Selecting Your General Contractor

There is nothing more exciting than building your own home!  After having an architect design your custom home, or selecting a plan you like from a website like Southern Cottages House Plans, the next step is finding a general contractor to build your dream house.

The best way to find a good contractor in your area is word of mouth. Ask neighbors or a local realtor if they know some good residential builders that you can contact.  You can also call local residential architects and ask them for some contractors they have worked with before.

When talking with a prospective builder, ask for several references that you can contact.  Then call the references.  This is to help you be confident that you will be working with a reputable contractor.  Here are some questions to ask:  What are their thoughts about the company in general?  Who was the superintendent they worked with (the representative of the construction company who is consistently on the jobsite) and how did they like him?  Did they have any problems with the contractor and what were they?  How did the contractor resolve the problems and was it in a way they were happy about?  Did the contractor stay on budget and finish their home on time?  And most importantly, do they love the way their home turned out?  People are usually happy to share both good and bad information.  Remember, this is your dream home and you do not want a negative experience while it is being built.  Checking references is the best way to try to avoid that.

Once you have decided on a contractor, ask for a construction quote based on your construction document set.  This will tell you how much they think it will cost to build your home.  Be sure to do this before signing a contract with any general contractor or sub-contractors.  If you are happy about the quote then sign a contract.  If you are not happy with the quote then you are free to take your plans to another general contractor for another quote.  Then you can compare two quotes to get a better idea of your construction costs. 

Once you have signed a contract it is only a matter of (construction) time before you can begin living in your dream home.  Good luck!

Let us help you create a building to serve your needs at www.mcleodarchitect.com.
View our architect designed house plans at www.southerncottages.com.

Live at the Beach All Year Long

The following are some of our favorite beach decorating elements to remind us of one of our favorite locations.

1.  The use of natural beach items. 

Sand, starfish and seashells make a centerpiece extra special.

A picture frame with starfish and sandollars capture beach memories.

2.  Lighting

A simple hurricane candle holder as a centerpiece on a dining table or as an accent in a room.

Light fixtures reminiscent of a waterfront boardwalk, like this Wire Cage Pendant light.

3.  Letting the outdoors come in.

Operable shutters to open the space to outside.

A rug with tropical plant leaves

4.  The color white.

Fresh, clean, comfortable.

White furniture with accents that provide pops of color in a room.

5.  The use of rattan, wicker and other woods.

A rattan bed completed with beach inspired sheets.

A simple lamp with minimal decoration.

Baskets for storage on a shelf or under a coffee table.

You can add a few of these elements to your room or incorporate all of them to have the feeling of living at the beach all year long.  

Let us help you create a building to serve your needs at www.mcleodarchitect.com.
View our architect designed house plans at www.southerncottages.com.

Nags Head Cottage

The Nags Head Cottage was designed in the tradition of the Nags Head Vernacular of the Outer Banks of the North Carolina Coast. Wrap-around porches provide protection from the elements. Rooftop balconies take advantage of magnificent views.

Some features of the Nags Head Cottage include 4 bedrooms, each with their own bathroom; a half bath for guests; 3,161 square feet of heated space on three levels; a game room; garage space for two cars; plenty of storage; and an outdoor shower for rinsing off the salt and sand when you come back from the beach.

Front Elevation

Left Elevation

Rear Elevation

Right Elevation

Sloping Sites

Our unique house plans include this selection of home designs for construction on a sloping lot. Our hillside house plans provide an excellent opportunity to use the basement as a garage or to provide a walk-out patio from the basement level. The house plans below are specifically designed as hillside house plans for sloping lots.

Island Cottage Basement Foundation

Available in 2,058 sf or 2,470 sf sizes, plus basement square footage

The Island Cottage House Plan is a playful, coastal cottage getaway with a wrap around porch, roof decks and a roof-top observation loft. The basement version is designed for a sloping lot.

Mountain Cottage

The Mountain Cottage is a variation of the Island Cottage and illustrates one of the many customizations of this versatile plan. In this example, the Mountain Cottage is built into the side of a hill which slopes down to a large lake providing wonderful views.

Country Cottage

The Country Cottage has all the amenities of a larger house designed in a compact space. The basement version provides a rear drive-in garage in the basement which works well with a hillside sloping lot.

Hip Cottage

The Hip Cottage Basement Option extends living space into a basement with access to an outdoor patio which blends this house into a sloping lot.  It is compact, yet has all the features that make for comfortable living including a separate laundry room, large closets and kitchen opening into the living spaces. 

Plantation Cottage

The Plantation Cottage draws upon the southern, coastal, low country vernacular and features large, wrap-around porches and a full basement. Designed for a sloping lot, it provides for a side drive-in garage in the basement of the house.

The Country Cottage

The Country Cottage has all the amenities of a larger house designed in a compact space.  We have four versions of the Country Cottage.

1933 SF Standard Crawlspace Foundation

This Country Cottage layout, designed for efficiency and livability, also has special features such as a wrap-around porch and a walk-out roof deck. A light-filled window bay extends the floorspace of the front bedroom.  Included are 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and a screened porch.  The result is a practical, attractive cottage suitable either for a vacation getaway or a primary residence.

 

1927 SF Crawlspace Foundation with Attached Garage

This Country Cottage layout is also designed for efficiency and livability, with special features such as a wrap-around porch and upstairs master suite.  A light-filled window bay extends the floorspace of the front bedroom and an attached (2) car garage provides added convenience. The result is a practical, attractive cottage.

2039 SF Country Cottage with Basement Foundation

This Country Cottage basement plan works well with a sloping lot.  A large basement, downstairs laundry and extra room adds to its liveability. The features include a cathedral ceiling in the living room and a light-filled window bay in the front bedroom. The result is a practical, attractive cottage suitable either for a vacation getaway or a primary residence.

3565 SF with ICF Walls, 5 Bedrooms and Elevator

This Country Cottage layout provides lots of space for a big family including a recreation room and workshop on the ground level. The home is elevated above the ground level giving optimal views to water or other natural features. The drawings provide for an ICF (concrete/foam block) wall system.