Debra Rucker Coleman, Architect
HOUSE PLANS
HOUSE PLAN SPECS
Floor 1
1,174 sf
Floor 2
524 sf
Total
1,698 sf
Daylight Basement
1,001 sf
Unfinished Basement
173 sf
Entry Faces
West
South Glass
8%
Complexity
average
Roseburg Cottage
PLAN PRICING
$70
Study Plans
11x17 set of drawings to better study the design of the house. 6-9 pages depending upon the size of the home. Excludes construction information and custom energy specs. Choose PAPER or PDF. After the order is placed, send a summary list of your ideas for customization and Sun Plans can tell you if the ideas are practical ones.
Sun Plans uses PayPal for secure payment processing. You may pay with a PayPal account, or any major credit card (no PayPal account required).

Payment will be handled on the secure PayPal web site, then you'll be returned to the Sun Plans site.
 
Plan Name:
Roseburg Cottage
Plan Format:
PDF Files Paper Both (+$20)
Total Price:
$70
 

$270
Review Sets
11x17 mini set of Construction Prints marked "not for construction". 10-16 pages depending upon the size of the home. Includes Study Plan also. Excludes Custom Energy Specs. Choose PAPER or PDF. After the order is placed, ask for an opinion of construction cost from the architect.
Sun Plans uses PayPal for secure payment processing. You may pay with a PayPal account, or any major credit card (no PayPal account required).

Payment will be handled on the secure PayPal web site, then you'll be returned to the Sun Plans site.
 
Plan Name:
Roseburg Cottage
Plan Format:
PDF Files Paper Both (+$50)
Total Price:
$270
 

$1,920
Construction Prints
24x36 construction drawings. 10-16 pages depending upon the size of the home. Includes Custom Energy Specs. Choose 6 PAPER sets or PDF.
Sun Plans uses PayPal for secure payment processing. You may pay with a PayPal account, or any major credit card (no PayPal account required).

Payment will be handled on the secure PayPal web site, then you'll be returned to the Sun Plans site.
 
Plan Name:
Roseburg Cottage
Plan Format:
PDF Files Paper Both (+$200)
Total Price:
$1,920
 

$1,920
CAD Files
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Files for having changes made by a local architect, design professional or engineer. Includes CAD Files, PDF Files, Custom Energy Specs and a Copyright Release. Electronic delivery.
Sun Plans uses PayPal for secure payment processing. You may pay with a PayPal account, or any major credit card (no PayPal account required).

Payment will be handled on the secure PayPal web site, then you'll be returned to the Sun Plans site.
 
Plan Name:
Roseburg Cottage
Plan Format:
DWG & PDF Files
Total Price:
$1,920
 

$300
Mirror Reverse
Must be ordered with Construction Prints or CAD Files. Reverse the house along the north-south axis (i.e., if the front faced east, it will be reversed to face west). This is a service performed on the drawings. Drawings will be true right-reading, mirror reverse drawings.
Sun Plans uses PayPal for secure payment processing. You may pay with a PayPal account, or any major credit card (no PayPal account required).

Payment will be handled on the secure PayPal web site, then you'll be returned to the Sun Plans site.
 
Plan Name:
Roseburg Cottage
Plan Format:
PDF Files
Total Price:
$300
 

click anywhere to close...
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.

click anywhere to close...
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,
click anywhere to close...
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
click anywhere to close...
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.
Examples of how the CAD files are used include: 
  • 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.

click anywhere to close...
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.
The Roseburg Cottage is a quaint home with an abundance of character. The central spiral staircase makes for easy access throughout all 3 levels. The main house has a tiny footprint, yet the connecting garage makes it seem large. The front of the house is uniquely designed to face either west or north leaving the side or back facing south. Reverse the house if your land slopes to the east.
First Floor
The front entry porch in tucked into the inside corner of the first floor. The main living areas are all on the first floor. The master suite is close to the laundry and with quick access to the shared toilet. The kitchen and dining on the west take advantage of westerly views and are close to the screened porch and deck for outdoor dining.
Second Floor
The large spiral stairs go up to the study loft which also has its own balcony. The front and south dormers bring balanced light into this quaint space tucked up in the cathedral ceiling. The walkway over to the storage is like a bridge and looks down into the living area.
Daylight Basement
The spiral stairs also leads down to the center of the daylight basement with a finished bedroom and large area for exercise, study, or crafts. The central wood stove will be able to heat most of the house on the days without sun. On the cool north side there is root or wine cellar. The cozy reading nook in the southwest corner takes advantage of views in two directions. The west windows will take advantage of westerly views. For lots with a southerly slope, this space will be very sunny.
Garage
The two-car garage with workshop & greenhouse space connect directly to the laundry area. There is a pull down attic stairs to the large storage area between the attic trusses. For narrower lots, the garage doors could be relocated to the west wall.
Construction Info
The great room, kitchen, and dining have vaulted ceilings and are open to the loft above. Structural beams tie that are also decorative tie the loft to the main walls. The master bedroom, laundry, and pantry have 8' ceilings, but the entire upstairs also has vaulted ceilings. With its simple shape, this house is designed to be constructed with an insulated concrete forms foundation and 6" exterior studs like most of our plans, but structural insulated panels could easily be substituted for the walls and roof since the spans are not large. The thermal mass is designed to be primarily in the stone covered concrete block walls. Brick could be substituted.
Modification Ideas
Since these may affect energy performance and structural, they should only be undertaken with professional assistance.
  • The storage area can be converted into an optional bedroom with a bath tucked in over the laundry
  • Eliminate the basement and build on a slab for thermal mass
  • Then no interior stone walls will be needed for mass
Construction Drawings
For this plan, the following are included with Construction Prints and CAD Files:
  • Schematic Site Plan
  • Daylight Basement Plan
  • Floor Plans including Attached Garage
  • Exterior Elevations
  • Building Section 
  • Kitchen Elevations
  • Typical Wall Detail
  • Schematic Electrical Plans 
  • Schematic Framing Plans
Comments and Photos
Thanks to Virginia and Paul for sending a photo of their house under construction. 
Interior photos of other Roseburg Cottage homes can be found so check out the other house plans.
Paul and Virginia's 2600 s.f. house consists of 1376 s.f. main floor plus loft and daylight basement plus a semi-detached garage. Their builders did an excellent job during construction including following the additional detailed drawings prepared by their structural engineer.
The partial daylight basement walls are insulated concrete forms and the first and second floor exterior 2x6 stud walls contain carefully-fitted fiberglass batts. The stick-framed roof was constructed with extra deep TJI's to allow for extra insulation. The south glass surface area equals 9.5% of conditioned floor area. This requires the house to have thermal mass added: 4-inch concrete slab (insulated beneath) in the basement, ceramic tile over 1.5" gypsum cement for the main floors (can be other systems), and a few plastered 8" masonry walls.
The auxiliary heating system (seldom used) is a propane-fired boiler for radiant floor heat. A fresh-air heat exchanger with dehumidifier provides fresh air. A wood stove is used off and on from October to May. Typically, 1-1/2 cords of wood are used while their neighbors average 4 to 5 cords per year. When the sun is out, the temperatures inside reach 72 degrees no matter what the outside temperature is. Windows are open from May to October. They are still trying to optimize the use of the ceilings fans.
The off-grid, ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system makes their electrical bills zero. Propane is used for on-demand hot water, clothes dryer, cooking, and a backup generator. About half is for the back-up generator for the electric system. They plan to decrease this as they add more solar panels and batteries.
"We opened up windows high and low last summer when the outside temp reached approximately the inside temperature. In the a.m., we closed up when the temps started to rise. Eighty-three (degrees F) is the highest temp we remember from last summer when it was 104 outside, but 78 is (the) more typical highest indoor temp. We are still chilly in the evening and early morning if we open the windows. It always cools off at night here, so we'd just open up and be comfy cool. Once we were able to close up during the day, it rarely exceeded 76 degrees." In winter, the master bedroom was a chilly 64 degrees and they may use the radiant floor heat in the future. "The daylight basement was toasty warm all winter!" In spring, they still used the woodstove 1 to 3 days per week when it was cloudy, but overall, in spring and fall the comfort level was fine. They put up shades in the small west windows for the summer. Sound reverberation could become annoying if the house were full of people. "As it is, we like being able to talk to each other from any point in the house...the stereo carries well through out the whole house and we haven't had to add extra speakers"
They like their "wonderful huge kitchen, outdoor views in all directions, and the fact that we don't need lights in most rooms during the day." Their favorite space on house's exterior is the west screened porch. The spiral stairs seems a little narrow, but "We do like the openness it provides, however." When asked what they would have done differently they said: "Use trusses for the roof and skip the loft--we'd have saved BUCKETS of money!" "We are enjoying the house and the stable temperatures that it provides.We have had many people express interest in the design."