Remaking your past bestsellers

Updating floor plans to bring them in line with the latest design trends might seem like a no-brainer; residential architects recommend going through this process on a regular basis. In reality, though, most builders freshen up their plans not as a proactive exercise, but in response to feedback from customers who are comparing new homes to resales.

“I keep telling my builders, ‘You’ve got to make it fresh,’” says Deryl Patterson, a partner in BSB Design’s Jacksonville, Fla., office. “Resales are really strong and they’re kicking new-home construction’s butt. I think it’s because we haven’t innovated enough in housing.”
What’s needed are “cupholder” ideas, Patterson says. “Remember when cars didn’t have cupholders? We’re trying to come up with things that buyers don’t have in their current homes and can’t find in resales,” such as drop zones, owner’s entries, and flex spaces.

Think of it as resetting for the new normal, says James Wentling, principal of Philadelphia-based James Wentling/Architects. Whenever a builder purchases a plan from Wentling’s portfolio, the architect strongly recommends retooling it. “You can just make a few tweaks and really add a lot of appeal to a plan,” he says.

This exercise has the additional benefit of identifying areas where you can cut construction costs and add value to the home. Whether you work through the process with an outside architect or your in-house design team, consider the tangible benefits.

Fresh start for a Florida home

CLICK TO ENLARGE

When GreenPointe Homes of Jacksonville, Fla., started building in a master-planned community in Brooksville, Fla., called Southern Hills Plantation, they introduced the Pinemore, a plan that had been retooled by BSB Design. The 3,000-square-foot Pinemore was formerly the Sandkey — a bestseller for a previous builder who is no longer in the Jacksonville market.

“When GreenPointe purchased the land from that builder, along with it came the plans,” says Patterson. “They decided to make the Sandkey theirs and take a new, fresh approach.”

The plan modifications resulted in a savings of $1,635 per house for the builder. “We used a combination of roof pitches (steeper on the side-to-side pitch, shallower on the front-to-back pitch) to reduce the height of the roof and therefore have less roofing material,” she says. “Also, the roof has fewer hips and valleys, which saved money on roof trusses.”

The Craftsman elevation is one of two new designs created by BSB Design for the Pinemore plan. Notice that the windows and wall elements are more balanced and proportional and the entry is more open and inviting. CLICK TO ENLARGE PLAN

The original English Cottage and Colonial Revival elevations were replaced with new Craftsman and Low Country elevations. A drop zone for purses, cell phones, keys, and mail was added at the garage entrance (now the owner’s entry). The living room is now a family room that engages with the kitchen, while the dining room is a flex space with windows oriented to the front for better light. This space can be used as extra storage or fitted with a doggie door leading outside. The master closet is now directly connected to the owner’s entry and laundry room. The closets in bedrooms two and three were enlarged.

BSB also reconfigured the kitchen, creating a larger corner pantry and an angled island that seats five. “It used to be that you never wanted to see the kitchen sink when you walked in the front door,” says Patterson, “but now the kitchen sink is the focus. We’re doing giant islands and making them feel like Starbucks.”

The covered patio in the rear evolved into a lanai with an optional summer kitchen and space for a fire pit.

Trimming away the excess

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Wentling redesigned one of his portfolio plans, the Chadwick, to reduce the number of angles and projections and save money on construction. The Chadwick I, a 3,220-square-foot home, is a formal home with a curved staircase, separate living and dining rooms, an extension off the dining room, and a high-pitched hip roof. The Chadwick II is smaller (2,385 square feet), but no less elegant. Fiber-cement siding replaced the stucco, and the roof pitch is lower. Wentling pushed the garage back to allow for a three-car option. The angled stair in the foyer is more economical to build, and by narrowing the foyer he was able to widen the living and dining rooms.

The separate den and living room were combined into one space, and the master bedroom was moved back to give it access to a smaller deck off the gathering room. There’s still an extension for a library/conservatory, but it was made optional so that the plan would fit on narrow lots.

“For smaller homes,” Wentling recommends, “use the full lot width to maximize the street elevation. This implies value to the buyer and captures more views of the private rear yard.”