OPPS. I cropped a pic to post on kitchens and it messed this one up. SO, let me now ask for ideas or sugegstions.
THANKS SO MUCH!

{{gwi:1418621}}

Sunny, I think you're probably not getting feedback b/c your floor plan is just too hard to see. Other than the bathrooms, kitchen, and garage, I can't even be sure what the various rooms are. Try cropping the original as tight around the house as you possibly can and then uploading the image to photobucket at the largest file size available. If you cut out the architect's name and all the surrounding "white space" and upload a larger image for us to look at, I'm sure you'll get some responses.

I am always amazed at the 1990s and 2000s craze of builders designing SOARING hip roofs to make houses look larger. The expense of shingles and roof trusses could be used better elsewhere in upgrades or even cost savings in one's pocket.

I am always amazed that , considering the soaring SF costs to build, people still want to construct these big homes with such wasted space. Since every new construction seems to look like the last one, and no one puts any thought into really different ideas it all seems like a waste of money.
Why not design a smaller but more unusual , high quality home?
All these sprawling "masterpieces" always end up looking alike with same exterior finishes, same trims inside, same counters, same, same, same.
Anyone out there have an original thought?!

"Our plan for the exterior was a simple country/farm house look"

There is a rich tradition of rural farm architecture in Texas but this house is not part of it.

The misalignment of the vaguely French Colonial/French Eclectic roof shapes appears to be an attempt at simplicity that failed. A 3D drawing of the house would make that clear.

I know you didn't come here for bad news but whatever you want the house to look like you need a designer with the skill to put it together more convincingly.

By the way, if the contractor/designer suggested stone, why wouldn't he show it on the drawing? Don't let a lazy contractor draftsman design your house.

Buy some farmhouse books from Amazon and find something you like.

Here is a link that might be useful: books

I agree with macv totally. There is no substitute for a classic design. The "standard" home designs of yesteryear that once were commonplace are now NOVEL! Somewhere along the way, homeowners got caught up with a variety of "build it bigger" trends which resulted in bloat, lack of proportionality, lack of symmetry and a general sacrifice in quality for extra space. My advice reiterated is to set yourself apart from every other (yawwwwnnnn) neo 1990s/2000s home and get back to classics with a modern green/energy efficient flair. This design. Blech! Seen it a million times . Be interesting!

This looks to be a plan that was designed from the floor plan inside out and then just some random rooflines stuck on there to "make it interesting". It has zero relationship to any farmhouse design from any era or any country. Farmhouses are simple designs designed around a few simple shapes, usually big gabled boxes with some simple additions like a shed roof or a gabled wing addition or dormers for the second floor. They're usually designed from the "outside in" with economy of space and materials in mind. This thing being so mishmashed complex will also be a LOT more expensive to build than a real farmhouse design.

If this is the best that this designer can do given your mandate, then I'd fire them immediately. They've failed big time on the first premise of the design.

Ditto! Not a farmhouse at all . . . Check out this link from Russell Versaci. If you click on Pennywise house at the bottom there are farmhouses, and cottage, examples. Lots of pretty houses of all types, and many can be considered farmhouses from various regions of the country.

If you do in fact want a farm house, this is a great place to go for inspiration.

Here is a link that might be useful: Versaci Architect

Wow--I couldn't even see this house plan because it was gone by the time I read the thread. But, I'm not surprised the OP never came back.

The OP did come back looking for help. I think the roof should be gabled, but there must be a reason why the designer has it hipped. I just tried to suggest a couple of easy fixes to make the roofline less complicated.

Jo Ann

Here is a link that might be useful: Mindy's Request for Layout Help

Now that I'm speechless and in tears I'd like to say THANK YOU to JoAnn for the link above. Also, Mav I LOVE the third photo and have forwarded it to my builder. I can't and won't comment ont he UGLY responses.
The very reason I came here was for advice and help NOT to be torn down.
I'm going back to the drawing board.
Thanks for the good advice.
Sunny

sunny,

Look at it this way. The comments on here can sometimes seem rude but they will make you question choices you probably wouldn't question otherwise. Friends and family are not always the best people to go to in these situations because they will not want to offend you and will therefore tell you what they think you want to hear.

It's better to decide now if this is really the house you want vs. spending $400,000 and then deciding it isn't what you wanted. If you love this house and it is your dream then who cares what anyone else thinks, but if you are feeling a little uncertain then maybe you should take a timeout before making the largest investment of your life. Whatever you do be honest with yourself. Don't feel like you HAVE to build something that you will not like if you have already invested several hundred or even several thousand dollars. It's better to cut your losses on $2,000 then to regret something worth $400,000.

BB you are correct and we are going back to the drawing board but hopefully keeping the idea of the interior similar. Our house will not be like all the others because of the way we live and the things we have collected to add to the house over the years and in it's design. I assure it will not be a cookie cutter house. For those who aren't familiar with building in East Texas it's MUCH cheaper and will be under $235,000 for everything including the septic, well and 5 acres. So far we've only begun so I will take the suggestions and go from there.
Sunny

Sunny, please, PM me: drjoann at att dot net

Jo Ann sent you an email.

Yeah, the price tag's reasonable for the area.

Sunny, if you like the house, that's fine. If you're dreaming of a Texas farmhouse, that won't get you there. It's all in what you want.