In This Issue...

• Smarter Designs
• Backyard Project Plans
• Design Styles
• Air Filtration/Purification Systems

Previous Issues...

• November 2007 Newsletter
• October 2007 Newsletter
• September 2007 Newsletter
• August 2007 Newsletter
• July 2007 Newsletter
• June 2007 Newsletter
• May 2007 Newsletter

FROM THE DESIGNER’S PERSPECTIVE

Airy, Open and Warm



Although this design has an open floor plan layout, it still allows one to sense the separation between the different living areas. This separation is accomplished by the placement of the fireplace. Notice how effectively it defines the dining area. We also wanted to design a house where the “shell” was economical to build, i.e. a rectangular form, yet would still boast of some upscale features. The stone faced fireplace, vaulted ceilings, and wood floors satisfy this requirement quite nicely. These features in themselves are not expensive, but together they add tremendously to the overall architectural satisfaction (see interior rendering). We have found that nothing beats a front porch for welcoming guest, relaxing or doubling as an outside playroom, and this house boasts a generous one. The porch even wraps the corner, which gives the front of the house more depth and visual interest. The basement also doubles as a 2-car garage and storage area.

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Backyard Project Plans

06023 Gable and Eave Entry Carports	90027 Master Bedroom Addition for One and Two-Story Homes	70001 Workbench with Cabinets

We offer a wide selection of today's best-selling do-it-yourself project plans. All plans come with complete materials list and step-by-step instructions designed for the do-it-yourself customer.

SEE ALL OF OUR PROJECT PLANS

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Design Styles

VICTORIAN	No matter what your definition of a Victorian home plan is, you’re sure to find a house style in this collection that fits your vision. Because Victorian is actually an umbrella term that applies to a variety of specific historic house styles—each with their own nuances—this home plan collection showcases a broad spectrum of home design styles. One common underlying feature of Victorian home plans is attention to fanciful details, such as ornamental trim, patterned shingles, brackets, and moldings, made popular during the style’s heyday at the turn of the 20th Century. The Victorian farmhouse remains one of the more popular Victorian styles and this collection contains numerous floor plans with varying square footages.
COTTAGE	Depending on where you live, a cottage house plan might conjure up seemingly contrasting images. To some it could mean a cozy one-story vacation home design nestled on a lake. To others it could mean a storybook house style, with romantic flourishes and sweeping lines. No matter what kind of cottage home plan you are looking for, you’ll discover a wide range of house styles to choose from in this collection. Picturesque dormers, arched doorways, steep gables, quaint porches and steep rooflines are just some of the features embellishing this collection of cottage style home designs.

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Smarter Homebuilding Technologies
AIR FILTRATION / PURIFICATION SYSTEMS
Is Your Home Making You Sick?

It's winter. You're stuck inside.

The average person now spends 90 percent of their time inside, where indoor air can be 10 to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air, according to the EPA. Asthma rates in the U.S. have doubled in the past 20 years while asthma related deaths have tripled. See a connection?

So, what can you do to ensure that your home is healthy and safe for your family? Should you believe that billboard or newspaper ad and buy the expensive air purification system with the hi-tech HEPA and UV filters?

Perhaps, but before you drop a few thousand dollars, there are some things you should do first.

Isolate. Eliminate. Filter.

Isolate the source of unhealthy air. Eliminate its source. Filter the air.

1. What is causing the bad indoor air? Excessive moisture? Dirty air leaking down from the attic, up from the basement, or through the garage? Unhealthy air bypassing your current filter through holes in your ductwork? Are your gas appliances backdrafting? Does your house have excessive pet dander?
   
   These are tough questions for most people to answer, so you will most likely need to call in a professional. Most energy raters will be able to give an air quality analysis for roughly $300 to $600. As a bonus, they'll also tell you how to lower your utility bills.
   
   "Call an energy rater for an air quality problem," you say. "That doesn't sound right." Sure, but the causes of poor indoor air quality are often the same or closely related to those that make homes inefficient and uncomfortable. So yes, get an energy rater to inspect your house. Visit www.natresnet.org to find a local energy rater.

2. Once the source(s) of your poor indoor air have been determined, eliminate the problems.

3. Only after completing steps 1 and 2 should you consider getting one of those fancy filtration systems. It doesn't make much sense putting in an air purification system when the unhealthy air is bypassing the expensive new system through leaks in your ductwork or walls, does it? Of course not. Many of the better air purification companies require you to first look for the sources of the poor air quality, anyway. Some will even go to your home to do this.
   
   Consider waiting a few weeks after all improvements have been made to see if the air quality is to your liking. If not, go get that purification system. Most work well, but only if your home is ready for them.

Another analogy: Buying a high-tech filtration/purification system before determining where the contaminants are coming from is like purifying your drinking water only to put it into a glass that hasn't been washed in years. It's like trying to vacuum up a swamp. Like...

Have we hammered this point enough?