested in selling them)? Also, since we do want to make changes to the floor plan, is it worth buying the blueprints since our architect will need to redraw them anyway? Please help!

Thank you!

[rohlendorf]

Do you have a brochure with the approximate room dimensions? Or do you know what the name of the Pulte Model was, and in what subdivision?

[BobKovacs]

Pulte will not sell you their blueprints, and btw, most decent architects wouldn't accept them anyway because you'd be viloating copyright regulations by using them- even as a "starting point". There have been several cases in the past of people copying a house design, and even with modifications to the plan, the original designer was still able to sue and collect for copyright infringement.

Your best bet if you really want to base your design around one of Pulte's plans would be to hand the architect the 8 1/2 x 11 marketing floorplan from the sales office, point out what you like about it, and let the architect take it from there.

[kagmypts]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Pulte will not sell you their blueprints, and btw, most decent architects wouldn't accept them anyway because you'd be viloating copyright regulations by using them- even as a "starting point". There have been several cases in the past of people copying a house design, and even with modifications to the plan, the original designer was still able to sue and collect for copyright infringement.

Your best bet if you really want to base your design around one of Pulte's plans would be to hand the architect the 8 1/2 x 11 marketing floorplan from the sales office, point out what you like about it, and let the architect take it from there.

Thank you for the response. If Pulte were to sell the blue prints, obviously one of the terms of the sale would be a release from their copyright. However, I agree that having Pulte sell the blue prints would be next to impossible. Thank you!

[premiereinspections]

There are some good architects in the ATL and I would suggest that you interview some of them and see what designs that they already have on file that may suit your needs and modify to make the house plan yours. Be mindful that once you get the plan, the builder will be the next step. The Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, CPHB certified builder will be your better choice of builder. You may want to hire a home inspector to help you stay on top of the construction process from you vantage point to ensure that good construction practices are used and that current codes are complied with. (There may be some code violations that may get by the City or County inspectors and if you are unaware of the current codes, they will not be dealt with depending on the builder and jurisdiction you are building in.) The State of Georgia has Mandatory Building Codes that may only be added to but not diluted by any municipality or jurisdiction. <mod cut- no advertising>

Good Luck!

[rohlendorf]

[SIZE=2]Here is the basic first floor of the Avalon. With no dimensions it’s a little more difficult to create but I think that it’s fairly close. It’s not a “bad” plan but I think that you should really take a closer look at the actual house and the drawing. Most “models” do not put ample furniture in place or consider openings.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]A few areas to consider altering:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]NOOK[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2] The doors open inward, very awkward. I would suggest double wide (72” total) French Doors that would open “out” onto a Porch. (I don’t have any pictures of the rear of the house, but that’s what I would consider. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]GREAT ROOM[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]The bow window is not bad but there is no exit to the rear porch or slab without going through the kitchen. I would square up the wall and push it out about 36”. To it I would add a couple sets of French Doors with transoms and I would move the fireplace to the center of that wall. I would move the entertainment niche more centered on its current wall and add some built in cabinets or shelves on either side. The current fireplace with the entertainment niche alongside is awkward if you really take a good look at it.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]These are just a couple of things I would look at if I were building this house. For 3380 sq as listed, there’s a lot of wasted space. Don’t get me wrong, I know that “open” feeling is important, and that can be achieved without wasting space.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]LIVING[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]I would make this an OFFICE or modify this entire side of the house to have the GUEST BEDROOM with a bath where the LIVING area is and make a STUDY/OFFICE/MEDIA etc [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]The other thing you may want to consider is that if you have furniture that you intend to use in this new home. MAKE SURE THE FURNITURE FITS THE ROOMS![/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]I see it a lot, beautiful house being built, homeowners excited to move in and whoops, there’s usually to much stuff for a room, especially the master bedroom.[/SIZE]

[kagmypts]

Thank you so much for all of the help. As for the previous posts, we have walked through this floor plan on multiple occasions, and we love it more each time we see it (we have also walked through this house in various stages of construction, not just the decorated model). The two things that we love about this house - it flows amazingly well, and the house still feels quite homey despite being on the large size. The bowed windows really give the house a nice feel. We also currently own a home with an extremely similar floor plan, which we love. It works extremely well for how we live. As a I mentioned, this is only the starting point for us. There are definitely some things that we want to change, but overall, the footprint and general flow are just what we want in a house.

Rohlendorf, thank you so much for your offer to help.