10 May Designing a Parade Home
Our 2017 Fall Parade Home will be one of our most custom homes. It’s designed to be obstacle free to provide wheelchair accessibility for an eight year old boy. The process begins with several client meetings in which the clients share their wish list and discuss the budget. After having built dozens of custom homes over the course of their professional lives, Jerry & Patti help the homeowners zero in on a design with custom features so that the clients get the most for their dollars. J & J is known for incorporating custom elements in their homes that harken back to trim and carpentry features found in homes built over 100 years ago.
While Patti begins work on the design, Jerry walks the lot with the clients to determine optimum placement. The front of the home will face west for good light and warmth in winter. He also discusses foundation options with the homeowner. In this case, they decide to go with a superior wall system rather than poured walls. A superior wall system means lower energy costs because 30% of the energy loss in a home is through the foundation. In addition to reducing construction time by about two weeks, a superior wall system adds value to the home.
Patti expects to go through several iterations of drawings to fine tune the design. Considerations for this home design include
- Zero entry – Obstacle free
- Semi-open floor plan with good lighting
- 48”-54” hallways and 36”-42” door openings
- Pocket and barn doors
- Wheelchair accessible counter and sink heights
- Big bathroom for the boy with accessible shower
- A lift for access to the lower level
The final result is a 2694’ main floor ranch with a large open floor plan and roomy living spaces.
This home will be featured in the 2017 Fall Parade of Homes. Be sure to save the dates for the Fall Parade so that you can see the final result – October 6 through 21.
With about five months to go, there are still decisions to be made. Stay tuned for the next Chapter.