Owner-specific modifications:
Added finished daylight basement with second Great Room, two additional bedrooms, and additional bathroom
Expanded 2-car garage to 3-car
Removed wall between kitchen and main-floor Great Room
Enlarged master bath; divided dual-sink vanity; added raised Jacuzzi tub
Converted walk-in closet to walk-through in master suite
Lowered two-story ceiling in foyer; moved laundry room to upper floor between bedrooms 3 and 4
What happens when you turn a mechanical engineer loose on a stock
blueprint? One answer can be found in Metamora, Ill., where Bill
Groff, his wife, and three daughters, reside in their stunning
new home, Plan AHP-9360.
Bill, who enjoys designing and building homes for a hobby (
"not too often, though!"), broke out his AutoCad
software and went to work on this, his third home and one
of our most popular home plans, tailoring it himself to
suit his site and his family perfectly. He was drawn to Home Plan
AHP-9360 because of its overall appearance, size,
suitability for a daylight basement, and nine-foot
ceilings.
Now that the home is built, the Groffs are even more enamored of
it, naming the numerous bedrooms, the daylight basement addition,
and the open oak stairways as their favorite features.
Indeed, the home's interior design touches are worth specific
mention. In the kitchen, custom Amish hickory cabinets add
traditional warmth. Just off the kitchen, the eating nook basks
in the glow from bright windows. A vaulted ceiling helps to
expand this space. In the daylight basement, a laundry hookup,
a fireplace connection and a wet bar area all await the
family's future needs.
Bill kept the utilities in mind when including
energy-efficient products and strategies such as heavily
insulated 2x6 construction; a continuous air-vapor barrier
coupled with an air-to-air exchanger; zoned heating/
air-conditioning (each floor has a thermostat); and a 95-percent-efficient furnace, with high-efficiency
air-conditioning capability.
The result? "The house turned out great and has incredible
curb appeal," says Bill. "We may eventually brick the
front and add more landscaping, but the plan itself is great."
Asked if he would use our stock home plans again and recommend them to
others, Bill says "yes," adding—not surprisingly—that he can't help
but get personally involved with the home plans he has chosen in the
past. "I always want to make a few changes," he says.
Perhaps creativity will srike again, but for now, the Graffs can simply
enjoy their new home.
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