Q. I live in Calgary Alberta and would like to build an unconventional house on an acerage far outside city limits. Exactly what would the process be ?Would I draw up my own drawings and have an engineer look at them and then how do I proceed?I've also heard that prefab homes get registered as products so ther is no inspections they just keep following the plans that was approved and inspect every so often.Your expertise would help me a bunch!
A. If you are looking for a design specific to your lifestyle and which addresses your particular surroundings, then you should consider hiring an architect.
The process would start with you considering what type of home you would feel comfortable living in - open floorplan, vaulted ceilings, one level, lots of sunlight, all wood - that kind of thing. Then consider what your program elements are - how many bedrooms, baths, garage bays . . . . What are comfortable sizes for the various rooms? Keep a scrapbook of magazine articles & images, note what you like about them, make notes about little things that pop into your head at 3AM, take photos of components you like (friend's faucet, neighbors pergola . . .). Think about what you would like to see from your lot as you sit for breakfast or where you like the sun to be first thing in the morning. You can make sketch plans or elevations if you like.
With these you will have something to discuss with your architect and get the creative juices flowing. To many the term "unconventional" means "weird", but it should mean unique, individual, surpassing ordinary convention. Once the ball gets rolling your architect will help you flesh out your program, will discuss with you various options specific to your site and will lead you through the development and fine-tuning of the design. They will then produce the drawings that a builder will use and make sure that the home is built according to the ideas and specifications that you had discussed.
Engineers, in general, crunch numbers. They will assist the architect in making sure that the building is structurally sound, but they do not typically design buildings.
Prefab homes go through the same set of inspections that a custom-built home will go through, it is just that they are all done prior to landing on your property. A competent contractor will keep abreast of local inspection requirements as your house is built, it is not something that you yourself will need to be overly concerned with.
The process would start with you considering what type of home you would feel comfortable living in - open floorplan, vaulted ceilings, one level, lots of sunlight, all wood - that kind of thing. Then consider what your program elements are - how many bedrooms, baths, garage bays . . . . What are comfortable sizes for the various rooms? Keep a scrapbook of magazine articles & images, note what you like about them, make notes about little things that pop into your head at 3AM, take photos of components you like (friend's faucet, neighbors pergola . . .). Think about what you would like to see from your lot as you sit for breakfast or where you like the sun to be first thing in the morning. You can make sketch plans or elevations if you like.
With these you will have something to discuss with your architect and get the creative juices flowing. To many the term "unconventional" means "weird", but it should mean unique, individual, surpassing ordinary convention. Once the ball gets rolling your architect will help you flesh out your program, will discuss with you various options specific to your site and will lead you through the development and fine-tuning of the design. They will then produce the drawings that a builder will use and make sure that the home is built according to the ideas and specifications that you had discussed.
Engineers, in general, crunch numbers. They will assist the architect in making sure that the building is structurally sound, but they do not typically design buildings.
Prefab homes go through the same set of inspections that a custom-built home will go through, it is just that they are all done prior to landing on your property. A competent contractor will keep abreast of local inspection requirements as your house is built, it is not something that you yourself will need to be overly concerned with.
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Title Post: How do I go about building an unconventional house?
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