Sketch Basic Details

• 1). Obtain a copy of your local building codes before beginning a design. Initiate your plan based on the square footage your budget allows. Research cost per square foot in your locale and use the average dollar figure as a starting point. If your budget is $200,000 and the building cost per square foot in your area averages $100, draw a layout for a house that is 2,000 square feet.
  
  
• 2). Sketch the exterior roof lines and determine the basic house shape. Review home design books, magazines, websites and neighborhoods nearby to select an appealing architectural style. Decide if a two-story plan is viable, because you can save money on the roof and foundation over a single-story home of the same square footage. Create a long, linear house, however, if cost is not a big factor and if this design suits your chosen property and neighborhood.
  
  
• 3). Create a house that has good curb appeal, since this is a major factor in a home's market value. Choose siding, such as brick or faux wood, to picture of the overall exterior look of the home. Sketch lawn areas, decks, porches and outside amenities to complement the overall house design.
  
  
• 4). Draw an interior floor plan that devotes larger areas to family living and kitchen space. Create a living area of 20 feet by 20 feet, for example, in a 2,000 square-foot house. Incorporate kitchen space that is roughly half the square footage as the living area.
  
  
• 5). Design general areas with rough drafts of details that fit around the kitchen and living spaces. Worry about exact square footage later. Sketch the first floor space and entry area of the house with the location of stairs to the basement stairs and the second floor. Draw spaces where you want bathrooms located.
  
  

Fine-Tune the Interior Floor Plan

• 1). Define where all interior walls will be placed. Envision the interior space in detail. Remove a wall between the kitchen and living room, for example, if the kitchen space is too small. Define all wall placement for hallways, bathrooms, bedrooms and the laundry room. Open a cramped interior area to create a roomy feeling by vaulting a ceiling if the area has no rooms or an attic overhead.
  
  
• 2). Sketch bedrooms on all floors that adjoin a common hallway, instead of opening directly into a living area. Include bathrooms that can serve more than one bedroom, if space is limited. Design walk-in closets for each bedroom, if space permits.
  
  
• 3). Define exact kitchen and bathroom space to plan all plumbing routes needed. Fine-tune these spaces to include all basic fixtures, storage space and cabinetry. Use graph paper to lay out the kitchen floor plan with cabinets and appliances as a separate plan to complement the whole-house design.