Finding Blueprints / Plans To My House?

[Robb235]

I want to get my hands on a set of blueprints for the house I currently live in. My wife and I bought our house 30 minutes north of Atlanta, but we're now moving to Chattanooga. We love the house we're in now, and can't find anything similar to it where we're moving. So we're exploring the idea of building a very similar house if I can find the original blueprints.

The house was built in 1987. I figured my best was to contact the local building department, since a set of plans would had to have been submitted when applying for the building permit. Called the building department, the lady said they only had blueprints as far back as 2008, and suggested I contacted the builder. I have no idea who the builder was (or if he's even still around). So I asked if there was a way she could pull the original building permit to see if the builder was listed. Struck out there too; she said her records only went back to 1998.

Any ideas on how else I can try to get the original plans to the house?


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[jwkilgore]

It's highly unlikely you'll find building plans for your specific house unless it was a custom build.

But if you really want to put in the effort, you can attempt to:
- Track down the previous owner(s). They may have information on the builder, or may even have plans.
- Ask your neighbors; they may know something.
- Try the building department again and ask for any past permits for modifications. The modification drawings may have information that can help you proceed.

If it isn't a custom build you can probably scour the internet for plans that look similar.

Anyway, welcome to Chattanooga! What part of town?

 

[Robb235]

It's highly unlikely you'll find building plans for your specific house unless it was a custom build.

But if you really want to put in the effort, you can attempt to:
- Track down the previous owner(s). They may have information on the builder, or may even have plans.
- Ask your neighbors; they may know something.
- Try the building department again and ask for any past permits for modifications. The modification drawings may have information that can help you proceed.

If it isn't a custom build you can probably scour the internet for plans that look similar.

Anyway, welcome to Chattanooga! What part of town?

Well, I after searching the neighborhood's original HOA documents and lots of Google searching, I finally tracked down the builder. Unfortunately he threw away all the documents related to the neighborhood about 10 years ago. Oh well. I knew it was a long shot anyways.

I downloaded a program called Chief Architect and have more or less recreated the house.

Not sure what part of town we'll live in yet. I want to live in Ooltewah while my wife wants to live on Signal Mountain.


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[jwkilgore]

Not sure what part of town we'll live in yet. I want to live in Ooltewah while my wife wants to live on Signal Mountain.

Talk about two totally different areas... hopefully the two of you can settle or compromise.
Signal Mt. Pros: Signal has the best schools; basically the local 2%'ers wanted private-school quality without having to drive down the mountain to the elite prep schools. But they have recently started making noises about breaking away from the Hamilton County DoE. May make them even better... or not. A dirt back-road route over to Prentice Cooper WMA for moderate-to-easy legal wheeling roads 9 months of the year. Miles of excellent hiking and mountain biking trails; eventually the Cumberland Trail will extend from Prentice Cooper to Kentucky. Generally cooler temps; you'll get snow when the "ditch" is only wet, but also pea-soup fog when down below all we have is a low overcast sky.

Cons: A long and steep distance away from any water big enough for that boat in your sig (you'll make that turbo work to climb back up towing a boat). The Signal police force are notorious for catching speeders (most speeds limits in towns on the mountain are 25-35mph), so keep that R6 throttled back. They have a few basic stores (hardware, gas, drugstore, small grocery, a very few restaurants), but you'll have to drive down the mountain for any variety. Only two routes into Chattanooga. The "W" road gets closed in bad weather. A wreck or landslide on the main road can jam traffic up for hours or days. If you are visiting I HIGHLY recommend taking the "W" up and down. It's unique; you have to take turns with oncoming traffic at the top because cars need both lanes to make the switchback curves.


Ooltewah schools are also pretty good, but they had a scandal last year with a high school hazing incident that made national headlines. Much closer to Chickamauga Lake for boating. Hiking and mountain biking at Enterprise South. I don't know of any legal 'wheeling locations immediately near, but I know of several not-fully-legal locations, and quite a few legal areas within an hour's drive. For your R6 check out the Biker's Dozen authored by a friend of mine. If you are religiously closed-minded be aware that the general area has a lot of a Christian minority group because the nearby SA University (lots of stores closed on Saturday and open on Sunday; Collegedale's weekend mail is delivered on Sunday).

 

[Robb235]

Yeah, two completely different areas for sure. My wife grew up on Signal and has family there, so that's why she wants to live there. I grew up in Cleveland, so Ooltewah seemed like a nice compromise; plus I like the area. And we like putting the boat in on Harrison Bay right off Hwy 58. I also work near Hamilton Place, so it would be a pretty short drive to work. Living on Signal I'll have to fight more traffic and the ridge cut every day...

I don't envy trying to haul my boat up Signal either. I've got a video posted somewhere of my 4Runner struggling to make it up White Oak Mountain while towing the boat (on Mahan Gap Road, not I-75). I'd have to completely rework the transmission cooler, as it already gets a little warm going up Signal unloaded.


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