Historic Shed is known for artful traditional design. But that's not the only reason we invited them to publish their house plans with us.
If you've ever worked in construction, you'll know there's a measure of interpretation that a builder must perform as they take a project from construction drawings to finished home.
Construction drawings are two-dimensional depictions of a future build. By their very nature, they're abstractions. To turn those abstractions into a full-fledged building, contractors apply their knowledge of building codes and construction methods to determine how to execute the designs that the drawings indicate.
If there's insufficient detail, the contractor has to invest extra time to clarify and communicate the work to be done. That's a drag on productivity, and it increases the risk of misunderstandings, errors, and cost overruns. The ideal construction set offers enough information to keep the builder "in the flow" while keeping the drawings legible and clear.
With that in mind, we were delighted when the owners of Historic Shed decided to publish their house plans with us. Jo-Anne Peck and Craig DeRoin have earned a reputation for thoughtful design and construction of small-scale buildings that fit the historic context. Their catalog is filled with lovable cottages and outbuildings in Craftsman style. Moreover, as builders, themselves, they understand the level of detail that's required to communicate to builders and crews for the sake of a smooth project.
In 2022, Jo-Anne and Craig put their custom business on pause and took the leap into real estate development. Their first project, a three-bedroom home in Brooksville, Florida, sold at its asking price within two weeks— in December, no less. You can license that design and build it yourself; it makes its debut today as the Virginia Tea.
And there's more to come: Jo-Anne and Craig have lined up enough land to build up to twenty additional homes "using the same design concepts that made our sheds and other outbuildings so popular," per their announcement of the change.
Historic Shed's high standards and design values are essential to neighborhood-friendly real estate development. We can't wait to see where this new venture takes them.
If you'd like to build a house — or a whole neighborhood — with the charm of Historic Shed's designs, let us know. What you see on our website is just the tip of the iceberg; we'll be happy to dig into our publishing queue to find the designs that will help you make your dream real.