As a Custom Builder, most of our homes we build are presales (when we build for a client from start to finish).  Therefore, we don’t build the same floorplan more than once very often.  However, we do like to have at least one spec home (a home we build and I get to choose all the selections) going at a time.  This year marks our 25^th year building homes and we only have one other floorplan that we have built more than three times, and that is the Meadow plan.  We have built this plan 10 times counting the one currently under construction that we have entered into this year’s Johnston County Parade of Homes. 

As I looked back over the years, we built our first Meadow plan back in 2016.  The plan itself has really evolved over the years.   I thought this would be a great opportunity to stroll down memory lane and look at some of the changes we made.  At this point I feel the Meadow plan has evolved into what I feel is pretty darn near perfect at this point.  So let’s take a look at how we got here.

The first time we built this home back in 2016, we made a few changes from the original plan we purchased before a single brick was laid.  One big change we made was in the Master Bathroom.  For years we had seen the trend of Big Tubs going out and Big Showers coming in.  So we manipulated the Master Bath by removing the tub altogether, made the shower a large 2-headed shower and turned the old shower space into a nice big linen closet. 

The second big change we made was we removed the deck off the back and then added a Screen Porch with a vaulted ceiling that extended from the Nook.  We had to move the door to access the screen porch which shifted the windows a bit.  The screen porch is great for North Carolina weather and the vaulted ceiling is such a nice aesthetic feature.  We add stained tongue and groove in the ceiling to really show it off. 

One of the biggest changes over the years has always been the Garage.  On this first lot, we needed to shrink the overall footprint a bit to best fit the lot requirements.  So we turned the 3 car garage into an oversize 2 car.  That also directly affected the upstairs bonus room square footage. Over time, when we make changes to the Garage, the total square feet will change slightly.  Here are a few examples.

Another change we made to the original plan was changing the two individual dormers in the Bonus room to one bigger, more centered dormer. That makes a much more usable space.  It can be a Reading Nook or Toy storage area.  One of my favorite uses of that space came from a client that asked our trim guys to custom build a platform for a day bed.  I love the way it turned out.

The second time we built the Meadow plan, it was as a presale for clients that had walked the first one and fell in love but wanted a different lot in a newer section of the development.  Since we were building it new, they decided to make a few custom changes including turning that Garage back into a 3 car and changing the front elevation by adding craftsman style columns. Here’s how it turned out. 

But definitely the biggest transformation came on the inside by changing the Kitchen layout.  I remember the day when we discussed the option of tearing down the wall and creating a big island.  I was almost giddy discussing the change because I had already asked Neil during the first build if we could knock out the wall between the Kitchen and Family Room, but I had asked a little too late.  So this time, I was so happy to be able to build this plan again with the modified kitchen.  And oh, did it turn out so nice.  We have been building it that way ever since. 

Ever since the second time we built this plan, the biggest changes we made over the years involved the Garage to either better fit the client’s needs or the lot requirements. 

We’ve increased the 8×8 Garage bay to a 9×8 which increased the total s.f. to 3261 and officially changing its name to the Meadow Anne.

We’ve even turned the Garage into a 2 Car Front Load version in order to accommodate a tricky culdasac lot.  It still turned out beautiful.

Once, while we were building it, a prospective client wanted the exact same plan but on the same street within view of each other.  So we had to manipulate the front elevation enough where the two homes looked completely different.

Every time we build the Meadow, we have always sold it again as a presale.  It’s just that good of a plan.  Believe me, I look at a lot of plans, and I’ve yet to find a plan that offers so much for the footprint.  That means, you can get three Bedrooms down, plus a Study, plus a Dining room, plus a Nook, all on the 1^st floor while keeping the footprint a reasonable size.  The tighter the footprint, the more cost effective to build.   Add in a 4^th Bedroom, Bath, and Bonus upstairs plus a huge attic and a 3-car Garage.  What’s not to like. That is one of the main reasons why we have built this plan 10 times.  It’s functional, it’s beautiful, and it’s cost effective.  From a builder’s perspective, it doesn’t get better than that.

See more photos here.

Download the cutsheet here

We are thrilled to be entering the Meadow floorplan in this year’s Parade of Homes.  I hope you will come by and walk through the home and see for yourself why this has earned the title of our #1 selling plan. 

So mark your calendars for April 26 & 27 and May 3rd & 4^th. 

Next post: We will look at what influenced my entire selection process for our upcoming Parade Entry home. . . The Brick.