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How are your house building skills?

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  • GalacticGalGalacticGal Posts: 28,284 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    While I'm still working on roofs and landscaping, I can follow a set of plans, not to toot my own horn. I have purchased a few magazines from a Hard Ware big box store and it has scads of professional floorplans, complete with an artist rending front and back of the house. I consider them a challenge. If things don't work out, I will delete the badly placed wall and restart that section again. Sometimes, I go off-script, as it were, and create the second story better to suit my own needs. I tend to play large families. Some of the styles I like are only 3-4 bedrooms, tops. This is also how I learned to cake decorate. I copied cakes from the Wilton Cake Decorating magazines, until I learned enough to make trim decisions on my own.
    F6LmVB5.jpg
    Same house as above, from the 'family room' to the formal living room view
    82xBweg.jpg
    Erik's Lair (Music Room)
    ZSwODUS.jpg

    The Jessica Fletcher house, I built from pictures of the Inn used for the front, and still pictures of the sets.
    hbcSGxx.png
    Inside the main floor of the Fletcher house:
    B4T5PAK.jpg

    Why is the fridge away from the wall next to the table?

    That is a very good question, that I cannot answer. Must have been one of those moments, where I was rearranging things and forgot to put it back before snapping the photo. :open_mouth: Also, I have since seen episodes of "Murder, She Wrote", that puts the fridge on a different wall from the photos shown in the blog. I will get back there and fix it at some point. In fact, it's almost as if the backdoor is on the opposite wall. :open_mouth:
    You can download (free) all three volumes of my Night Whispers Star Trek Fanfiction here: http://galacticgal.deviantart.com/gallery/ You'll need to have a pdf reader. New websites: http://www.trekkiefanfiction.com/st-tos.php
    http://www.getfreeebooks.com/star-trek-original-series-fan-fiction-trilogy/
  • PenguinFoopPenguinFoop Posts: 1,580 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    @catmando830 Here's the link. I was wrong, she calls it the fancy box.

    https://youtu.be/-4h8DICJuzM you can really get an idea of how to make truly unique houses with very little imagination. The boxes to most of the work.
  • MoonlightGrahamMoonlightGraham Posts: 884 Member
    edited July 2022
    I can build a box
    I nearly chose "I can put in the pool," and now I wish I had. I can build a box, but I struggle to put the roof on it.

    I *might* become a decent builder if I practiced. I really want(ed) to build the house I grew up in, where my parents still live. It's not a terribly complicated design--a series of rectangles--but after spending an hour trying to get the basic shape without success, I got frustrated and went back to Live mode. I could only imagine how long it would take me to lay out the rooms. And then I'd have to figure out how to install the stairs to the second floor.

    I have good pictures of the house, besides the images that are forever in my mind, but I can't translate them into a structure in The Sims. I'm impressed with those of you who can do that, and more.
    Exie hay, cavero, veebo marz viremzico.
    Exie hay, cavero, mabza meeah vendarzo.
    Yevsas mairzeemo!
  • catmando830catmando830 Posts: 9,117 Member
    @catmando830 Here's the link. I was wrong, she calls it the fancy box.

    https://youtu.be/-4h8DICJuzM you can really get an idea of how to make truly unique houses with very little imagination. The boxes to most of the work.

    Thanks for the link. These EA EE's make it look so easy, but it's not. I'll try the 'box' thing next time I build.
  • LarrikatevenLarrikateven Posts: 99 Member
    edited July 2022
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    I like building, but I definitely have a specific set of priorities that make it hard for me to take a real house and turn it into a Sims house. Especially when I'm playing a large family, I don't want to be constantly spinning around trying to figure out what my Sims are doing, so when I build and decorate, almost everything tends to be oriented so I can see it from one angle.

    I did recreate my own house in the Sims once, but that house is basically just a box in real life, with a little porch stuck on, so it wasn't terribly difficult.
  • PenguinFoopPenguinFoop Posts: 1,580 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    @catmando830 Here's the link. I was wrong, she calls it the fancy box.

    https://youtu.be/-4h8DICJuzM you can really get an idea of how to make truly unique houses with very little imagination. The boxes to most of the work.

    Thanks for the link. These EA EE's make it look so easy, but it's not. I'll try the 'box' thing next time I build.

    Yeah, I agree. They're all like "it's super easy." They stop shy of saying "if you can't do it, then you're just dumb." My words, not theirs but that's how it feels after watching them. But with her video, for me at least, it makes it really easy to wrap my head around the whole building concept.

    I hope it helps you as well.
  • DaWaterRatDaWaterRat Posts: 3,351 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    When I was a kid, I went through an architect phase. Even took a couple of classes (aimed at my age level at the time) at the Frank Lloyd Wright studio.

    Then I started playing D&D in high school. Dungeons, castles, inns - I needed maps, I had graph paper and time in Study Hall.
    In college, I switched to TTRPGs about superheroes, modern horror and Urban Fantasy. So I needed creepy old houses and villain's lairs. The only reason I don't do that now is because I've switched to system lite games that require fewer maps.

    I also at some point started picking up floor plan software, and working with that. It was also a good way to get maps for said modern TTRPGs.

    So floorplans and layouts? I'm generally pretty good at figuring out what I need looking from the top down, though I may be a bit generous with routing allowances. Exteriors, I'm pretty decent at, though I do tend to fall into style ruts (I like houses with porches and pitched roofs, and I love me a good Victorian Painted Lady.) My biggest weakness is probably landscaping, because I'm not an outdorsy person at all. I love landscapes - I love looking at them through picture windows. Don't love being outside in them that much. (Too much glare on the pages of my books.)
  • blaq797blaq797 Posts: 145 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    It ain't easy... I was a seasoned builder in Sims 2 and 3. I initially said meh to building in Sims 4. Fast forward a few years and I do ok builds, mostly focus on how path design is within the house... I'm kinda anti-clutter and do not like seeing so much stuff in a small space. Likely going back to Sims 2 on that one, where pathing issues could be bad...

    I've done a few decent houses, a couple on the Gallery...

    I also have a tendency to make houses with glass windows every possible place. Its amusing how sims dont care about privacy inside their own house/room, not noticing the massive wall sized window in their bedroom.... You'd think they'd change that at some point...
    Sorry, Avatar is merely my favorite Sims 4 sim.
  • PenguinFoopPenguinFoop Posts: 1,580 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    blaq797 wrote: Β»
    It ain't easy... I was a seasoned builder in Sims 2 and 3. I initially said meh to building in Sims 4. Fast forward a few years and I do ok builds, mostly focus on how path design is within the house... I'm kinda anti-clutter and do not like seeing so much stuff in a small space. Likely going back to Sims 2 on that one, where pathing issues could be bad...

    I've done a few decent houses, a couple on the Gallery...

    I also have a tendency to make houses with glass windows every possible place. Its amusing how sims dont care about privacy inside their own house/room, not noticing the massive wall sized window in their bedroom.... You'd think they'd change that at some point...

    You remember in Sims 3 when you could peek through people's windows? Ah the good old days of watching people. πŸ˜†
  • lexibeelexibee Posts: 163 Member
    Professional Architect Good
    I feel almost conceited picking this option but I've been building in the sims games ever since I was 6 years old. I have a lot of fun building, especially in TS4 as it's the best game in the series for builders. I like it so much I even considered becoming an architect for like 5 seconds aha. Almost every single lot in every single one of my worlds was made by myself, with a few homes in Willow Creek from the gallery I slapped down just to get rid of some of the unsightly premade buildings that I didn't have a reason to rebuild myself. Lately I've been working on remodeling all the CL apartments just for fun.

    For family homes specifically, sometimes I'll look online for inspiration or even occasionally look up some floor plans. You can't just copy floor plans 100% though because the size of them does not translate over to the sims grid system very well. Also you have to keep in mind certain things that have to be worked around like staircase sizes, making sure sims have enough room to move around. Not having so much room that the house feels cavernous. It's a bit of a fine line to walk. I've been using grid paper to plan my builds since TS2. It works great, I recommend it! I find it easier to visualize that way, then alter it while building if need be.

    But all of my public lots are made 100% without reference or inspiration. I especially like making multi-purpose lots. I just finished building my new high school for the HSY pack, and made sure it has a music room, an art room, and a centrally located auditorium so I can make some artsy after school clubs. It's a decent size, but also tried to make it as small as I could so sims don't take forever to get anywhere. Just waiting to actually get the pack so I can decorate it.

    I build and decorate with move objects, but since I'm also a player I need to make sure every single lot is functional and not overly cluttered. That's really the biggest reason that I don't use the gallery all that much, because there are so many untested, overly decorated lots.

    I have a few of my University lots on the gallery (under thespacemaid, an old username). It's cool to see the few I have posted receive double digit downloads since I didn't even expect anyone to see them honestly. I've always meant to post more of my builds, but I play offline most of the time so it just doesn't really happen. But I am really proud of my builds πŸ₯° I put a lot of attention and care into each and every one of them.
  • blaq797blaq797 Posts: 145 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    But in Sims 3, they actually had a window you could get that basically was reminiscent of the medieval times arrow slot in castles... Sims 4 has no such window for the shortest wall height [that I know of].
    Sorry, Avatar is merely my favorite Sims 4 sim.
  • ashcrash19ashcrash19 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    I chose the getting off the ground as I tend to build as I get inspiration or have a sudden idea--here are my builds/photos for those curious: https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/935554/ashcrash19s-creations-july-16th-17th-cat-cuddles-cafe-barkleys-dog-cafe-with-roof-faces#latest (I believe it will show most recent page)
    "Not All Who Wander Are Lost"-Tolkien
    Origin ID: simaddict1990
  • Nate_Whiplash1Nate_Whiplash1 Posts: 4,085 Member
    I can build a box
    I'd give myself a 5 out of 10, and that's being generous.
  • cynciecyncie Posts: 4,547 Member
    Building - What's That - I headed to the Gallery
    I admire those who are good at building and who share their love of it on the gallery, because I can’t do it and find it incredibly frustrating. I can do a mild renovation of a building. I can do functional, but basic, interiors with a shell. And I usually do some redecorating. But ground up architectural design? Nope.
  • elanorbretonelanorbreton Posts: 14,518 Member
    I can do better with legos
    Some of my builds aren't bad, some of them end up bulldozed :D

    All of my builds are always playable though, so at least that is one good point lol.
  • IsharellIsharell Posts: 1,158 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    I confidently picked "getting off the ground" but then my critical mind told me I should have chosen "I can build a box". But I really think I've gotten better than that. Really. Maybe? :/

    Ok, I picked the wrong option... but my interiors are really nice. I still think I've gotten beyond "box".
  • NightwalkerArkanisNightwalkerArkanis Posts: 271 Member
    I can build a box
    It's an everlasting work in progress. I can build a box, and always usually does. Have learned, after all this time, to build my boxes seperately in Sulani, choose their foundation, then combine them to stop said foundation from reverting. Got quite annoying when one tried to reach the foundation in the middle of the house.

    I rarely find myself satisfied in the end though. Both with building and decoration. I've yet to find the middle ground between large empty rooms and cluttered closets.
    _______________________________________
    We want: Faeries, with a good ability tree, hopefully before summer 2024.

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  • SimmingalSimmingal Posts: 8,885 Member
    edited July 2022
    I can build a box
    a new problem is that I have fear of spiders
    and i watched tv show with spider horror
    cause i thought it was gonna be okay but it totally wasn't
    and now I can't stop seeing spiders in everything unrelated again :sweat:

    = no more round windows on round builds for simmingal this year
    all because it vaguely resembles zoomed in spider face p_p
    rest in peace realm of magic windows

    I'll be back... one day
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  • MareahMareah Posts: 792 Member
    I can build a box
    Oh, i had fun reading through this thread! I have been interested in building lately, in fact my latest play sessions were mostly spent in build mode. I am still so new to it, and not close to being good, but i have a lot of fun exploring things and messing around. Landscaping is still hard to do for me though, i dont know where to begin and how to end, and how to make it look pleasing. i feel like i end up making it look empty, lacking, messy, unnatural, and lets just say not good overall :D Hmm, i should have probably picked not good at all lol.
  • bshag4lvbshag4lv Posts: 9,374 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    I build when I tire of a difficult sim. I enjoy building and more favorite style has to be ranch. Everything's on one stinking floor, lol. I still suffer from the bouncing betty camera so many times I find myself building basements rather than fight with a second floor.

    I also love downloading from the gallery then redoing the houses, community lots...sorry. I enjoy redecorating an EA build because, they are horrible for my style.

    Probably the most fun I've had building and decorating is with the Eco Lifestyle ep. I can furnish an entire house with the stuff from this pack, not so much others.

    I hardly ever upload to the gallery because of my love affair with custom content. My houses look great but non uploadable. I just play for myself anyway.

    My style has to include at least 2 exits from each room...shell shock from building in Sims 3. Most houses are small to medium with a max bedrooms of 1-2. I don't play large families normally, 3-4 sims in a house is plenty for me.
    In my house, dog hair sticks to everything but the dog.
  • KbobsterKbobster Posts: 155 Member
    edited July 2022
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    Yay! I figured out how to put pictures on here! Here are my builds. The tan house is 1870s Second Empire. This style is mostly found in the Midwest. Although, there are few in other locations. Mine was a coastal/southern one.
    The colorful one next to it is an 1880s Queen Anne style, Painted Lady specifically. I could be wrong, but I feel that these are more common in California. (Painted Lady, not Queen Anne).
    And the blue one is another Queen Anne with a more general palette, which can be found anywhere. This one is from the 1890s in my mind. I'm creating a Turn-Of-the-Century Queen Anne, but I got tired of it. You can see it next to the 2nd Empire.

    PRtRx0h.png
  • KbobsterKbobster Posts: 155 Member
    edited July 2022
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    Here is the blue one a little bit closer. Oh! I just noticed a piece of fence hanging off the roof. I have no idea how that got there! Oh well, folks who've already downloaded it can delete it, but now I feel bad.

    dD0Qyd5.png


    And the two Queen Annes' sides.
    7Js0cRz.png
  • catmando830catmando830 Posts: 9,117 Member
    Kbobster wrote: Β»
    Yay! I figured out how to put pictures on here! Here are my builds. The tan house is 1870s Second Empire. This style is mostly found in the Midwest. Although, there are few in other locations. Mine was a coastal/southern one.
    The colorful one next to it is an 1880s Queen Anne style, Painted Lady specifically. I could be wrong, but I feel that these are more common in California. (Painted Lady, not Queen Anne).
    And the blue one is another Queen Anne with a more general palette, which can be found anywhere. This one is from the 1890s in my mind. I'm creating a Turn-Of-the-Century Queen Anne, but I got tired of it. You can see it next to the 2nd Empire.

    PRtRx0h.png

    Love the colorful Queen Ann - please post the Gallery link, or what they are named, and/or your gallery name. - thanks
  • KbobsterKbobster Posts: 155 Member
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    bshag4lv wrote: Β»
    I build when I tire of a difficult sim. I enjoy building and more favorite style has to be ranch. Everything's on one stinking floor, lol. I still suffer from the bouncing betty camera so many times I find myself building basements rather than fight with a second floor.

    I also love downloading from the gallery then redoing the houses, community lots...sorry. I enjoy redecorating an EA build because, they are horrible for my style.

    Probably the most fun I've had building and decorating is with the Eco Lifestyle ep. I can furnish an entire house with the stuff from this pack, not so much others.

    I hardly ever upload to the gallery because of my love affair with custom content. My houses look great but non uploadable. I just play for myself anyway.

    My style has to include at least 2 exits from each room...shell shock from building in Sims 3. Most houses are small to medium with a max bedrooms of 1-2. I don't play large families normally, 3-4 sims in a house is plenty for me.


    I love ranch homes. If it's not too much trouble, can you post one? It's okay if not. I should make more ranch homes. I love the style in real life. Besides townhomes, ranch homes are my other dream house.
  • KbobsterKbobster Posts: 155 Member
    edited July 2022
    Getting Off-the-Ground Construction Company
    Kbobster wrote: Β»
    Yay! I figured out how to put pictures on here! Here are my builds. The tan house is 1870s Second Empire. This style is mostly found in the Midwest. Although, there are few in other locations. Mine was a coastal/southern one.
    The colorful one next to it is an 1880s Queen Anne style, Painted Lady specifically. I could be wrong, but I feel that these are more common in California. (Painted Lady, not Queen Anne).
    And the blue one is another Queen Anne with a more general palette, which can be found anywhere. This one is from the 1890s in my mind. I'm creating a Turn-Of-the-Century Queen Anne, but I got tired of it. You can see it next to the 2nd Empire.

    PRtRx0h.png

    Love the colorful Queen Ann - please post the Gallery link, or what they are named, and/or your gallery name. - thanks


    I'm K-Bobster in the gallery.(the colorful house is named: 1889 Queen Anne) Sorry, I don't know how to put the link. It's a haunted house, but you can change it in Build Mode. If you're unsure how to do it, I can walk you through it,
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