Template plans let you customize many of the paper home plans available at our sister site, CountryPlans.com. Using a simple home design program such as...

- Better Homes & Gardens Home Designer (version 6 or later, about $35)

These are programs that run on Windows computers. The older 3D Home Architect will not run on the new 64 bit Windows 7.

With either of these programs you can download floorplan templates and rearranging walls, change the room layouts, enlarge or move windows and doors, and redo a kitchen or bathroom. You can test interior layouts by dropping and resizing furniture items that match your own. You can update electrical and lighting plans and even print out a rough materials list. These template files do not have the construction details and structural information of the paper plans, and they are not full CAD files, but they will allow you to work on the floorplan and then view your changes in 3d perspective from both the interior and exterior.

In most cases you can simply print out your modified plan (to scale) and paste it right into your paper plans. You can do this for the floorplans and even cut and paste these new layouts onto the elevation drawings in the paper plan set. Just don't change your floorplan structurally (like making the building wider) without reviewing these changes with an engineer or local home designer.

After you have installed the appropriate home design program, and have gotten a general understanding of it, you can download the appropriate template file from the PlanHelp Download Library.

For help with these programs see our 3D Home Architect Tutorial, or you can download this 6 page PDF file - a Quick Guide to using the 3DHA program. The Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer program works much the same way (and is an evolution of the 3DHA program).

Step by step download instructions: (this assumes you are logged in as a member):

1. Find the file you want to use in the Download Library and click the "Click here to start download". When you click it you get an open or save window.

2. You want to save the file onto your own computer. This is a compressed file in zip format. Save it in a folder called "My Plans" or on the desktop so you can find it easily from the design program.

3. After the zip file is saved, it will give you a download complete message and usually allows you to "open" the zip file. (This assumes you have a zip file utility installed, most computers do.)

4. When you click open you will see three or four files all starting with a filename such as "20x34-2s" and with different file extensions (PL0 = basement, PL1=Main floor, etc.). You have to extract (unzip) these files to be able to use them. It is a good idea to make a new subdirectory (under My Plans) for each project or version of your house so the files are easier to find. Browse to this location and then extract the zip files there.

5. After the files are extracted, start your design program. Click File, Open and then browse to the directory where you just unzipped the files. You will see just the file with the PL1 extension. That is the one you open and usually the only one you need to deal with. It will open and write all the other files as needed for the various floors.

6. Once the file is open you can "Save As" under a new name as you try out different options. You can now move walls, redo windows and doors, drop in furniture to try out the rooms and make other changes to the template plans. Grab the camera or eyeball and click and drag to see a 3d view of your work.

7. When you print out the modified plan print it to the same scale as the drawing in the paper plans (usually 1/4" = 1'-0). You can also paste just parts (say a new window layout) onto your plans and they will print properly when copied.

If your computer doesn't have a zip utility try 7-zip: http://www.7-zip.org/. It's free.

Also, most of the plan details in the Download library are PDF files. This allows them to be printed to scale so they are compatible with your paper plans.

Here is a search of Downloads you can print out.

If your computer has lost the ability to read these Portable Document Format files - go to Free PDF Reader and install the latest Acrobat Reader.