Some homes are designed using truss roofs and others using rafter (stick-built) roofs Here, we’ll explain both types, the differences between the two roof systems, and answer whether – and when – one may be better than the other. A hint: as with so many things, it depends.

Is it “New Year, New Home” for you? Have you designed the perfect home in your mind, with beautiful features and fixtures? While there are challenges, consider the benefits of building a home that exactly matches your lifestyle. Before you take the leap, explore our tips, which will help the process run smoothly.

Want a more unique look in your home’s exterior facade? For sheer visual appeal and character, there’s nothing like the unconventional touch and charm that vertical siding adds to the home and its architectural features. We explore some of the ways vertical siding can enhance your home’s appearance both inside and out.

When building a house, it’s important to track your costs throughout the project. So how do you know if you can include your favorite designs, materials, and other elements? By using The Plan Collection’s Cost-to-Build Report, you can create a realistic building budget for your dream home.

One of the three common foundations, crawlspaces may show up at the end of the list of features in a new home and are predominant in warm and dry climates. Here’s a closer look at the crawlspace foundation, its pros and cons, and its increasing numbers in certain regions of the country.

Popular in contemporary home design, floor-to-ceiling windows are trendy, stylish, appealing, and attractive. As homeowners express interest in the design concept of these “walls of glass,” we take a closer look at their benefits and challenges – and find out if they really make sense for those in the market for new homes.

Monolithic slab foundations are an inexpensive, sturdy, long-lasting, and easy-to-install choice. But if something goes wrong with the underground plumbing, wiring – or the concrete slab itself – it’s not at an easy fix. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of this popular foundation choice for homeowners and homebuyers alike.

How do you know if you’ve chosen the best type of window for your home if you don’t even know all the different choices available? We’ve included the most popular types of residential windows so you can make the best choice for your style and budget.

As homeowners integrate garages into their design plans, they face a number of options for the structure – detached? attached? front-entry? rear-entry? side-entry? – that may fit their needs and wants. Here’s a look at the side-entry garage, its advantages, and why it may be right for your next home.

The cellar that merely stored wine, root vegetables, and other essentials has evolved into the basement – a comfortable, functional, and stylish living space for families. With technological advances and improvements in construction and maintenance, today’s basement provides extra space that families can turn into whatever they want. Here are the pros and cons.