Can You Design Your Home Before You Find Property?

Once you decide to build a home, it’s hard not to think about it.  There are many design elements to consider.  Some of these you can decide on before you find the perfect piece of property; however, there are some decisions that will be influenced by the characteristics of your land.

Design elements to think about before you find property:

• Specialty rooms for hobbies or activities;
• The number of bedrooms and bathrooms you will need;
• Storage space requirements;
• Design details such as a gas fireplace vs. wood;
• The theme of your interior design (colors, light, textures)

These things should wait until you find your land:

• The home’s size and number of stories:  site or local restrictions may limit the size, height, or even the placement of the home on your property. 
• Type of foundation:  the type of foundation system you choose may be dependent upon local or state codes, the lot size, slope, and soil type.
• Walkout basement:  a sloping lot can allow for a walk-out basement, providing more usable square footage for recreation areas or additional guest bedrooms.

If you’re excited to get started on planning your home design, we suggest you create a binder of clippings and samples you are collecting.  Include design elements and details you do not like: sometimes these are more valuable to your architect than features that you do like.


Reposted from Green Home Design Architect

September Open House

Join us for another Open House and Q&A with our local Green Building experts!  If you are thinking of relocating to the Dartmouth Lake Sunapee region and are considering building a new home or remodelling an old one, you won't want to miss this informative event!

Saturday, September 18, 2010

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Custom home near Lake Sunapee

An informal setting where you can ask local Green Building Experts questions about Shoreland Protection guidelines, green home design, renewable energy, building materials & costs, and more!

Local Experts:
Architect Jeremy Bonin, Bonin Architects & Associates
Custom Builder Everett Pollard, Northcape Design
Realtor Dan O'Halloran, Colby Real Estate
Engineer Charlie Hirshberg, CLD Consulting Engineers

Registration is required!!  Directions given to registrants only - call today!
Bonin Architects & Associates, PLLC
603-504-6009

Weekend Open House - Sunapee NH

If you are considering building a new home in the Lake Sunapee / New London area or remodelling your existing home, you won't want to miss a special Open House Saturday, May 1st at a custom home near Lake Sunapee!

Come tour this beautiful custom timber home and get meet local green building experts Everett Pollard of Northcape Design, Jeremy Bonin of Bonin Architects & Associates, and Dan O'Halloran of Colby Real Estate.  Everett, Jeremy, and Dan will anwer your questions about building a new home - questions about Shoreland Protection guidelines, green home design, solar energy systems, geothermal heating, radiant heat, SIP panels, timber frames, building costs, and more! 

Saturday, May 1st     4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

CALL FOR DIRECTIONS

Bonin Architects & Associates 603-504-6009

May Events: NH Open House with Green Architect, Builder & Realtor

Are you planning to build a new home or addition?
Remodeling your home or lakefront cottage?
This event is just for you!

Open House
Talk with Local Green Design & Building Experts!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
4:00 - 6:00 PM
Custom home near Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire

Come tour a beautiful lakeside custom home and get answers to your questions about building a home! Enjoy a relaxing atmosphere, refreshments, and learn about Shoreland Protection guidelines, the importance of green home design, building costs, budgeting, the construction process, purchasing land, and more!

Registration is required for this free event!
Register by calling Bonin Architects at 603-504-6009

About the Experts:

Jeremy Bonin, AIA NCARB LEED AP: Jeremy Bonin, a principal partner of Bonin Architects & Associates, is an accomplished speaker, award-winning architect, and the author of TIMBER FRAMES: Designing Your Custom Home, which was written to help homeowners become fully involved in the design of a custom home. Jeremy has a special interest in sustainable design and green building while incorporating energy efficient building materials and renewable energy systems including geothermal heating, wind power, and solar energy.

Dan O'Halloran: Dan is a high-energy realtor who specializes in residential real estate. Over the past four years with Colby Real Estate he has gained considerable experience working with clients and developers on view lots and subdivision transactions. Dan uses the most current marketing and advertising technology and techniques available in the real estate industry to achieve maximum visibility for every client he works with. His background in finance and marketing rounds out his qualifications and enhances his skills he offers.

Everett Pollard: For over thirty years Everett has been designing and building custom homes in the Lake Sunapee area. He and his staff are involved from day one of their projects, assuring a successful and fun process. Everett is dedicated to the building industry as a whole, which is evident by his active role in associations such as the local and national Home Builder's Association. His priorities are successfully balanced between preserving the environment and providing superior customer service to his clients.

Site Design

The first step in designing an energy efficient home is considering the site design as it relates to solar energy. Site design includes lot orientation, location of shade trees, site grading, landscaping, and sustainable site development.

Lot orientation: the relationship between the home and the sun, including how the house faces the sun, prevailing winds, views, driveway access, and approach.

Shade trees and shading: the type and location of shade trees and their impact on temperature, wind speed, and solar access.

Site grading: analyzed for proper water drainage and runoff away from the home, driveway, garage slab, patios, and walkways.

Landscaping: considered in the initial design stage in regard to the home’s market value and also in regard to limited shading and water control.

Sustainable site development: important to protect the site’s natural environment and vegetation with minimal disturbance, but also to maximize solar access and light, minimize erosion and runoff, and control construction waste and follow a recycling plan for materials.

In light of the importance of site design, Bonin Architects recommends our clients start the design of their energy efficient home after they have purchased their land. Learn more about site design at our next seminar on Designing and Building a Custom Home, November 21st here at our office in New London, NH. Architect Jeremy Bonin and Lake Realtor Dan O'Halloran will discuss what to look for when purchasing land, as well as the steps involved in building a house and choosing the best builder for your project.

Registration is required, as seating is limited. For more information and to register online for this free informative seminar, click here.

Building a New Home: Selecting the Right Location

If you are thinking of building a new home, choosing the right location is paramount. When considering a particular city or town as a potential area to build a home, establish a list of priorities for things such as:

• The distance you would travel to work or school
• The quality of the school system
• The traffic flow and any hazards to driving
• Proximity to recreation, shopping, places of worship, and medical facilities
• Town property taxes and insurance rates
• Land Use or development regulations such as the Shoreland Protection Act in NH
• How well the town matches your lifestyle

Your new home will, of course, be the central part of your family’s lives; but also important to consider is its market value. Realtors and bankers in the area will be able to provide valuable information on the housing market in the area in which you are planning to build. They will also provide other important details about the area, including any ongoing or future development plans that might affect your lot, water quality, and possible noise and environmental pollution and other hazards.