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House Plan Topics

Click on the column headlines below to read the entire unedited columns and view the related illustrations. Most of my columns that you read in your newspaper or magazine have been edited due to space constraints.

476 - Unique cedar homes are attractive and energy efficient
Update Bulletin Description - List of 14 manufacturers of cedar house packages, seven floor plan layouts and exterior diagrams, construction methods, typical specifications and a construction schedule. Comparison of log insulation values and interior/exterior wall diagrams of several companies' models.

518 - Timber-framed homes are efficient, beautiful, super-strong
Update Bulletin Description - Listing of 18 timber-frame house manufacturers and builders across the U.S., seven exterior diagrams/floor plan layouts of unique houses -1,400 sq. ft. to 4,300 sq. ft., illustrations of the timber framing, and specifications on some of the homes.

774 - Post and beam houses are efficient, super-strong and uniquely attractive
Update Bulletin Description - List of 16 post and beam house (and modular kit) manufacturers, six floor plan layouts and exterior diagrams and detailed house package specifications (posts, beams, exterior walls, insulation, house wrap, roof, windows) for the plans (sizes range from 1,700 sq. ft. to 3,200 sq. ft.), and a frame wood selector guide.

781 - Circular/octagonal panelized houses are attractive, efficient, easy to build
Update Bulletin Description - Listing 10 circular/octagonal panelized house kit and structural insulated panel manufacturers, eight floor plan layouts (several with exterior diagrams) ranging from 600 to 2,000 sq. ft., each kit manufacturer's range of standard kit floor plan sizes (sq. ft.), and construction specifications for several manufacturers.

835 - Heating your house with several passive solar heating methods is simple
Update Bulletin Description - Listing of 14 manufacturers of do-it-yourself passive solar house kits, floor plan layouts of 5 passive solar houses and 6 floor plan layouts of kits utilizing passive solar design features and a thermal mass material selector chart.

869 - Dome homes are efficient, withstand hurricanes, tornadoes
Update Bulletin Description - Listing of nine manufacturers of dome home kits, construction methods (hub and strut, hub and double strut, concrete channel frame, sprayed concrete), size ranges in square feet, exterior diagrams and six floor plan layouts, general specifications and features on some floor plans.

879 - Steel-framed houses are super-efficient, offer design flexibility
Update Bulletin Description - Listing of 21 steel-framed (red iron, light-gauge, panel) house manufacturers showing material/construction specifications, items included in framing packages, six floor plan layouts, exterior house diagrams and several steel framing illustrations.

944 - Log homes are unique and efficient for the do-it-yourselfer or builder
Update Bulletin Description - Listing of 13 half and full-log kit home manufacturers, wood types used, eight plan layouts and exterior diagrams, sizes, diagrams of log profiles (full round, Swedish cope, "D" logs, square and rectangular logs) and corner styles (butt and pass, dovetail, interlock, saddle notch, square notch, notch and groove).

963 - Modern modular houses are attractive, strong, efficient
Update Bulletin Description - List of 36 selected manufacturers of modular houses, areas they serve, seven different models exterior diagrams with floor plans layouts (from 832 sq. feet to 3,527 sq. ft.) and typical materials and construction specifications.