2012-04-23, 12:55 PM
For the longest time, I considered being an architect myself, but that kinda fell apart and I never got to the specific training for it, so I don't really have the best advice, but here goes nothing. Check what others have said regarding the utilities and have a decent grasp of how the basic lines are going to reach where the house will be. Try making a basic layout in some free CAD program, and if you have difficulty with that, have a professional do it for you (you really need to do so anyway to make sure things will be up to code). Be aware of potential disasters for the area and prepare accordingly.
Seconding underground garage. In fact, you may not want to level the entire surface to do so (other than laying the foundation of course). Have say, 2 sides 1 floor lower access and the other 2 another above and level with the ground there. The second side that isn't the garage at the lower level could have a deck of some description.
Also, I'd like to see pics every couple of months of development if it's OK. Just because I dropped the major, doesn't mean I don't like seeing creative things done, and your theme does sound creative.
Seconding underground garage. In fact, you may not want to level the entire surface to do so (other than laying the foundation of course). Have say, 2 sides 1 floor lower access and the other 2 another above and level with the ground there. The second side that isn't the garage at the lower level could have a deck of some description.
Also, I'd like to see pics every couple of months of development if it's OK. Just because I dropped the major, doesn't mean I don't like seeing creative things done, and your theme does sound creative.