Looking for Ranch Style House Plans?

Ranch style house plans have been a popular style in the U.S. for many decades. There are some design considerations to keep in mind.

The first thing to think about is the size of your lot. This will allow you to figure out what size home will fit within your setbacks.

The topography of the lot also plays a role in what type of ranch house would work best.

If the lot is flat and open then you have quite a few options, but if the lot is sloped or smaller than you might want to consider using such things as a walk out basement and going to a second floor to increase square footage.

Most ranch style house plans are single story, though some plans incorporate a higher roof pitch in the center of the home to accommodate a second story (which is sometimes just a loft bedroom). Some ranch plans are a simple rectangular shape; others are T-shaped or even U-shaped. The T-shaped and U-shaped plans would require much more space on your building lot than a simple rectangular-shaped ranch plan.

The planning stage of a ranch house project is the right time to determine all of the features and dimensions of your new home. Ranch homes offer many different design options. This flexibility gives you the opportunity to plan for expansion down the road. A second story can be included in your initial plans, and then the interior can be finished later. You can also do this with your full foundation.

Ranch homes can also provide a very expansive home with the popular open floor plan. The flexibility of this style allows the homeowner to create a very grand home as well. In many instances, the floor plan of a ranch home is quite large because they are constructed on large plots of land.

The main thing that will determine the size and scope of your ranch plan is your budget. In order for potential contractors to provide you with an accurate cost estimate, you need to provide them with a complete set of plans. This is why the design stage is so important--everything else hinges on this.

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