Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers.
We take pride in providing charming, well-designed homes at a reasonable cost to you. As a full service architectural firm, we also offer custom design and Community Design services to further meet your needs. Please contact us with any additional questions you may have.
Our drawings comply with the 2009 International Residential Code with North Carolina Amendments. We do not include specifications for special climate conditions since they vary substantially all over the nation. Drawings must be reviewed by a local professional architect or engineer before commencing with construction. This is the common practice for all national house design companies.
Our standard house plans are designed with 2×4 exterior stud walls. However, at request, we can modify our plans to accommodate 2×6 exterior stud walls.
Our standard house plans are designed for a Crawl Space Foundation. However, at request, we can modify our plans to accommodate a Slab or Basement Foundation, based on your site conditions.
Construction drawings consist of dimensioned and noted floor plans, exterior elevations, crawl space foundation and first floor framing plan, second floor framing plan (on two-story houses), ceiling framing plans as necessary, roof plan and roof framing plan, roof truss profiles, foundation and roof ventilation calculations, building section, wall sections, and typical column, railing, eave and foundation details. All details and calculations are based on Wake County, North Carolina. Click here to view sample Construction Drawings.
To create homes that cater to the needs of families while remaining affordable, our team has developed a set of standards most single family home plans should meet. These minimum standards create the foundation for your home:
- Spacious Front Porch
- Two Exterior Entrances (front, plus side or rear)
- Living Room with minimum two window walls
- Separate Dining Area
- Kitchen that opens to Living Areas
- Minimum 2 Bedrooms / 1 Bath
- Minimum Bedroom Size of 100 square feet
- Master Suite including private bathroom
- Laundry Closet for sidy-by-side Washer and Dryer
- Coat Closet
Construction costs will vary due to a number of factors including geographic location, material cost and availability, labor, and quality of amenities. Call us for additional information.
Tightlines Designs has developed a series of detached Garage Plans that can be modified to match the style of your home. Our standard House Plans may also be modified to include an attached garage by request.
Need changes made to one of our plans? Want a basement, bigger kitchen, a breakfast nook, a den, larger walk-in closets, or an additional bedroom or bath? An attached garage? How about changes to the exterior? Different roof form or pitch? A rear deck? Since we are a full service architectural firm, there are numerous opportunities to make changes to our homes to customize them for your specific needs or desires. We can offer options and suggestions based on our extensive experience or even create a new line of home plans and exteriors if desired. Contact us and we’ll be glad to discuss with you the time and fees involved to create a ‘custom’ plan to fit your needs.
We currently offer several house plans that meet the standards of the American Disabilities Act by providing larger doorways, larger turn-around space in kitchens and bathrooms, accessible bathing fixtures, toilets, and sinks, and accessible cabinetry to accommodate the handicapped and elderly. Additionally, we are happy to modify any of our single story homes (that do not currently have accessible options) to meet your needs. Our standard crawlspace foundation can be easily replaced with a structural concrete slab on grade to avoid unnecessary ramps. Please Contact us to discuss how we can meet your accessibility needs.
Our homes are designed with historic character in mind and most designs are approved by the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. In fact, many of our homes have been constructed as infill housing in National Historic Districts across North Carolina. Our team is available to handle any state or local approval process. We have extensive experience with the staff of the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office and since their office is less than a mile from our office, we can offer quick review and responses to your requests. We also have extensive experience working with local Historic Districts Commissions and are familiar with the Certificate of Appropriateness process. Let us know how we can help.