Circa 2010: Architect in training

With the last purchase that fell through, I found the program "Live Interior 3D Pro" and I was hooked. I always wanted to learn AutoCAD and this appeared to be a simple version that allowed me to sketch a floor plan of our dream house and then view the 3D render as I went along.

I was able to walk through the entire structure and really tweak the details to my liking. I was using this program day and night until that sale fell through. I was no doubt an addict but when the sale crashed I was mad and deleted all designs I had for the property so until now, it just sat there on my laptop in the shadows waiting for me to abuse it again.

My secret affair with the software has since reignited with this land purchase and I am once again like a zombie up all night designing our dream house; adding furniture and practically living in this virtual house from my laptop.

Samurai had a few specifications for the house but outside of that, he basically gave me free reign on the design.

His demands were:
A very large kitchen (because he loves to cook)
An outdoor patio for entertaining friends
A tub in the Master Bathroom
Position laundry room on side of house where the breeze comes in
Space in the Laundry room to hang delicates instead of outside, lol
A game room

My demands were:
A space to do my art
Children/spare bedrooms not facing the main roads (in case some perv sees them changing through the window)
Space in the laundry room for the deep-freeze (those things are not for kitchens)
A separate TV room/living room (for Samurai to entertain people when I don't feel sociable)
Double vanity in Master Bathroom (because Samurai hogs the mirror way too much)
Strategic exits in house (because I'm paranoid and always need an escape plan)

So I am feeling like an architect and I'm 'Googling' every little detail about houses and pointers to make the costs lower and tips and tricks. I read that straight lines are cheaper to build than a lot of curved walls. Rooms with plumbing like the kitchen and bathrooms should all be grouped to the same side of the house and a smaller foundation with a two-story house is cheaper than a flat house with a large spread of foundation.

HGTV and the DIY channels have not helped with my excitement to start this house. Their shows make me feel like I can build this thing with my bear hands from scratch. I wish they could come down here and help me :(

Unfortunately though, there is very little information online on building concrete houses like we do here in Trinidad and Tobago so I'm basically going with the wind for that part. I did find www.sipreal.com, however, which provided me with a lot of valuable information in terms of the entire process to follow for building the house, so that is one outlet I have to guide me on at least the procedures, but I'm not too sure that this floor plan I'm developing is structurally possible *shame face*

Anywats, this lack of local information is what basically inspired me to start this blog in the first place.