First of all, welcome to the forums!

Secondly -- just so you know my bias upfront, lol -- I usually recommend that most folks look into interviewing at least a few architects when deciding to build a home. Sole-practitioner architects don't always cost an arm, a leg, and your firstborn. Having a trusted team of homeowner, architect, and builder (all present during the design stage) is the way to go. Bring in an interior designer, kitchen designer, and landscape architect if you can, too.

Thirdly, the best houses have the following traits:

(1) 1-1.5, absolutely no more than 2, rooms deep. This keeps the cost of your roof down, allows natural light to enter everywhere, and provides excellent sight lines and opportunities for cross breezes. Think "letter" shapes, like I, L, T, U, C, H, and E.

(2) Mostly North/South exposure, with limited East/West exposure. That western sun is brutal with a capital B.

(3) An architectural style. Pick one (a hybrid is possible, but best left to skilled professionals, since marrying some styles just won't work) and don't deviate. Carry the theme throughout the house, the landscaping, everything, until you can give Disneyland a run for its money.

Even if you don't want to go the custom-designed-by-an-architect route, it's still good to know the basics, so you can look critically at floorplans and understand the compromises you may be making. :-D

How big is the lot or land that you are planning to build on? Do you have an elevation view of this house plan? Front, sides or rear? Is this a development or are you on your own? Are there any views, roads or landscape features that we should know about?

Get out your check book...or,

Find an experienced and talented architect.

One Devoted Dame - thanks! We're definitely considering an architect, just see little early in the process right now trying to think and plan ahead.

For the no more than 2 rooms deep, while I understand it I'm struggling to picture how it would work to modify those floor plans without some massive hallway on the second "wing". Otherwise I think it's close to that rule.

North-South layout is likely what will be done based on the lots we're looking at purchasing. It might be slightly turned so the front faces Northeast due to the lot but not sure yet.

Rule 3: definitely not looking to build a McMansion. Ranch homes here tend to do that mostly with the false roof lines rather than siding as we have almost exclusively stucco.

Homechef59 - thank you as well. We're still evaluating lots but looking for something about 1 acre or so. It's a development but we get to pick everything that happens on the land. No considerations for views (it's flat and no water) and no landscape issues. We'll be on a culdesac with a wedge shaped lot if we go with the ones we're looking at now. No elevations yet.

I'm in SW Florida so am familiar with how things are built here. What is your family makeup?

thanks! We're definitely considering an architect, just see little early in the process right now trying to think and plan ahead.

You're never too early to get an architect in on the process. A good architect will come out to the property and help you decide on which of several lots would work best for you.

I will say that in my opinion, the best would be front facing north and back south so your lanai and/or pool get sun most of the day. A wide lanai can help with shading.

For the no more than 2 rooms deep, while I understand it I'm struggling to picture how it would work to modify those floor plans without some massive hallway on the second "wing". Otherwise I think it's close to that rule.

It wouldn't help to modify those floor plans because both floor plans are poor. Both will create bloated roofs that will add extra costs and create possible water intrusion problems later on.

Both have jigs and jogs that will add to the cost to build but most likely add nothing to the overall look of the house.

Both have angled interior walls which do not live well in reality. The truth is when I see angled interior walls, I'm almost certain the design was done by a draftsman claiming he/she has design skills.

And most importantly, both will be dark inside because there aren't enough windows in the right areas to let light in.

North-South layout is likely what will be done based on the lots we're looking at purchasing. It might be slightly turned so the front faces Northeast due to the lot but not sure yet.

Well that would mean the back would face southwest which is not a direction you want. In FL, you want to minimize your western exposure as much as possible. Western exposure means more heat which means higher cooling bills. And western exposure will make your backyard uncomfortable to sit out in in the late afternoon, early evening.

Rule 3: definitely not looking to build a McMansion. Ranch homes here tend to do that mostly with the false roof lines rather than siding as we have almost exclusively stucco.

Yes and all those false roof lines actually look silly.

The best thing I did was orient my house north/south with the south facing the rear of the property. The second best thing I did was to make sure I had lots of windows north and south and yes, even west while minimizing windows on my west wall. In fact my bedroom could have had windows on 3 walls which I'd normally want, but I didn't want the added heat from windows on the west wall.

The other best thing I did was to make sure I had wide eaves over the whole house to help with natural solar heating/cooling of the house. In fact this past summer before the AC was in, if the windows and doors were open, the house was still bearable.

Invest in an architect. You won't regret it and you'll get a house that is designed for your lot and for how you live versus a generic house meant to be plopped anywhere in the US.

I'm not an architect, designer or contractor and have absolutely no experience building new homes. I do, however, have much experience living in houses with children and other people. If this is a family home, please think twice about eliminating or forgoing a secondary living area. The ability to have separate adult/child, loud/quiet, TV/reading, messy/neat spaces can save your sanity. And marriage.

Good luck on your project!

One Devoted Dame - thanks! We're definitely considering an architect, just see little early in the process right now trying to think and plan ahead.

Like CPartist mentioned, y'all actually aren't too early in your journey to talk with architects. :-) They can help find and/or evaluate land. I think your timing is perfect.

For the no more than 2 rooms deep, while I understand it I'm struggling to picture how it would work to modify those floor plans without some massive hallway on the second "wing". Otherwise I think it's close to that rule.

Good architects don't need a pre-made plan to get you what you want. ;-) It's better to sit down with your spouse and decide which style(s) y'all prefer, which rooms you want to be near each other, which features you "need," which items you "want," and which things that would be "nice to have." Bring pictures/Houzz Ideabooks of things you like (but not of floorplans, lol).

Something else I forgot to mention... It's my understanding that when an architect gathers all of your information, he'll come up with a few different concept layouts and exterior sketches, so you will have options to pick from. It should be a very collaborative process. How cool is that?!?!

I'm in SW Florida so am familiar with how things are built here. What is your family makeup?

Right now: two 30 year old parents of a 6 month old. Long term one additional child and a small chance of a third.

You're never too early to get an architect in on the process. A good architect will come out to the property and help you decide on which of several lots would work best for you.

I should have clarified that the reason we think we're too early is that we're basically in the idea building stage developing what we think we want so that we're prepared when discussing ideas/wants/needs.

It wouldn't help to modify those floor plans because both floor plans are poor. Both will create bloated roofs that will add extra costs and create possible water intrusion problems later on.

I shouldn't have specifically referred to how to modify those to fit. More looking for maybe some other visual so I could understand how it might look?

Yes and all those false roof lines actually look silly.

Totally agree!

I'm not an architect, designer or contractor and have absolutely no experience building new homes. I do, however, have much experience living in houses with children and other people. If this is a family home, please think twice about eliminating or forgoing a secondary living area. The ability to have separate adult/child, loud/quiet, TV/reading, messy/neat spaces can save your sanity. And marriage.

I think this is a person-to-person thing. I grew up with multiple living spaces and we NEVER used the second room. It was completely wasted space. What we're planning on is using the 4th bedroom as a messy area for now and as the little one gets older transitioning it back to a bedroom.

Good luck on your project!

Thanks!

Good architects don't need a pre-made plan to get you what you want. ;-) It's better to sit down with your spouse and decide which style(s) y'all prefer, which rooms you want to be near each other, which features you "need," which items you "want," and which things that would be "nice to have."

Like my reply to cpartist, I think that's more the stage we're at. Trying to understand what we want/need and trying to understand what works and doesn't. We looked at an existing house with a similar layout and we liked it but without living in it it's hard to know. At our current understanding we wouldn't know why those floor plans are "bad". Is there a website where we could look at floor plans that are done well so we can see what works?

Bring pictures/Houzz Ideabooks of things you like (but not of floorplans, lol).

On my other monitor is a ton of open browser windows with ideas we're looking through! :)

These styles are very common in FL. If they are so bad, why are there so many of them. Arthur Rutenberg hasn't gone out of business, right :)

A "poor" plan may be a bit of a personal opinion and not entirely overall "poor". I've had "fat", "deep" homes before where the cooling costs weren't exorbitant nor was construction cost.

For example, CP, I'm not understanding your foyer area which looks to be banks of doors everywhere. "Pick a door, any door", nor how the very modern pool style (with very little privacy from the onlooking 2 storey neighbors) looks like it belongs with your rear neighbors houses instead of with a Craftsman-inspired one. Same for your study/office which would also make a beautiful guest suite someday, yet, there is no adjacent full bath.

So, my opinion is that in certain regards (not all), "poor" is subjective.

Yes, the OP plan will be somewhat dim and the deep lanai will be a major contributing factor to that.

I'm curious about the custom in family homes with year round pools. I would think easy access to a laundry would be important because of all the towels & wet stuff. When I had a houseful of kids here in the midwest, all that stuff came via the car and thru the garage to laundry/mudroom, (and yes, the car got really ugly) but with a pool on site, I think I would want the wet kids coming from the pool in back through a utility-sort of area.

samarnn, growing up we left the towels outside in the sun to dry. It only took a couple minutes after toweling for our skin to dry. However you make a good point about trying to provide access to the laundry or garage from the deck. We'll have to think about that as a possibility.

However you make a good point about trying to provide access to the laundry or garage from the deck. We'll have to think about that as a possibility.

To me a bathroom to change was more important which is why we put the powder room in our house in the friend's entry area.

Again, if you go with a custom house, you can make that decision as to what is important and where you need things to be.

A "poor" plan may be a bit of a personal opinion and not entirely overall "poor". I've had "fat", "deep" homes before where the cooling costs weren't exorbitant nor was construction cost.

How do you know? Isn't it possible and probable the construction costs would have been a lot less without the fat roof?

As for cooling costs, that's more a function of orientation.