Residential property owners, who are entertaining  some of the tax credits and incentives for green building, are often greenhorns to the process. The best approach to test the efficacy of a  green building process is if the design concept benefits the  life span  of the home.  From selecting products that qualify for federal tax credits to hiring a contractor, who is either LEED certified or a licensed contractors with the appropriate credentials–the learning curve for LEED or green building floor plans is too extensive for one blog post. Refer to these questions and facts about LEED design.

What is LEED Design and Green Building?

LEED is the acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The globally-standardized green building certification system enables residential property owners the ability to implement design features that are sustainable and environmentally healthy for occupants of the home and its effects on the ecosystem. Some people refer to LEED design as green building, as both design premises encompass the proceeding:

• Heating and cooling (in example geothermal systems)
• Lighting (solar windows)
• Water (double- flush high efficiency toilets
• Insulation (organic products)
• Toxins (low  VOC paints, finishes, ect).

Is LEED design less expensive than traditional homebuilding?

No. On the contrary, LEED design us often expensive but designed to pay for itself over the life of the domicile.

Modular floor plans  garner a green building philosophy. As most of the construction and manufacturing transpire in the confines of a production plant, building these floor plans has little impact on the emission of greenhouse gases on the environment. Certain floor plans’ builders incorporate passive design for a lean and green building perspective.

Although green building (LEED design) is growing among preferred amenities, homeowners should consider consulting a realtor before embarking upon an elaborate floor plan to determine the value. Also, determine if your state offers any tax rebates or credits for making improvements which reduce the carbon footprint.

The open floor plans with pictures at HousePlansandMore.com depict how ADA compliant homes, also referred to as universal design– are not only conducive for the physically challenged but simplify day to day living for other lifestyles. Baby boomers, families with toddlers or young children and elderly individuals benefit from the single story open floor plan.

Considering the typical features of an ADA Compliant home, it also serves as a shortlist of open floor plans ideas with the following characteristics:

• Wider entryways and doors
• Door handle levers
• Step free entrances
• Wider hallways

Home styles, which embody the features of open floor plans include a cottage floor plan, craftsman house plan, bungalows and pre-fabricated house plan. To enhance the look of an open floor plan and make the space appear more expansive in any of these home styles, consider using the same flooring throughout.  In addition, when deciding on flooring for your new home, consider how the durability will match your lifestyle.

When we turned to House Plans and More.com for a few open floor plans ideas, many open floor plans with pictures flaunted amazing amenities.We found these covetable floor plan features to work for any style home . Here’s an abbreviated list of open floor plans ideas:

• Atrium
• Built-in bar
• Computer stall
• Elevator
• Fireplace
• Hot Tub
• Peek-a-boo Fireplace
• Settee Space
• Solarium
• Vaulted Ceiling
• Walk-in closet
• Wine Cellar

Note: More  open floor plan square footage adds up to higher CAD, homebuilding cost and taxes.

There’s an advantage to purchasing open floor plans with pictures. Primarily  house plans with photos enable homeowners to evaluate the space, imagining if the floor plan accommodates adequate space given the schematics of the open floor plan.

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•   Country French Home Plans
•   Georgian House Plans
•   English cottage plans
•   Italian House Plans
•  Spanish
•  Tudor House Plans
•  Victorian home plans

What is evident at these European floor plans are the spaciousness, attention to detail and stately ceilings.  These home plans are not limited to wooden, structures. Architected from brick, stucco or stone exteriors,  European floor plans exude a luxuriousness built to withstand the test of time. Some people consider European architecture to be the original innovator of build “sustainable” floor plans.

Best House Floor Plans compiled a list of the most prevalent architectural features associated with the European floor plans:

• Tall to narrow windows
• Low pitch roof
• Overhanging eaves
• Wrap around porches

-    Colonial
-    European
-    Mediterranean
-    Modular Homes
-    Traditional
-    Victorian

In quest of more than guest suites, media rooms, cabanas, Best House floor Plan went searching on the Internet for luxury mansion floor plans, highlighting green qualities or eco-friendly characteristics. The criteria consisted of solar panels, eco-windows, skylights and anything proving to be energy efficient and environmentally conducive. Here are the reports of our findings:

Imagine closets the depth and width of an average-sized bedroom. Watch television from a media room, which closely resembles a movie theatre. In the sunken great room, far-reaching cathedral ceilings are punctuated by fireplace layered in stonemasonry. This is what we found with mansion house floor plan #592-001D.

At HousePlansandMore.com, we were captivated by the magnitude of this Green Home Floor Plan. With 4958 square feet of living space, the upscale arts and crafts home plan is divided between two floors, five bedrooms, and a three-car garage. The green interior boasts an A-list of amazing features. Outside of the entryway, maintained between an angular roof, affixed with skylights, stately pillars are constructed of river stone. A recycled glass countertop serves as a sustainable alternative to granite, marble and other types of kitchen work surfaces.

At this luxury mansion home floor plans, the see-through fireplace and solarium evoked covetous feelings. During the winter months, a solarium offset, by a u-shaped staircase depicts a warmth and picturesque view. On the main floor, a see through fireplace offers heat and warmth throughout the hearth and dining rooms.

But with so many mansion home floor plans to dream about, one must see the homes at HouseFloorPlansandMore.com.

Meanwhile, be sure to check back in several weeks, when we deconstruct hearth rooms.

Related Articles:

Build It Green

Green House Floor Plan: Build An Energy Efficient Home

Inside an Eco-Friendly Million Dollar Mansion

Now that the real estate bubble has popped, and financing is at an appealing rate, we must turn our attentions to shopping for guesthouse floor plans. They are the type of dwellings where one can entertain without compromising one’s privacy.

As the summer months approach, guests and unexpected visitors are as prevalent as flowers in bloom. Entertaining, out of town company, is like running a bed and breakfast. It comes with great responsibility. There are the accommodations, continental breakfast offerings, separate bathing quarters and much more to consider.

Consequently, the guesthouse floor plan is the remedy. It helps change the perspective of entertaining visitors and family members. A guest house floor plan represents a place to confine them or keep them far enough to ensure a hassle-free visit.

I commenced the search for the guest home design at Home Floor plans and More. This floor plan caught my eye. It was expansive without being too overwhelming but highlighted with intimate qualities. I wanted a space that would be comfortable for a temporary visit, but not so vast that the ‘company’ would set up- quasi-permanent residency. Also, when I was not entertaining out-of-towners, it would serve as a Sports’Cabin.

My dream guest house floor plan would ensure a hospitable visit without requiring me to cater to their every whim. As I perused the guesthouse floor plans of House Floor Plans and More.com, there was a dream house floor plan that evoked my imagination. The space was the ultimate accommodation for guest necessities and amenities: a fully stocked kitchen, ENERGYSTAR appliances, eco-friendly flooring in the bathroom, and the like.

Since, I did not want my guests to feel too compelled to drop by, I selected a house plan with windows facing the east. With my home facing west, it would allow the perspective of each window of the guest home to feature landscaping far from the edges of our home.

As I searched through guest house floor plans, a shadow of guilt came over me: Was it selfish of me to shop for a floor plan to elude the guests?

Then, it dawned on me. There’s no harm searching for guest house floor plans that promote hospitality and assure independence. Besides, what is the point of having a guest home if you do not plan to maintain a little privacy?

In this installment of Best House Floor Plans, we’re talking basics. So, we are backtracking to the fundamentals of what defines a floor plan. Below are ten concepts to understand about floor plans:

A floor plan includes…
the interior and exterior designs schematics of a home.

Floor plans are developed by…
architects and home designers. Draftsmen can render modifications; however because copyright laws are applicable to floor plans, owners are required to purchase house plans.

Stock floor plans…
are less expensive than hiring a home designer or architect to customize a brand new floor plan.

Selecting the floor plan is…
the first part of building a new home.

Various companies offer home floor plan…
customization services. For a fixed price, they can take a stock floor plan and tweak it to the homeowner’s specifications.

Before deciding on a customized or stock floor plan…
be sure to check with your area’s local building codes, copyright laws as well as any other requirements. For instance, prior to homebuilding approval, certain municipalities mandate the review and approval of any house floor plan.

Redlining is a…
house floor plan term that means to amend the blueprints. To illustrate any modifications, homebuilders used to take a red pen to the floor plan. Today, red-lining is considered an affordable means of making changes to the house plans. But, again make sure the changes are within your town’s building codes.

Most designers recommend…
floor plans that merge comfort, contrast and texture.

When it comes to hiring a specialist to modify your house plans, select a local draftsman. The reason is that a professional from your area will know the building codes, hence incorporating municipal guidelines with your design specifications.

Here are some great articles on floor plans and finding the right one for you from House Plans and More:

• Floor Plans For Your Families Needs
• Open Floor Plans
• What’s the Right Plan for You?
• Why Buy Stock Plans?