Kennedy CAD Services

Before even trying to decide on some house plans, there are several things that you should probably do that will make the whole process go a lot smoother.  This will take a little time, and probably some searching on the Web and/or at a local home center  --  but you'll learn a great deal, and you'll be in a much stronger position in dealing with your designer and your builder.

• As I've already mentioned, sketch out some ideas of what you want in your floor plan.
• Get some photos of house elevations you particularly liked.
• You'll need to decide if you want an engineered Soils Report (even the "good" soil in East Texas can pose problems sometimes).
• What type of foundation do you want  --  most folks go with a concrete slab, but there are other alternatives.
• Do you want standard 2 x 4 exterior walls, or 2 x 6 (which will allow for more energy efficiency)?
• Do you want a gable style roof, or hip?
• Flooring - how much is to be carpet, vinyl, tile, wood flooring?
• Brick - is the entire house to be bricked, or just part?
• Any special treatments to the exterior of the house?
• Any special treatments to the interior of the house (i.e., exposed ceiling beams, faux finishes on  walls, interior columns, "niches" in the wall cavity, etc.)?
• Any special molding inside (like step molding, crown molding, etc.)?
• Sheetrock trim around windows or wood trim?
• Need to have an idea of where you will want phone and "media" outlets (TV, computer, etc.).
• Do you want to go with a tankless water heater?
• Do you want an "in-house" water filtration system?
• Bathrooms - tile on walls, in showers, around tubs?  Or, marble, or combination?

• Heat and Air - is the house, and layout, appropriate for a "zoned" system?
• Attic insulation - how much do you want?  Rolled blankets or blown-in?
• Do you want automatic garage door openers?
• If you are going to have a fireplace, do you want a masonry (usually brick or stone) fireplace, or metal?
• Are there any special decorative features you want, either on the outside, or the inside of the house?
• Is landscaping to be included in the bid and contract?  If so, will you also want to include irrigation?
• Decide on the appliances you'll want included in the house.
• Kitchen cabinets  -  do you want "custom" cabinets, built on the job, or do you want manufactured cabinets, pre-finished?
• Same for vanities in the bathrooms.
• Countertop  -  do you want to go with laminate countertops, tile, or granite - or with one of the man-made products (Silestone, Corian, etc.)?  (There are some huge differences in prices!)
• Any special ceilings (high ceiling, cathedral, vaulted, step, etc.)?
• Windows - wood, aluminum or vinyl -- insulated; colors?
• Exterior doors - decorative front door?  Other doors - steel, wood, fiberglass - insulated?