Just found have a website - what to do to monetize it?

Thanks Kay. Yes it is gorgeous. And not just because it's my house When the architect showed me the design, it came as a total surprise - I'd asked for a 'painting studio' with just one bedroom and somewhere to cook, with no aircon - natural breezes - and he got carried away LOL! Having said that, I really wasn't aware how BIG he was here, not mixing with the expat contingent much and all.

The site's another story. I'd contracted a 'web designer' in Bangkok who showed up on some Geocities and professional web designer sites as being a 'scam artist'. So was lucky to get what I did out of him. Took some persuasion, I can tell you:p

I agree the site needs an overhaul, not least of all because it looks cheap, and not in keeping with the product (and 1700 US is by no means 'too expensive' for house plans, particularly for these houseplans. You have to think how much you're saving on hiring an architect, a good one at that, to produce a unique design - take a look at some of the online 'cookie cutter' house plans out there. Even the local architects charge at least four times that amount to design a 'box' condo).

As to showing the actual plans, be defeating the object as would be giving them away Most sites only show a portion of the floorplan.

Just thought I'd put it out there on this great forum to bounce some ideas around and fast coming to the conclusion site needs 'upgrade' to reflect the product. Was also wondering what else to put on it to make it more interesting. I'd thought about some links to Laurie Baker and the actual architect's other work, and 'green architecture' etc, but concerned people visiting the site will find them too interesting (only people interested in this type of architecture would visit anyway) and not come back!

A vid might be good, hmmmm ...

I agree with what you say about potential customers/home builders needing to know about the flow of the house, although again, on plan websites they just give a floorplan and how many beds/baths. I also agree with the picture of the floorplan. It, along with the rest of the site's print quality is awful and I'd pointed this out to him, before he scarpered lol. Why's this do you think? I don't know much about web design, or I'd have saved myself some grief and built it myself in the first place. Which looks as though it's on the cards - did I say I was a painter? Painter = Broke:p

As to the photo showing a room looking as though some furniture had been shoved up a corner, he'd simply taken one of the many I'd sent him from the site - and cropped it

The 'green' element is I think stated clearly throughout. If you don't live in a tropical country, you've no idea how HOT it can get indoors with no aircon. And the majority of houses in Thailand are copied from the West - low ceilings and great swathes of glazing for windows necessitating airconditioning in every room, or you'd die from the heat! The old Thai style ruen baan's were best - high ceilings and vents for airflow. This is just a western style contemporary take on that principle. One that Laurie Baker and my architect understand:p

Another thing I find a tad irksome is when people say 1700 US is 'expensive' for houseplans. How much of your budget are you willing to apportion for the actual design?! This house is on the market for 200k (want to move to my original concept - hut in the jungle lol).

I had some expat from the Phillies complaining the plans were expensive and that he'd bought a 3000 sqm plan set for 300 US. I pointed out that he was quite possibly sitting in 3000 sqm of crap then (That's another thing, having to deal with some of the moronic respondees - expensive? - no one's forcing you to buy - do the plans come with electrical/plumbing drawings??? er, yes, they're architect's plans. And my favourite - how much to build? That's the only question they ask - and they make up the majority, and they never come back anyway.) In fact my most successful sale was to an educated gentleman who had a profound and passionate interest in architecture. We're still in touch to this day.

I'm thinking perhaps a video of this house might work okay, but concerned people will forget that they are house PLANS and should use their imagination to make the house their own. Hmmmm. 3D Model in Sketchup?