HOUSE PLAN SPECS
Floor 1
1,530 sf
Daylight Basement
1,530 sf
Entry Faces
North
South Glass
8%
Complexity
simple
Cedar Ranch
PLAN PRICING
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Study Plans
See larger, clearer, and more drawings than what are shown on the individual house plan pages.
The price can be credited to future orders of Construction Prints or CAD Files of any Sun Plan even if a completely different house plan is later purchased.(Some exceptions if customer requires Study Plan level of consulting.)
Study Plans can be ordered from the Pricing tab for each house plan.
Study Plans include:
- A mini set of design-oriented drawings set up for 11"x17".
- A choice between a Paper version sent by US Priority Mail or the PDF version sent via email.
- Unlimited printing with PDF's for sharing with family members.
- 6 to 9 pages of drawings depending upon the complexity of the home.
- Click here to see an example set for a 1.5 story home with daylight basement.
- Schematic site plan, floor plans (with room sizes and furniture), daylight basements if applicable, exterior elevations, a schematic section of the house to help visualize the interior, kitchen elevations and garage plans.
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Review Sets
Review Sets provide information to help decide whether the design will meet the budget. They are mainly for those who crave technical details, have construction experience or have a builder on board.
The price can be credited to future orders of Construction Prints or CAD Files of any Sun Plan even if a completely different house plan is later purchased. (Some exceptions if customer requires Review Set level of consulting.)
Review Sets can be ordered from the Pricing tab for each house plan..
Review Sets include:
- A mini set of construction drawings set up for 11"x17"
- Choice of PAPER sent by US Priority Mail or PDF version sent via email. (Select PDF to print extra copies or share electronically with other building professionals.)
- 10 to 16 pages of drawings depending upon the complexity of the home.(See each house plan description for the drawings that come with each design.)
- Dimensions and construction notes.
- Click here to see an example Review Set of a 1.5 story home with daylight basement.
- A copy of the Study Plan.
- An "Opinion of Probable Construction Cost" from Sun Plans if requested. Sun Plans evaluates the design and compares it to similar home designs for which other clients have provided construction costs. A range of construction cost is provided. (This is based on national information. Sun Plans does not have statistics by state, region or country.)
Review Sets may vary slightly from later orders of Construction Prints and CAD Files since drawings are continuously being updated to meet newer construction and in-house standards,
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Construction Prints
Large Construction Prints with clear, concise information make it easy for builders to follow yet they are flexible enough to adapt locally based on the price and availability of materials and subcontractors, various construction methods and home owner preferences. Together, every builder and home owner will change some aspects of the design before or during construction. If mutually agreeable (and approved by the building inspector and local engineer), these "field changes" can often be made with red notes on the Construction Prints. (For complex changes, please see CAD Files or Adapt-A-SunPlan Services.)
Construction Prints include:
- Six sets of Construction Prints on 24"x36" paper shipped via UPS ground or PDF computer files sent by email
- 10 to 16 pages of drawings depending upon the size and complexity of the home. (See individual house plan descriptions for specific drawings for each design.)
- Schematic site plan (cover sheet showing how to orient the house for passive solar gain)
- Foundation Plan (either slab-on-grade, crawlspace, below grade or daylight basement)
- First and second floor plans (many construction notes, window sizes, etc.)
- Exterior elevations (all four sides shown in hatched detail)
- Schematic Building section (cut-away through the home showing basic configuration)
- Kitchen elevations (all sides of the kitchen)
- Typical wall detail (showing the various building materials recommended)
- Schematic electrical (showing lights, switches and outlets)
- Schematic framing plans (showing floor framing, roof framing and beams)
- Garage or Carport
- Custom Energy Specs. (Read more.)
- Under the Tell Me More about the Review Set, you can see an example set of drawings; however, with Construction Prints, the plans are updated to the current in-house checklist, do not have the Not For Construction, and include the Custom Energy Specs.
- One hour of technical support with the architect by email or phone
Miscellaneous Details
- Order Construction Prints through the Pricing tab on any house plan.
- After an order is placed, reply to the email received to advise of the requested information Sun Plans will need to prepare the Custom Energy Specs.
- Allow 5 business days for updating the design to the Sun Plans in-house checklist and preparation of the the Custom Energy Specs. (Shipping then takes another 3-7 days.)
- With PDF's, unlimited copies of the Construction Prints can be printed locally so long as they are used for building one home. PDF's are handy for sending to builders, mortgage companies, appraisers, home energy raters, and others who may be assisting with the planning and construction of the home such as the builder's subcontractors. Some building inspection departments require PDF.
Rick is in the lighting business and reviews construction prints in his work.
They are wonderful! If you saw most of the drawings and specifications I see, you would wonder how anything got built properly...It is just nice to see a true professional who does the job correctly and takes pride in her work. In my 34 years of working with Architects you are hands down the best I have had the privilege to work with. - Rick
A client sent a set of Construction Prints (designed for stick construction) to a SIP company to have them converted to SIPs. This is what they told the home owners:
I also wanted to take this opportunity to confirm your selection of Sun Plans Inc. We receive many sets of drawings each day that are interested in comparing SIPs. The drawings submitted by Sun Plans Inc. were high quality and very easy for us to work from. - Steve, SIPS of the South
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CAD Files
CAD files are the most flexible type of construction drawings since they can be modified and sent electronically. While the house design is intended to save the home owner energy, the CAD files are designed to save the energy of design professionals by making adaptations proceed faster should it be desired to have someone other than Sun Plans make the changes. The PDF files that are a part of the order allow for printing unlimited Construction Prints even if no changes are made. CAD files are intended to be used by professionals experienced in residential design.
CAD Files Include:
- CAD files of the Construction Drawings (see below for options)
- PDF file of the Construction Prints (see Construction Prints)
- PDF file of Custom Energy Specs
- PDF file of Copyright Release to allow the house to be modified and changed to build one house
- Under the Tell Me More about the Review Set, you can see an example set of drawings; however, with Construction Prints and CAD Files, the plans are updated to the current in-house checklist, do not have the Not For Construction, and include the Custom Energy Specs.
- One hour of technical support. This can include review by the Sun Plans' architect on proposed changes prior to preparing Custom Energy Specs. If the customer sends a list of proposed changes immediately after placing the order, the architect can review them for energy implications and try to address them in the Custom Energy Specs.
CAD File Details
- Order CAD files through the Pricing tab on any house plan.
- After an order is placed, reply to the email received to advise of the requested information Sun Plans will need to prepare the Custom Energy Specs.
- Allow 5 business days for to allow for updating the design to the Sun Plans in-house checklist and preparation of the the Custom Energy Specs.
- With the CAD files, many changes can be made to the design.
- With PDF's (part of the CAD file order), unlimited copies of the Construction Prints can be printed locally so long as they are used for building one home. PDF's are handy for sending to builders, mortgage companies, appraisers, home energy raters, and others who may be assisting with the planning and construction of the home such as the builder's subcontractors. Some building inspection departments require PDF.
- If consulting on changes is desired before the order is placed, then Adapt-A-SunPlan Consulting and Review Service is the process to take.
- The design professional may expand the house a couple of feet, change the exterior materials, move a bathroom, or rearrange interior walls and doors.
- The structural engineer may want to add engineering information such as rebar sizes and specific connections suitable for the local codes, soils, winds, snow or seismic activity.
- The builder may find it easier to perform take offs and layouts with this electronic version of construction prints.
- Home Energy Raters or HVAC subs creating duct work layouts can increase the speed and accuracy of their services.
Info for the Design Professional
- The CAD Files are designed to be used by an experienced residential design professional
- The standard method of preparing the CAD files is in AutoCAD 2000 DWG file type, with the files split into separate files. Approximately 95% of CAD file orders are prepared in this format. (Sun Plans can export to any version of AutoCAD between version 12 (released in 1992) and 2021, but 2000 is the default as that seems to be the most common one that design professionals can use including those with older versions of the software. It is not uncommon for other design professionals to use very old versions of AutoCAD.
- Can't use any of these CAD File types, but still want the local design professional to copy and redraw the design with changes? The Copyright Release that comes only with CAD Files allow for this. (Please see Copyright.)
- Special requests for all-in-one CAD files, DXF or AEC (DataCAD) files can be honored if advised within one business day of the order.
- Split CAD Files are divided into separate files - cover sheet, foundation, first floor, second floor, elevations, section, kitchen, wall detail, and detached garage as applicable. More than one of the printed sheet may be in each file. For instance, the fp1elect and fp1framing will also be in the fp1 file, but these are recommended to be printed separately as shown in the PDF files that come with the CAD Files.
- More questions? Have the design professional contact us.
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Mirror Reverse
Similar to the Mirror Reverse feature for each house plan, mirror reversing Construction Prints and CAD Files flips the house plan on the north-south axis. However, the Mirror Reverse custom service also reverses the text and numbers so that they are no longer backwards. The drawings will be "right reading". It takes some time to check for overlapping text and numbers, but it is a worthwhile service considering the errors that can be made by the builders and their subs if they otherwise tried to reverse the home during construction.
In rectangular plans designed with one long wall designed to face south, the south and north sides will still face the same compass direction, but the east and west walls are reversed. In angled plans designed to sit at a 45 degree angle to south, the mirror line is from the northern-most corner to the southern-most corner which is a diagonal line across the house. What was the northwest wall would then become the northeast wall, and what was the southwest wall would then become the southeast wall.
Instances of when reversing might help include when the home owners want the entry on the east rather than the west. Or maybe a bedroom on the west is desired instead of the east-facing bedroom if light is not wanted from the sunrise. There are hundreds of reasons for mirror reversing a house along the north-south axis. Sometimes the architect suggests it during the Review and Consulting phase of any custom services based on the home owners' site or other particulars.
A local design professional can also do the reversing with the CAD Files.
Mirror Reverse is a not available for the lower-priced Study Plans and Review Sets.
Inspired by the sun-inspired Acorn design, the Cedar Ranch is a simpler design, but with a full front porch. The northwest corner second bedroom or study takes advantage of west views as does the west porch. The southeast porch captures morning light. The front yard of the home creates a type of courtyard and gives flexibility to place the home on land with a driveway approaching from the north or east.
The passive solar design is working great. It's been sunny here for the past week and we haven't needed to run the furnace (even though it gets down to the teens at night)!
First Floor
The front foyer overlooks the finished staircase to below to allow for an expansive view to the south side of the open central dining flanked by the kitchen and living area. The hearth is also in the middle for ease of heat distribution. The dining area has plenty of room to expand for large gatherings of friends and family.
For this plan, the following are included with orders for Construction Prints and CAD Files:
The master bedroom also receives more than its share of light with the south windows that look out through the porch and east-facing windows for sunrises year-round. Bedroom two is similarly located on the west to receive indirect south light and views directly to the west.
On the north and central side are the bathrooms and laundry which keeps the plumbing runs shorter. Bath two can be used by guests instead of adding a separate half bath. The master bath features a wet room for the toilet and shower which eliminates the need for a shower door.
The kitchen is near the laundry/mudroom and bedroom two making it perfect for use as a day room as an office or craft room. With a glass door to the sunny south, the desk area in the laundry will receive indirect light for sewing or a computer work area.
Daylight Basement
The daylight basement is shown with two extra bedrooms and a bath for a four-bedroom, three-bath home. A large southeast family room opens to a spacious east patio and even has a kitchenette nook. The bedrooms have an abundance of windows so that they will feel no different from the main floor bedrooms. The northwest room adds a lot of flexibility to this lower level as it is large enough to be divided for an exercise or craft room especially if a window well is added on the west.
Attached Garage
The attached two-car garage with workshop has east-facing (west-facing if plans are flipped) with the overhead doors near the front door to minimize the required lot size or for land with a steep north slope. The large workshop area can accommodate a ramp to the house if the garage floor needs to be lowered for tall vehicles or to simplify the northwest basement wall construction.
Construction Info
With its simple-shaped walls and gable roof, the home is an easy shape to build. Walls are 6 inches thick and can accommodate extra high R-value insulation in the wall cavity or have more insulation added to the exterior. The truss framed roof with raised heels allows for extra thick, economical insulation while the truss-framed floors accommodate ductwork and utilities so that an 8-foot ceiling is more acceptable and cost-effective. The roof trusses bear on 8 foot high north and south walls, but with vaulted scissors trusses, the center of the home has higher ceilings. A thinner tile system in the first-floor south-facing rooms provides some thermal mass, but most thermal mass is in the floor of the daylight basement. When connected to the first floor, this extra thermal mass will help keep the home cooler in summer too. The exterior has wide horizontal cement board lap siding, stone veneer, and metal roof for a low-maintenance, fire-resistant home.
Modification Ideas
Since these ideas may affect energy performance and structural integrity, they should be undertaken with professional assistance.
- Create a modern exterior with multi-angle roofs
- Rearrange the kitchen to feature a corner sink
- Build on a slab, replace corner porches with patios
- Enclose either corner porch to create a 3-season room
- Add a second floor with at least 2 bedrooms and a bath
Construction Prints, etc.
For this plan, the following are included with orders for Construction Prints and CAD Files:
- Schematic Site Plan
- Daylight Basement Plan
- Floor Plan with attached garage
- Exterior Elevations
- Building Section
- Kitchen Elevations
- Typical Wall Detail
- Schematic Electrical
- Schematic Framing Plans
- Custom Energy Specs
Comments and Photos
Carter and Sally sent many photos right after they moved in. Almost half of the labor they did themselves.
"Here are some photos of our new house. We are very pleased with how it turned out!
The passive solar design is working great. It's been sunny here for the past week and we haven't needed to run the furnace (even though it gets down to the teens at night)!
We used R60 insulation in the attic and 5/8" sheetrock underneath the wood on the ceilings. The envelope is tight with limited penetration. So far the passive solar design is working as expected. We have yet to experience the -20 degree sunless days but we're hopeful we'll be in good shape."
"Here are some photos of our new house. We are very pleased with how it turned out!
The passive solar design is working great. It's been sunny here for the past week and we haven't needed to run the furnace (even though it gets down to the teens at night)!
We used R60 insulation in the attic and 5/8" sheetrock underneath the wood on the ceilings. The envelope is tight with limited penetration. So far the passive solar design is working as expected. We have yet to experience the -20 degree sunless days but we're hopeful we'll be in good shape."
Later after they moved into the home, they told us:
"We thought we would update you on how well our passive solar home has faired. We've had our most severe test the last couple of days.
This Tuesday we had a low of -11 degrees with windchills hovering around -30 for a good part of the day. Even with a haze for most of the day, we were able to reach an indoor temperature of 73 degrees upstairs and 71.8 degrees in the lower level. The high temperature outside was 0 degrees.
Today we had an overnight low of -20 degrees with windchills in the low -20's. Fortunately, we have had a sunny day and the wind has abated. We reached an indoor temperature of 75 degrees upstairs and 72.8 degrees in the lower level. The high today reached 6 degrees.
We are also able to retain the solar heat gained and not have to rely on using the furnace for heat until after 11-12 pm. Unless it is a completely cloudy day, we can normally restrict the use of the furnace to the overnight hours and a couple of hours in the morning.
The house is performing even better than we envisioned....We certainly are even more appreciative now for your patience, guidance, and expertise in helping to design our home. We couldn't be more pleased.Carter and Sally"
