Throw that out, make a bubble diagram when you do find the architect as you are already attempting to handcuff him with your preconceived ideas. Wants, needs and wishes, your budget and a bubble diagram with maybe some inspiration pictures of features both interior and exterior that you like. As well as the plat plan and allow him to walk the site with you.,

Where is the project located?

Get the property, then design a home with an architect.

The plan you have posted is a typical builder's plan. It's a "fat plan", many rooms deep, which will require a very large and dominating roof, as all fat plans do. There is nothing special or inspiring about the house. It's just shelter. Working with an architect from the beginning will produce a design which fits your site, your aspirations and budget, in a creative and imaginative way. Don't start your process by bringing a stale sandwich to a banquet.

Been there, done that and hired Architect Runner Guy from these forums and voila, amazing work and we got rid of fugly. Do yourself a BIG favor, do the same thing and hire an architect and design around your land.

Thanks everyone--I probably am putting the cart before the horse.

I'm reading about bubble diagrams--and will work on that. We hope (or rather "I" hope--my husband is more relaxed) to find a lot the end of this month.

So, I still have this question: How do I go about finding an architect to talk with who uses architectrunnerguy's "design charette" approach?

Call local architects and ask them!

First, I would suggest looking online for house plans before you hire an architect or a home designer. I live in the Carolinas and Southern Living, Frank Betz, and Don Gardner are popular sites for house plans. I know many reputable builders that build from those plans. There are many beautiful homes online and you can pay a local engineer to stamp the plans. From my research, the engineering aspect of it can be quite inexpensive. We are talking less than 1K. It's the design aspect where the money lies. There is definitely merit to an architect or a custom designer but depending on the budget and the design, I am willing to bet you could just as easily come up with a plan that fits your needs online.

That's all well and good Patrick offering that advice but then you make your own post asking Architects for advice. If the plan services are so great, why ask here for advice from an architect?

Well put mill, well put. I looked at COUNTLESS plans on line for months and there was NOTHING remotely close to what I received from ARG. Online plans are fine if you want to do a "one size fits all" canned approach and if this is acceptable, by all means.

Good point. I only gave that advice because I have known many that had luck with it and I would suggest that as the first course of action to others. It just wasn't in the cards for us but that's not to say it wouldn't be for others. Each person has to make up their own mind. It all depends on what you are trying to achieve and how much time you want to spend searching for a plan online that meets your needs.

It is also worth noting this is a pretty typical split floor plan design with a side entry garage. That's mostly all I saw when I was looking online. My wife and I were looking for something else so that's why we had trouble.

I'm definitely open to something beyond a typical builder plan--the ones I've seen are all pretty similar and if I were to put something together on my own it'd be a hodge podge of those. (I learned a long time ago, trying to design my "dream house" myself as a hypothetical exercise, that I ended up with about 40% hallway and it was clear I didn't know how to use space well)

We don't really want a side entry garage, but would consider it. Yes--I know that front entry garages dominate a house. I also know that I'm a horrible backer-upper and a side entry garage is designed for people who are better parkers and backer-uppers than I am.

Bubble diagrams are hard, btw--but that's for another post :-)

My BIL & SIL searched for a design on the internet for a year without mentioning it to me. They finally gave up and asked if I would design their house. I talked to them for 2 hours and sent them a preliminary design in a week. Their response was "let's build it". I see photos of it in magazine ads from time to time; the builder never mentions who designed it.

Have you considered contacting architect runner guy directly?

I will second that from experience.