House Plans for Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's cold winters and true four season climate call for a compact, simple building shape: a design with a lot of exterior wall relative to its floor area loses more heat, so the classic farmhouse rectangle with a straightforward gable roof still holds up as a smart, efficient choice. Frost heave is also a real consideration here, which is why full basements and frost protected foundations show up often in this part of the country.

This collection leans on farmhouse and classic American style plans, plus a few compact cottages, all with the kind of simple rooflines and efficient footprints that perform well through a real winter. A couple of plans here include a basement layout, which is a common way to add storage and mechanical space without expanding the footprint, and several are designed for year round living rather than seasonal or vacation use.

These plans are not engineered for Pennsylvania specific frost depth, snow load, or foundation requirements, which vary by county and by how far you are from the mountains. Confirm those numbers with your local building department, and our editable CAD files make it straightforward for a local engineer to review the design against your specific site.