Have a question?
HOME QUICK PLANNER
Will the Home Quick Planner's reusable peel and stick furniture and architectural symbols adhere to my custom home plans or floor plan layout?
The symbols stick to any flat surface, but they work best on non-porous, shiny surfaces. If the symbols don't adhere well to your plan, you can cover it with a clear plastic overlay sheet, laminate it, or photocopy the plan onto coated paper.
Where can I buy extra floor plan grids like the one in the Home Quick Planner? (Particularly relevant for teachers)
Individual grids are only available here on homeplanner.com (see Order page).
Why are pieces in the Home Quick Planner so small?
The Home Quick Planner furniture and architectural symbols and grid are the standard 1/4 inch = 1 foot scale that is used by all design professionals, architects, interior designers and decorators. This is the scale that is used for house plans in the U.S.A. The product is intended for both professionals and DIYers (do-it-yourselfers), which is the reason for the scale/symbol sizes. For non-professional designers, it can look small at first and may take some time to get used to.
How can I modify Home Quick Planner symbols to better fit my needs?
The selection of symbols reflects the more popular sizes. To show a furniture piece that is a different size, we suggest drawing on the symbol to make it larger, and/or combining 2 or more symbols (possibly including kitchen cabinet symbols), and/or trimming a symbol to make it smaller.
It’s tricky making a symbol larger since it is die-cut and therefore there's not much space around the symbol that can be added. That said, if you wanted to make a couch, table, chair, etc. a little larger, you could use a marker to draw your new size, and you could also write on the new dimensions. To custom make a larger symbol, you can start with a larger symbol, draw what you want, and then cut it to size. Or you may have to first tape 2 or more symbols together, then draw your custom symbol and cut off the excess.
It’s easier to make a symbol smaller since the actual overall size of the piece would not be an issue--you can draw your new symbol and cut off the excess if you want.
Where can I buy individual Home Quick Planner sheets (components of the Planner)? Typically retirement communities, educators, and design and building professionals are interested in this option.
Individual Home Quick Planner "home" sheets and floor plan grids only are available here on homeplanner.com (see Order page). Complete Home Quick Planners (which include all 4 sheets plus a grid) are available through many online retailers (see Order page). For other components of the Planner (including the "kitchen," "bathroom" and "windows, doors & walls" sheets), call 413-224-2100 to place your special order.
I work for a retirement community and need advice on how to use Home Quick Planner sheets.
Retirement communities should print their own unit floor plan layouts in 1/4-inch scale on glossy paper. Instruct your clients to apply symbols from the Home Quick Planner sheets directly on the floor plans you are providing them. (Retirement communities typically do not need the grid sheets that are part of the Home Quick Planner.) Retirement communities can order additional individual Home Quick Planner sheets in bulk here on homeplanner.com (see Order page).
3-D HOME KIT
I’m not sure how to get started with the 3-D Home Kit. What do you suggest?
We have videos with tutorials on how to build certain models. With simple counting, drawing lines, cutting and taping, you can make this model of a basic house: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvZ-WtjiS1w. It is also a great project for kids. You could also try building one of the seven house designs featured in the kit.
Any tips for building my 3-D Home Kit model?
When constructing your model, build the exterior walls first and make them the full height of the house including any peaks. For interior walls, cut strips the height of the walls and 18-inches long. Then, use these strips to layout the interior partitions. Any upper floors can sit on the interior walls below them and be held in place by the full height exterior walls.
Can my 3-D Home Kit model include a slate or tile roof, columns, and special architectural details?
There's almost no limit to what you can build with the kit materials. For example, the same sheet of material which looks like gray shingles, also looks like slate and concrete; turn the sheet 90 degrees and it looks like tiles. You can make columns, window mullions, trim boards and other details from the sheets that look like siding and stucco.
How do I fasten the 3-D Home Kit model together?
1/2-inch clear tape is quick and lets you make changes. Place it along the inside edge of exterior walls and on the underside of roof sections. White glue (i.e. Elmers) makes strong permanent bonds. Post-it notes, glue-sticks and rubber cement are good for temporary bonds; for example, arranging the kits windows and doors during the design phase.