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3 BR · 2 BA · 1,384 Sq Ft Living

The Designer Aspen: Single-Story 3 Bedroom Custom Home Plan

The same 1,384 square foot Aspen floor plan with a standing-seam metal roof, modern stone columns at a deeper covered entry, and a measurable wind mitigation insurance credit. Built to FBC 8th Edition wind code in Hernando, Pasco, and Citrus counties.

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3

Bedrooms

2

Bathrooms

2-Car

Garage

1,384

Living Sq Ft

Square Footage Breakdown

Living
1,384 sq ft
Garage
437 sq ft
Lanai
140 sq ft
Covered Entry
70 sq ft
Total
2,031 sq ft

The Designer Aspen is the premium pair to our standard Aspen, built for buyers who want the same livable single-story plan with the curb appeal and the insurance math of a more architectural exterior. The interior floor plan is identical to the Aspen down to the inch. What changes is the package wrapped around it: a standing-seam metal roof, modern stone columns at a deeper covered entry, and a contemporary trim profile that pulls the home forward into a current design vocabulary instead of a builder default.

It is a strong fit for a couple downsizing into Hernando County who care as much about resale and lifetime cost of ownership as they do about move-in day. It is the right pick for a buyer comparing custom against a production home in a place like LGI's Royal Highlands and asking what the extra dollars actually buy. The answer here is concrete: a roof system that lasts longer, an insurance line that prices lower thanks to the Florida wind mitigation credit, and a front elevation that does not look like the four houses next to it.

The Floor Plan

The Designer Aspen layout at a glance

The Designer Aspen floor plan with elevation rendering and square footage breakdown

The Walkthrough

Walking through the Designer Aspen

Before the room-by-room, the headline you need to keep in mind: the interior of the Designer Aspen is identical to the standard Aspen. Same 1,384 square feet of conditioned living, same split-bedroom layout, same great room and kitchen in the center, same lanai across the back. If you have already walked the Aspen page, the inside of this home is the same home. The exterior is where the Designer package earns its name, so most of this walkthrough is going to live outside the front door.

Standing-seam metal roof

The roof on the Designer Aspen is a 24 or 26 gauge standing-seam metal panel system, mechanically locked at the seams and fastened directly to the engineered deck per its Florida Product Approval. There are no exposed fasteners through the panel face. The panel runs continuous from ridge to eave on the hip structure. That construction is the reason it carries a wind mitigation insurance credit, and it is the reason the roof outlives a 30-year architectural shingle by another 15 to 25 years in this climate. You select the panel color from the standard palette during customization (matte black, slate gray, weathered bronze, gallery silver, and antique copper are typical picks).

Modern stone columns at a deeper covered entry

The covered entry on the Designer Aspen is pulled forward from the standard Aspen footprint, giving you a deeper porch profile that handles afternoon storms and reads as a real architectural gesture instead of an afterthought. The covered entry is anchored by two modern stone columns finished in dry-stacked ledgestone, with a band of stone returning along the front elevation to tie the entry into the rest of the facade. The roof line over the entry is detailed to align with the metal panel system above so the whole front face reads as one composition.

Contemporary trim and stucco package

The window trim on the Designer Aspen is a flat, modern profile with a deeper reveal than the Aspen's traditional casing. Soffit and fascia are detailed to read clean rather than ornate. The stucco color palette skews to contemporary warm grays, off-whites, and saturated charcoals rather than the standard tan and beige range. Garage door is a flush modern panel with optional frosted glass inserts, replacing the carriage style on the standard Aspen.

The interior in one paragraph

You step in under the deeper covered entry into the same foyer that opens directly into the great room on the standard Aspen. The great room flows into the kitchen and dining area in one continuous space, with the lanai pulling natural light through the back wall. Master suite sits on the right wing with its bath and walk-in closet. Bedroom 1 and Bedroom 2 sit on the left wing with the shared bath between them. Laundry is between Bedroom 2 and the garage entry. Pantry is dedicated. Garage is two cars and 437 square feet. If you want the room-by-room detail, read the standard Aspen walkthrough. Every interior call-out applies here verbatim.

Lanai and rear elevation

The 140 square foot covered lanai mirrors the Aspen's, but it is finished with the same contemporary trim package as the front elevation so the rear of the home stays consistent with the front. Pavered extension, screen enclosure, and outdoor kitchen rough-in are all available customization upgrades, the same as on the Aspen.

Built for Florida

Engineered for Hernando County wind, weather, and water

The Designer Aspen is engineered to the same structural standard as every Protech home, with one difference at the top of the load path that you actually feel on your insurance bill: the standing-seam metal roof.

The metal roof and the wind mitigation credit

Florida homeowners insurance prices windstorm risk separately from the rest of your policy. The windstorm portion typically runs 40 to 60 percent of your total premium in Hernando, Pasco, and Citrus counties. When your home gets a wind mitigation inspection, the inspector files the OIR-B1-1802 form with your carrier. The form scores roof covering, roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall connection, opening protection, and a few other line items. A standing-seam metal roof scores at the top of the roof covering category because it is a continuous mechanically locked surface fastened directly to the deck, not a tabbed shingle relying on adhesive bond strength.

That single credit, by itself, typically takes 30 to 40 percent off the windstorm portion of your annual premium. Pair the metal roof with a laminated impact-glass window upgrade and you can stack credits across the form. On a Hernando County home that lift can recover most of the metal roof premium on its own across the life of a 30-year mortgage, before you account for the longer service life or the resale lift.

FBC 8th Edition wind code from slab to ridge

The Designer Aspen meets the 8th Edition Florida Building Code, which adopted ASCE 7-22 wind load methodology in 2024. Hernando, Pasco, and Citrus counties sit in Wind Zone 3, with a design wind speed range of 150 to 160 mph for Risk Category II residential structures and Exposure C. Every load path the engineer drew is built to that standard, from the slab under your feet to the ridge over your head.

Concrete block and a monolithic slab

Exterior walls are 8-inch CMU with reinforced cells at every corner and opening, finished in stucco. The foundation is a monolithic slab on grade, engineered for Hernando County's soil profile and water table conditions. There is no crawl space, no termite-bait wood subfloor, and no second story to add wind exposure.

Engineered roof structure under the metal panels

The hip roof is built from engineered trusses with hurricane straps at every truss-to-wall connection. Roof sheathing is glued and ring-shank-nailed at upgraded spacing. The standing-seam metal panel is fastened to the engineered deck per its Florida Product Approval. The structural deck under the metal is built to the same standard as the deck under any Protech roof, which means if you ever wanted to replace the metal panel decades from now, the bones of the roof are right there waiting.

Windows and the impact upgrade

Standard windows are single-hung, low-E, and rated to the FBC opening protection requirements with shutters or panels. Most Designer Aspen owners upgrade to laminated impact glass during customization, which removes the need for shutters and stacks another wind mitigation credit on top of the metal roof credit.

Energy and efficiency built in

The HVAC is sized to the conditioned envelope, not bumped up a tonnage to compensate for poor insulation. Attic insulation is R-30 as a base, with an R-38 upgrade available. The standing-seam metal roof reflects more solar heat than a dark shingle, which lowers attic temperatures and shaves load off the air handler in summer. Air handler sits in the conditioned space where it should, not in the hot attic. Energy-Star appliances are an optional package most owners select.

What’s Included

What’s in your Designer Aspen build

The Designer Aspen base specification covers everything the standard Aspen includes, with the exterior upgrade package built in rather than added on. You are not buying a stripped shell with a $40,000 list of "options" tacked on at the design center.

Site and structure

  • Site preparation: Clearing, grading, fill, compaction, and silt fencing per Hernando County permitting.
  • Foundation: Engineered monolithic slab on grade with reinforcement.
  • Exterior walls: 8-inch CMU with reinforced cells, contemporary stucco finish from the Designer color palette.
  • Roof structure: Engineered trusses, hurricane straps, glued and ring-shank-nailed sheathing.
  • Roof covering: Standing-seam metal roof, 24 or 26 gauge, fastened per Florida Product Approval, panel color selected from the standard palette.
  • Front elevation: Deeper covered entry, two modern stone columns finished in dry-stacked ledgestone, stone band returning along the front facade.
  • Windows: Single-hung low-E with code-compliant opening protection. Impact-glass upgrade available.

Interior finishes

  • Cabinets: Wood construction with soft-close drawers from a curated finish palette.
  • Countertops: Quartz or granite from the standard selection.
  • Appliances: Stainless range, dishwasher, microwave, and disposal.
  • Flooring: Tile in main living areas, kitchen, and baths. Carpet in bedrooms with hardwood or LVP available as an upgrade.
  • Trim and doors: Flat contemporary baseboard profile, raised-panel interior doors, lever hardware.
  • Lighting and electrical: Recessed LEDs in living spaces, ceiling fan rough-ins in bedrooms and great room, pre-wire for the front entry.

Mechanical and warranty

  • HVAC: 14 SEER central system sized to the conditioned envelope, with a programmable thermostat.
  • Plumbing: Standard fixture package, gas or electric water heater, hose bibs front and rear.
  • Insulation: R-30 attic, foam-sealed top plates, fully insulated exterior walls.
  • Builder warranty: 1-year workmanship, 2-year systems, 10-year structural through our third-party warranty partner.
  • Wind mitigation documentation: Final OIR-B1-1802 wind mitigation inspection report delivered at closing so your carrier can apply the credits on day one.

Make It Yours

Customization options

The Designer exterior package is the baseline you start from on this plan, not the upgrade you bolt on. From there, every Designer Aspen we build is a real custom, the same as the standard Aspen. Most of the customization sits inside the home and at the edges of the exterior package.

Exterior customization on top of the Designer package

  • Standing-seam metal panel color from the standard palette (matte black, slate gray, weathered bronze, gallery silver, antique copper)
  • Pop-out gable on the front elevation to break up the hip line for additional architectural depth
  • Extended stone work along the full front facade or wrapping the corner
  • Front door style and finish, including modern flush, frosted glass insert, and pivot options
  • Garage door style: flush modern panel, frosted glass insert row, or full-glass aluminum
  • Stucco color from the contemporary palette (warm grays, off-whites, saturated charcoals)

The standing-seam metal roof is the financial center of gravity for this plan. If you want the same exterior look without the metal premium, the standard Aspen with a stone-accent entry is the alternative. If you want the metal roof and the wind mitigation credit it carries, the Designer Aspen is the build.

Kitchen and baths

  • Cabinet color, door style, and hardware finish
  • Countertop selection across the standard quartz and granite palette, with a premium upgrade option
  • Backsplash tile, pattern, and grout color
  • Plumbing fixture finish: chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, or champagne bronze
  • Master shower configuration: enclosed, glass-only, or zero-entry

Floor plan adjustments

  • Master suite extension over the lanai for a sitting area
  • Add a pocket office between the great room and bedroom 2
  • Convert the lanai to a screened or pavered extension
  • Add an outdoor kitchen rough-in

Smart and energy upgrades

  • Whole-home smart home pre-wire
  • Solar-ready roof with conduit and main-panel space reserved (the metal roof is one of the cleanest standing-seam panel substrates for clamp-on solar attachment)
  • R-38 attic insulation upgrade
  • Tankless water heater
  • EV charger circuit pre-installed in the garage
  • Laminated impact-glass window upgrade to stack additional wind mitigation credits on top of the metal roof credit

Where We Build

Building the Designer Aspen across three counties

We build every plan, including the The Designer Aspen, on owner-supplied lots and on land we help you find across:

From Plan to Keys

How a Designer Aspen build actually goes

The path from your first call to the day you turn the key is a known process, not a mystery. The Designer Aspen runs on the same eight to ten month timeline as the standard Aspen, with the metal roof installation landing inside the standard dry-in window.

  1. Plan packet review. You request the Designer Aspen Plan Packet from this page. It arrives in your inbox with the floor plan, included features, customization options, and a build timeline.
  2. Free consultation. We meet at your lot, your home, or our office in Brooksville for about an hour. You bring questions, we bring honest answers about budget, timeline, and what the Designer Aspen will look like on your specific lot.
  3. Lot evaluation. If you already own land, we visit the lot to check soil, access, setbacks, and HOA conditions. If you do not, we point you toward what is moving in Hernando, Pasco, and Citrus.
  4. Plan customization meeting. We walk through every selection together, lock in your finishes, your metal panel color, your stone and stucco package, and any floor plan adjustments. The output is a fixed-price contract.
  5. Permit submittal. Plans go to the Hernando County Building Division. Plan review currently runs 10 to 21 days depending on workload, with permits issued shortly after.
  6. Loan close. If you are using a construction-to-permanent loan, this is where the single closing happens. One loan, one set of paperwork, and the lender pays the builder in draws as we hit milestones.
  7. Site work and slab. Clearing, grading, footers, plumbing rough, and slab pour. Three to four weeks.
  8. Vertical construction. Block and tie beam, truss set, dry-in with the standing-seam metal panel system, mechanicals, drywall, finishes, cabinets, countertops, and exterior stone work. Five to six months.
  9. Wind mitigation inspection and final county inspections. A licensed inspector files the OIR-B1-1802 wind mitigation report so your insurance credits apply from day one. County inspector signs off on the build. Our project manager and you walk the punch list together.
  10. Certificate of Occupancy and keys. You move in, with your wind mitigation paperwork in hand for your carrier.

Total runway from contract to keys for a typical Designer Aspen build is eight to ten months. We give you a real schedule, not a marketing one.

Compare

Other plans worth a look

Pair: Standard exterior

The Aspen

If you love the floor plan but want to save the metal roof premium, the standard Aspen is the alternative. Same 1,384 square feet, same split-bedroom layout, same lanai, same 2-car garage. Traditional hip shingle roof, traditional stucco, stone accent at a standard covered entry. Lower out-of-pocket on day one, no wind mitigation credit on the roof covering line. The Designer Aspen is the pick when the insurance ROI and the architectural curb appeal matter. The Aspen is the pick when the budget needs to land tighter on contract day.

See The Aspen
The Designer Sequoia floor plan

3 BR · 2 BA · 1,701 sq ft

The Designer Sequoia

Single-story 3 bedroom, 2 bath modern farmhouse home with board-and-batten siding, stone column accents, standing-seam metal roof, covered front porch, and rear lanai. 2,733 total square feet on a Hernando County lot.

See The Designer Sequoia
The Linleigh floor plan

3 BR · 2 BA · 1,499 sq ft

The Linleigh

Single-story 3 bedroom, 2 bath modern farmhouse with vaulted Great Room and Dining, a 561 square foot garage, and a covered lanai. 2,369 total square feet on a Hernando County lot.

See The Linleigh

Plan Packet

Get the full Designer Aspen Plan Packet

Floor plan, included features, customization options, build areas, and our 8-to-10 month timeline. Sent to your inbox within minutes.

We send the packet, then a single follow-up to see if you have questions. No spam, and we never share your info.

Ready to Build?

Break ground on your free Designer Aspen consultation today.

No-pressure 1-hour walkthrough at your lot, your home, or our Brooksville office. We answer every question. You decide what is next.

Call (352) 710-5455Free Evaluation

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the The Designer Aspen

How much does the standing-seam metal roof on the Designer Aspen save on insurance?

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Most Florida carriers price homeowners insurance with a separate windstorm portion that runs anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of the total premium. The standing-seam metal roof on the Designer Aspen qualifies for a wind mitigation insurance discount, which typically takes 30 to 40 percent off that windstorm portion once your inspector files the OIR-B1-1802 mitigation form. Real-dollar savings depend on your carrier, your deductible, and the rest of your opening protection package, but the metal roof is the single biggest mitigation credit available on a standard Florida residential policy.

Why does a metal roof get a wind mitigation discount when shingle does not?

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The wind mitigation form rewards the things that actually keep a roof on the house in a hurricane. A standing-seam metal panel is a continuous, mechanically locked surface fastened directly to the structural deck, so it does not rely on adhesive bond strength or individual tab seal lines the way a shingle does. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation recognizes that performance gap, and carriers price it in. Combined with the engineered truss connection package and the laminated impact-glass windows, the metal roof on the Designer Aspen pulls multiple credit lines at once.

What is the actual difference between the Designer Aspen and the standard Aspen?

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The interior floor plan is identical. Same 1,384 square feet of living, same split-bedroom layout, same master suite on the right wing, same secondary bedrooms on the left, same great room and kitchen in the center, same lanai across the back. The Designer Aspen upgrades the exterior: the shingle roof is replaced with a standing-seam metal roof, the covered entry is deepened and built around modern stone columns, the window trim is updated to a cleaner contemporary profile, and the stucco palette skews to a more architectural color set. You get the same livable home with a premium exterior and a wind mitigation insurance credit.

Does the Designer Aspen upgrade pay for itself over time?

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Run the math two ways. First, the insurance side: the wind mitigation credit on the metal roof alone typically returns 30 to 40 percent of the windstorm portion of your annual premium, which on a Hernando County home can mean four-figure savings every year. Compounded over a 30-year mortgage, that recovers most of the roofing premium on its own. Second, the lifecycle side: a quality standing-seam metal roof on a Florida hip structure carries a service life of 40 to 50 years, while a 30-year architectural shingle in this climate often needs replacement closer to year 18 to 22. You skip an entire roof replacement cycle. Add resale lift on a more architectural exterior, and most owners come out ahead.

Can I customize the Designer Aspen the same way as the Aspen?

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Yes. The Designer Aspen is a real custom build, not a fixed package. The standing-seam metal roof, modern stone columns, and deeper covered entry are the baseline you start from, not the ceiling. You still pick every interior finish (cabinets, countertops, tile, fixtures, paint), and you can still adjust the floor plan: extend the master over the lanai, add a pocket office, screen the lanai, or build out a full outdoor kitchen. Exterior options include additional stone work, pop-out roof gables on the front elevation, and metal panel color from the standard palette.

How long does it take to build a Designer Aspen in Hernando County?

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Eight to ten months from a signed contract to the day we hand over the keys, the same window as the standard Aspen. Permits run 10 to 21 days at the Hernando County Building Division, site work and slab take three to four weeks, and vertical construction takes five to six months. The metal roof installation lands inside the same dry-in window as a shingle roof would, so the upgrade does not stretch the schedule. Weather and material lead times can shift the back end by a few weeks in either direction.

What is included in the Designer Aspen base price?

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Site preparation, the engineered slab, 8-inch CMU walls with stucco in the contemporary color palette, the engineered truss roof with hurricane straps, the standing-seam metal roof, modern stone columns at the deeper covered entry, updated window trim, single-hung low-E windows, wood cabinets with quartz or granite, stainless appliances, tile in main areas with carpet in bedrooms, the standard plumbing and lighting packages, the 14 SEER HVAC system, and our 1-year workmanship, 2-year systems, and 10-year structural warranty. The exterior package is the upgrade, not the spec sheet around it.

How does financing work for a Designer Aspen?

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Most owners use a one-time-close construction-to-permanent loan. You qualify once, close once, and the lender pays Protech in scheduled draws as we hit milestones. During construction you only pay interest on what has been drawn. After the certificate of occupancy, the loan converts to your permanent mortgage. Down payments range from 5 to 20 percent depending on the loan type, with a typical credit score floor around 680. FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional construction-to-perm products are all available. The wind mitigation credit on the metal roof can also reduce your DTI calculation by lowering the homeowners insurance line in the lender's escrow estimate.

Is the Designer Aspen FBC 8th Edition compliant?

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Every Designer Aspen is engineered to the current Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), with ASCE 7-22 wind loads. Hernando, Pasco, and Citrus counties sit in Wind Zone 3, with a design wind speed range of 150 to 160 mph for Risk Category II residential structures and Exposure C. The standing-seam metal roof is fastened to the engineered deck per its Florida Product Approval, the truss-to-wall connections use hurricane straps at every bearing point, and the opening protection package meets the FBC requirements as specified.

How does the Designer Aspen compare to a production builder home like LGI in Brooksville?

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A production builder like LGI Royal Highlands in Brooksville advertises homes starting around $295,900, but you are buying a finished spec on a fixed lot with a fixed plan and a short list of cosmetic options. A Designer Aspen is built on your lot (or one we help you find), to a plan you adjust with us, with finishes you select, with an exterior package engineered for insurance ROI rather than builder margin. You also get a real warranty stack from a builder you can call by name, not a corporate help line. Different products solving different problems. Run the lifetime cost of ownership, not just the sticker.