We've purchased the Amicalola Cottage house plan from G&A and are waiting on to get the modifications back from them so we can really get rolling. We've been lucky enough to find and tour some similar G&A house plans, which has really helped us get a little better feel for the actual spaces.

We'd welcome any suggestions on ways to save money when building this house plan (still keeping the integrity) &/or a heads up for anything we should specifically watch out for on this house plan. We're all ears (or eyes in the this case)! :)

Thanks,
N

This is the one we're starting from, but making modifications to: http://www.architecturaldesigns.com/mountain-home-plan-15662ge.asp

This is the one that I'd like to make the outside look more like: http://juddbuilders.net/bm/completedprojects/

Plan to use stained cement shake siding instead of the cedar shakes for less maintenance and upkeep (+ they looked great the house like this that we saw in person).
*So far got quote from - http://www.carolinacolortones.com/home/

Plan to cut down on the number of decorative ceiling truss in the Lodge Room (5 is too many and too much $$$$....3 seems more feasible)and hopefully VE some of the others.
*Got $$$$$ quote from - http://www.accenttruss.com/
*Waiting on quote from - http://www.southernwoodcraft.net/default.aspx?pagename=Internal
*Waiting on quote from - http://www.carolinatimberworks.com/Welcome.html

Whatcha think? :)

I hope you drive a Smart Car, cause that garage won't fit SUVs. If you have more than 3 ft of drop from the house to the garage, the steps will cut a big piece of the garage out too.

Arched/Half Round windows = $$$. Save some money by making the garage and MBR arched windows inoperable.

Curved wall (especially exterior) = $$$.

Oh lordy, bdpeck-charlotte. Of course we have a big truck and a mid-size SUV so thanks for the heads up on that. We'll have to make sure we allow for those in the garage layout.

Thanks for the tip on the garage & MBR arched windows! Good call!

Yeah, I figured those curved walls in the Breakfast Area & Basement Bar would get us. Guess if we have to we'll straighten those out.

[Note that some of the changes were also intended to make the plan feel more like a 'lake' home and less like a 'mountain' home. Also, we are building the plan without the basement.]

o removed the wall divider between the kitchen and the lodge room - reduced cost and created a more open, transitional feel
o eliminated the half columns in the foyer
o replaced the cedar columns on front porch with myratec; columns will be painted, not stained
o roughing in the guest suite above the garage; will finish later, sorta 'phase II'
o eliminated the full Accent truss/beam/trim package due to $$$ but will likely add back two trusses in lodge room and the scissors truss in the foyer
o changed the window plan in the breakfast area to use standard sized windows, straightened out the wall
o eliminated the 'cupola' in breakfast area ceiling
o upgraded OSB to TechShield type product to reduce heating and cooling costs
o eliminated the sink in the Butlers Pantry,kept the cabinets
o eliminated the 'bar' off the study and re-purposed that area into a small office with pocket door

That is just a quick list. We've made other 'value' adjustments but I just can't think of all right now. Will post more as I have time.

If anyone finds a good alternate source to Access Truss, please let me know. That is our next most pressing decision as we move to framing in another week. Thanks!

We're leaving the basement unfinished to start with (just roughing it in) so that will be our phase II down the road. ;)

Sorry to be a little dense here, but are you talking about the decorative Accent Truss in the exterior gables and interior ceilings or the Access Truss in the actual roof framing?

If it's the decorative truss you mean, I have a list of links in one of my previous posts here to three different companies (although we've still yet to get a quote back from two of them....will keep everyone posted on that).

http://www.sunmountaindoor.com/doors/about-our-doors/
(actually spoke to an owner of G&A similar house plan that used them and she said they were wonderful and had the best prices compared to other quotes they received).

http://www.etodoors.com/

Y'all feel free to also share any links to suppliers/companies for quotes please. :)

It allows you to overlay a floor plan and then draw over it to modify it as you please (adjusting the transparency as needed).

WARNING: It is VERY addictive and you will probably make many more changes to the house plan than you originally intended! I woke up at 3AM the other morning going over the layout in my head so I got up and made a few MORE tiny changes (someone stop me please)! haha

I think (or at least hope) it's helped us show G&A exactly what we want thus far so they can finish the modifications on our plans. I just hope they hurry up before I change anything else! Lol ;)

We have pricing through our builder for the decorative trusses from Accent Truss but gosh darn, these things are expensive. We really would like to find a more economical source... sigh

I'm totally with ya on that. We're going to reduce the number of trusses in the lodge room as well. We were shocked by the quote we received from Accent Truss. I'm hoping one of the other companies will come in with a lower figure, but who knows. I'll keep ya posted.

In the meantime, guess I'll just keep searching the internet.

Feel free to let me know if you find a more economical source first though. :)

http://www.swaininchomes.com/
http://juddbuilders.net/bm/completedprojects/index.shtml
http://www.visualtour.com/shownp.asp?T=1803174
http://www.oldemill.net/realestate-nantahala
http://www.corbitthills.com/photogalleries/amicalola/amicalola.html
http://www.stephenkarlecontractor.com/gallery.htm
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/220-Governor-Glen-Drive,--K-006_Sunset_SC_29685_1113081379?source=web

Planned:
Finish: exterior- Sikkens Cetol SRD semi-transparent.
Interior- half mixture of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits.

AT:
Approx 3000 board feet, S4S (sanded 4 sides)
1 - 6x heavy timber truss - $2400
(consider changing truss dimension if change #)

Purchased package, includes shipping.
Fabricated:
3 - 6x heavy timber trusses
1 - 6' gable bracket

Not Fabricated:
3 scissor trusses
15 - 8 x 8 posts (interior, exterior, covered porch)
(foyer downsized from 10x)
2 - 4 x 8 posts
10 - 4x braces (interior, exterior)
4 gable trusses (various sizes)
(eliminated 2 smallest gable trusses on front elevation; both gable trusses on rear elevation)
Approx. $19

Attempting to upload relevant photos from Picasa.
~bgj

From February 16, 2012

Without gable trusses installed; 3 faux windows will go in upper gables. Eagle windows.

From February 16, 2012

Screened porch. Rear elevation is 'Plan B' (without basement). Foundation will be painted stucco.

From February 16, 2012

Breakfast nook.

From February 16, 2012

Breakfast nook ceiling detail.

From February 16, 2012

Lodge room trusses in center of room.

From February 16, 2012

Master Bath vaulted ceiling.

We should have our final modified Amicalola Cottage house plans next week. Then we have to get everything approved by the ARB (who knows how long that will take). Hope we can break ground by the end of March at the latest. I'll start posting pics thereafter.

In the meantime, I found a cool website called Olioboard.com where you can make a "mood board" or whatever ya want to call it. I put some of the finishes I want to use together to see how they fit. So far so good on that I guess.

Thanks again everyone for all the wonderful posts! It's so great to have a support group like this. :)

We weren't expecting JUST the TRUSS to cost as much as they do [$20K+ not including any of the many timber posts or wood shutters], but since they're a major part of this plan, we'll just have to make cuts in other part(s) of the budget somewhere.

What are your enlarged lodge room dimensions?
Our original plan shows the lodge room as approx. 20x17, but since the fireplace and bookshelves take up a few feet of that I'm a little worried it will feel smaller.

G&A talked us out of making the keeping room a screened porch (b/c of "the flow" I think he said). We figured having that room to watch TV in would hopefully help us keep the Lodge Room more tidy & company ready....that's my goal anyway. lol

We're considering taking out the wall (or at least the top half of it) b/w the kitchen and lodge room, but then we'd have to move the 72"-76" Fridge/Freezer set to the other side of the kitchen taking up and closing off part of the keeping room. We keep going back and forth on that.

Using Floorplanner.com I made the following modifications and sent them to G&A to use for our plan:

*)Made the original bathroom on the front of the house into a large his side/her side master closet w/ W/D area where the morning bar was (w/ door to hall).

*)Added a his side/her side Master Bath on the back of the house w/ a see thru FP from MBR to MBA tub. We ea. have our own separate vanities, linen closets, private toilets w/ the shower across the from tub.

*)Show the front stairs (going down to the basement) where the study was (as in some of the other plans).

*)Added a "mud hall" w/ lockers b/w the garage and the back set of stairs. When I toured one of the Amicalola houses I didn't care for the way ya had to double back through the kitchen from the other bedrooms on the first floor. I always like to have two ways out of a place....I know....I'm just weird that way. Plus the mudroom felt really small for me (not enough storage/organizational areas).

*)Changed the laundry room into more of a large Pantry (w/ a little desk area) since we have the W/D in the Master Closet. Still plan to stub out W/D connections in there (+ on 2nd Fl. and in unfinished basement).

I definitely want to put in the double sliding french doors in the Lodge Room with a segmented transom above (as we saw in another G&A house). I'd also like to have those in the basement as well, but we'll have to see if they'll fit in the budget.

We just have to see who will come back with the best quote on the doors & windows.

Do you already know or have an idea of what type/brand/etc. doors & windows you're using?

I really like the darker exterior cladding & trim (either black or dark bronze) on the windows and doors.

Decisions, decisions....

SilverSpur, can you tell me where you toured the other Amicalola-style homes? Do you know if they are still available for viewing? We'll fly anywhere.

Also if anyone has photos they'd like to share, I'd love to see them - my email is laurajazz@aol.com.

My thoughts on the kitchen - keep it light & maybe contemporary -- I think we are going to pass on the big stone around the cooktop (or in our case, will be a professional range but not too big - 42" max) - and I hope to have just a range hood -- not too different from the HGTV dream home 2012 version. Also interested in hearing thoughts on countertops - we're getting a little tired of granite but darn it it's just so practical....

We start clearing the lot, grading and digging the foundation next week! I think the roof plan has scared a few framers/roofers so far. It amazes me how so many subs complain about not having enough work and then they either take forever to give a quote or they just blow it off completely.

I know we have a while before we get to the back elevated deck, but we've been trying to decide how we want to make it waterproof underneath.

Trying to choose b/w one of these options:

*) Use some type of composite decking (which kinda worries me after reading all the horror stories on those) or wood decking (cedar or ipe) along with adding one of those under deck water drainage systems.

*) Use Duradek Tidedek 60 mil waterproof membrane system then tiling over it (which seems like less maintenance to me). http://www.duradek.com/DuradekUltraTiledek.html?

*) Use a poured stamped concrete deck (which would mean using metal floor decking and steel posts to handle the load).
We did a 2nd floor deck like this on our last house, but of it was no where near the size of what this deck will be.

I'd prefer whichever option will have the least maintenance, but I'm sure cost will be a factor in the final decision as well.

What do y'all think? :)

PS - Hope ya got my email laurajazz. :)