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Plan Description

THE NOT SO BIG HOUSE PROTOTYPE 454-3. This beautiful home was designed by architect, Sarah Susanka, for herself. She built it originally to illustrate the ideas she was writing about in her first book in the Not So Big® series. The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live. It is designed to promote a floor plan that is far more appropriate for present day lifestyles, and it is filled with special details that make the house a delight to live in, while living up to it Not So Big® name. Instead of building formal spaces that rarely if ever get used, this house is designed so that every space will be put to good use everyday. Featuring spacious, light-filled rooms, built-ins, and an open floor plan, it embodies the principles of quality and comfort that are at the root of Not So Big® design. The house is designed for a full walk-out lower level, ideal for a visiting guest to enjoy their own private bed and bath, and with excellent home office space with its own exterior entry. In a tiny attic garret, there also a cozy Place of Your Own (or Poyo, as Sarah calls it), accessed by a ship's ladder from the second floor. \ \ Like Sarah's other house plans, the Not So Big House Prototype illustrates a play on a theme and variation, with the frequent appearance throughout the house of an archetypal form--the circle. On the second floor, directly above the front door, there is a large translucent window in the shape of a partial circle. The curve of this beautiful form runs through the upstairs bathroom and stairway landing, lending significant drama to the second floor--in a Not So Big® way, of course. \ \ See Further Description Below

Pricing

Plan Content

All plans are drawn at ¼” scale or larger and include :

• Foundation Plan: Drawn to 1/4" scale, this page shows all necessary notations and dimensions including support columns, walls and excavated and unexcavated areas. Most of our plans show a basement and alternate crawl space or slab plan.
• Exterior Elevations: A blueprint picture of all four sides showing exterior materials and measurements.
• Floor Plan(s): Detailed plans, drawn to 1/4" scale for each level showing room dimensions, wall partitions, windows, etc. as well as the location of electrical outlets and switches.
• Cross Section: A vertical cutaway view of the house from roof to foundation showing details of framing, construction, flooring and roofing.
• Interior Elevations: Detailed drawings of kitchen cabinet elevations and other elements as required.

Cost-to-Build

To help you determine if this plan will fit within your budget, our Cost-to-Build™ report will provide you a location specific Cost-to-Build™, which is based on your zip code. Order a Cost-to-Build™ Report today to get an accurate, location specific construction cost for any house plan on Houseplans.com. It's a great way to budget your project and compare different plans. It's an easy process and one of our expert plan advisors will take you through a comprehensive interview to determine the materials, finishes, fixtures and more to help you know in advance the likely cost to build a new home from Houseplans.com's blueprints.

Best Price Policy

*We will beat lower prices advertised by other plans brokerage web sites. If, prior to purchasing a set of plans¹ from us, you find the same product advertised at a lower price, we will gladly discount the purchase price of the plans¹ by 5% of the LOWEST PRICE available for that plan package.

Once our staff is able to verify that the exact same plan is offered at a lower published price, is in stock and available for immediate sale and delivery from a competitor's website. Houseplans.com will offer the plan for sale at the lower published price less 5% for immediate purchase at that time only.

The advertised item must be the same plan as the product being purchased, including set type (5-copy, 8-copy, Reproducible, or CAD Set), foundation options, and any miscellaneous details. Advertised prices must be in the same currency that the original product was purchased in. Our Price Guarantee does not apply to advertising errors or misprints, special prices, restricted offers, mail order offers, rebates, coupons, premiums, free or bonus offers, OEM products, limited or minimum quantity or limited time offers, close-outs, liquidations, clearances, and special financing offers.

¹Full sets of plans only, such as 5-copy, 8-copy, Reproducible, or CAD, are eligible for this offer. 1-copy Sets, Study Sets, Additional Sets, Materials Lists, returns, and any purchase where the payment is defaulted at any time after the purchase are not eligible for this offer.

Important Information

All sales on house plans and customization/modifications are final. No refunds or exchanges can be given once your order has started the fulfillment process.

All house plans from Houseplans.com are designed to conform to the local codes when and where the original house was constructed.

In addition to the house plans you order, you may also need a site plan that shows where the house is going to be located on the property. You might also need beams sized to accommodate roof loads specific to your region. Your home builder can usually help you with this. You may also need a septic design unless your lot is served by a sanitary sewer system. Many areas now have area-specific energy codes that also have to be followed. This normally involves filling out a simple form providing documentation that your house plans are in compliance.

To find out what documents you should expect with your house plans, see What's Included?

In some regions, there is a second step you will need to take to insure your house plans are in compliance with local codes. Some areas of North America have very strict engineering requirements. Examples of this would be, but not limited to, earthquake-prone areas of California and the Pacific Coast, hurricane risk areas of the Florida, Gulf & Carolina Coasts. New York, New Jersey, Nevada, and parts of Illinois require review by a local professional as well. If you are building in these areas, it is most likely you will need to hire a state licensed structural engineer to analyze the design and provide additional drawings and calculations required by your building department. If you aren’t sure, building departments typically have a handout they will give you listing all of the items they require to submit for and obtain a building permit.

Additionally, stock plans do not have a professional stamp attached. If your building department requires one, they will only accept a stamp from a professional licensed in the state where you plan to build. In this case, you will need to take your house plans to a local engineer or architect for review and stamping. In addition, plans which are used to construct homes in Nevada are required to be drawn by a licensed Nevada architect.