Custom home design by BG Rand
Custom home design by Brenda G Rand. Practicing architecture over forty years now, I’m also an artist, so it’s only natural I combine the two. Homes should be more than four square walls to live in. No matter how large or how small your project, let me design or redesign a home for you that enhances your living experience, or select one of my designs as a stock plan
Tight budget? No worries. Most homes are filled with unnecessary structural cost due to poor planning. A great floor plan doesn’t have to cost a fortune. A lot of my designs are what I call cost busters. Using narrow spans to reduce the cost of lumber, and eliminating the need for expensive beams is the key. The roof systems are simple, making for an affordable build. No budget? that’s great. The only limitations are the ones set by our minds
Interested in how it works?
Custom home design
Every custom home I design starts with a site orientation. A study of the lay of the land helps me determine the point of view from the site, the drive up view and most importantly, the solar exposure of your proposed building site. The end result is a home that looks natural on the site and feels comfortable to live in year round
From the collected information and your design criteria, I’ll develop a room pattern; a cluster of circles and ovals which indicate where every room will be located. Upon your approval, the room pattern will be used to develop the rough sketch design
Design fee
Design fee is calculated by size and complexity
Exclusive plans available for an additional fee
You’re free to stop at any phase, waiting as long as you want to move forward. If you choose not to move forward you’re not under contract, and free to do so, as am I. I believe we should work together because we want to, not because we have to, however, once I’m paid a phase fee, I will complete that phase. I do not under any circumstance return the money you’ve invested, so think twice before making your payments. I provide a service, not a product
All client information is held in the strictest confidence
Custom house plans
I would love to meet you in person, and walk your building site, however, this adds time and expense to the project, and isn’t always necessary. Our fee for site visits is expenses plus $500 per day, however, if you provide me with the information I need to get started, which include photos of the site and surround, a plat of your property, or topographical map showing grade elevations, with this information and the help of Google Earth, I’ll have everything I need to create your home design
If the sketch doesn’t meet with your approval, I’ll try again and again if necessary
Upon approval of the rough sketch design, I’ll move to phase II, hard line preliminary drawings which will include any revisions you request
Upon approval of the preliminary drawings, I’ll begin phase III, construction drawings, which will include your final revisions
A fee may be required for any revisions requested after the final drawings are completed
Your payment to start phase II and III are considered as your approval for the previous phase. Working in three phases assures you’re getting just what you want. Each phase is prepaid, so if you’re not happy with one phase, there’s no moving on to the next until you are
Construction documents include the following items as required by permit or deemed necessary upon complexity of design
Plot plan (land usage)
Foundation plan
Floor plan(s)
4 Exterior views
Lighting plans
Roof diagram
Sections and details as needed
Thank you for considering my services, Brenda
This handbook will come in handy if you’re planning to build
All rights reserved
Author: Brenda Rand