Originally Posted by ckelly78z (Post 11101449)

Wow, I love that new concept design, and can see the transformation would be a large undertaking, but maybe Captain Ahab Jr. could help out with the stone work, and install a driveway rotisserie for you ???

Originally Posted by 908/930 (Post 11101816)

One thing about building right now is the the amount materials have gone up in the last 10 months, priced a 2x4x10 lately? It will go back down not sure when.

Originally Posted by 911boost (Post 11101966)

I prefer the before. Modern is overplayed in my opinion. Maybe just make some minor changes including the colors.

Originally Posted by sugarwood (Post 11102203)

Hire someone to clean your roof once a year.
That's what old people do.

Originally Posted by Shaun @ Tru6 (Post 11101919)

I sometimes wonder in major renovations if it would be cheaper to raze the house to the ground and build a new home.

Originally Posted by Shuie (Post 11103219)

Any recommendations for software to draft a floor plan or do a high level home design that I can take to an architect and get a real set of plans made from? I downloaded the trial of smartdraw, but I can't really print anything from this version.

Has anyone used any of these?
https://www.homedesignsoftware.tv/ppc/

Originally Posted by dad911 (Post 11103457)

We use chief architect home design. I use suite, the cheaper version, mostly for cabinets and tinkering. My son uses architectural. The demos, and even my version don't print well. I cannot print scale pdfs on our plotter, but he can.

https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/?__utma=67784003.763715596.1605404795.1605404795.1 605404795.1&__utmb=67784003.10.10.1605404795&__utm c=67784003&__utmx=-&__utmz=67784003.1605404795.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmc cn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=(not%20provided )&__utmv=-&__utmk=203887063#products

Originally Posted by 908/930 (Post 11103488)

Va

Shuie, Do you have experience with design software? If not the learning curve could take a while, I used Chief architect and was not impressed, it was good at simple items like making walls and placing cabs but was not good with complex roof. Should have just used Solidworks, much harder to learn but way better. Talk to the architect you want to use and see what type of files he can transfer to his software, not all file types convert well.

Originally Posted by 908/930 (Post 11103488)

Vash, Is there any minimum amount for the chimney height from ground level that is required for building code in your area?

Originally Posted by DanielDudley (Post 11102737)

Labor to do that rendering would be even more than materials. When you remodel, you need to look for the low hanging fruit, and concentrate on what will make your life better living in the house. You don't need to impress the neighbors to improve your living arrangements unless you have money to burn.

Do you really want to be a slave to a house payment, or do you want to have a house so you can have a secure base for living a full life? Sacrificing a year of your life to get a great house is one thing, working OT for the next 10 years to pay for it is another. If you have to tear the whole house down to rework it, it would be cheaper to start fresh.

I saw a lot of people go upside down after the 2008 recession. They had really nice houses though. Too bad they couldn't afford to keep them. Don't blow your nest egg on your pad, pad your nest egg.

Originally Posted by vash (Post 11101020)

my wife and i have been batting around the idea of taking the 1970's roof design off of our house, and making it much better.

let me draw you a mental picture. my roof is pancake flat. all okay, but some 1970's house designer thought it would look smashing to put a parapet around the entire thing. to get on my roof of the main house, i have to climb onto the garage flat roof. take a aluminum 5-6 foot ladder and lean it against the parapet wall..then take another 5-6 foot ladder and lift it over the parapet and lean it against the wall from the other side. then i can climb up a ladder and down the other side. rain runs to the corners and flow into scuppers. i am at the mercy of my neighbors oak trees. i climb up annually to clear leaves. all well and good, but i am not getting any younger. in a siege, the parapet would be nice to duck behind to reload :)

i want to take the entire roof off and install a semi sloped roof. modern looking. then i can do some fascia updates, some new windows, new modern garage door, etc. make it look nicer and less "brady bunch neighborhood". maybe even SOLAR!!

i was just visiting my friends full house remodel. i was halfway talking chit and i told asked the Contractor (who told me he was retiring after that job), "you should do my house before you retire!". he is doing a great job, and it was a design/build thing. full drawings and everything.

he just told my wife for us to give him a call and get a cost estimate.!! yikes!! he will do our job before he retires! . i really want to do it..install some real lighting and stuff on the insides while i am at it, some vent-able skylights.

just a pic to show the idea of a remodel.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1605221550.jpg