Robert Nicholson, who would become one of Williamsburg's most prosperous tailors and merchants, began construction of this unique house in the early 1750s.
He first built a small, neat frame dwelling featuring a side entryway.
He later decided to double the size of his house by adding a west wing adjoining the house at the side passage, thereby making the side door the new center of the house.
Proof of this transformation is the ever-so-slightly off-center doorway, a quaint feature that distinguishes many old homes that that have undergone alterations over the centuries.
Many original elements of the Nicolson house remain virtually intact today: original heart pine flooring, panel wainscoting, turned stair balusters and finely molded dentils.
Commodious, yet simple and unpretentious, this home is a premier example of early Virginia architecture.
All of our plans are designed by licensed architects and residential building designers. Each plan is designed to meet nationally recognized building codes for the year they were created.
No two plans are the same. We strongly encourage you to contact us for the contents of any plan you may be interested in purchasing.
Below is a listing of sheets typically included in our plans:
Foundation Plan ‐ shows the foundation details.
Floor Plan ‐ shows the placement of interior walls and the dimensions for rooms, doors, windows, stairways, etc. of each level of the house.
Exterior Elevations ‐ show the front, rear and sides of the house, including exterior materials, details and roof pitches.
Building Cross Section ‐ shows details of the house as though it were cut in slices from the roof to the foundation. The cross sections detail the construction of the home, insulation, flooring and roofing.
Interior Elevations (when available) ‐ show the details of cabinets such as those found in the kitchen, bathroom and utility room, fireplaces and other special interior features.
Roof Plan ‐ provides a bird’s eye view of the roof's valleys, ridges and dormers, if applicable
Electrical Plan (when available) ‐ shows the suggested locations for fixtures and outlets. Please contact us to see if an electrical plan is included in the plan set.
Notes & Details ‐ provides information for structural specifications, excavating and grading, masonry and concrete work, carpentry and wood specifications, thermal and moisture protection and specifications about drywall, tile, flooring, glazing, caulking and sealants.
Building Code
All of our plans are designed to provide the information needed to build your home. Because of the wide range of requirements throughout states and municipalities, it is possible that the plans may not have all of the information required by your building department. If this is the case, we recommend hiring a local design professional or engineer who can assist bringing the plans up to your local building code.
Engineering
Some states require that a licensed architect or engineer review and stamp the plans. If this is the case where you will be building, a local professional will be able to assist you.
Important Extras: Sold separately
Readable reverse Plans ‐ The layout is reversed and all the writing is corrected so you can read the writing. With this option, all of your sets will appear the way you want to build the home. This option is available for an additional charge.
Mirror Reverse Plans ‐ The lettering and dimensions will read backwards, so you will need to order at least one set non-reversed as a reference copy.
Itemized List of Materials (when available) ‐ includes the quantity, type and size of materials needed to build your home.
Purchase Options
