What's included in all of your pre-designed plan sets?
Floor Plans with room names, door and window sizes, and relevant dimensions. Often we include a simplified floor plan for legibility, and a separate dimensioned floor plan.
Exterior Elevations, a 2D "side view" of the structure from the outside that indicate materials, wall heights, overall roof heights. and what the home exterior would look like.
Roof Plans that show an overhead view of the home with the roof pitch, direction of slope, location of scupper or drains (if any), and the roofing materials.
Schematic Framing Plans that show framing layouts and locations of beams or headers (beam sizes and connection details are not indicated, as site-specific engineering would still be required to meet local codes)
Building Sections that show a cross section of the entire house at 1/4″ = 1′-0″
Details inlcuding typical wall section (how the wall meets the foundation and roof), flashing, and insulation details.
Electrical Plans that show locations of light fixtures, general purpose receptacles, smoke & carbon monoxide detectors, ceiling fans, and bath exhaust fans. We don't show receptacles types for appliances and specialty equipment so your electrician would need to verify what is required for the specific appliances you order.
General Specifications Sheet: A list of general information that applies to most projects. Many owners and contractors use this as a starting point for project specifications, but frequently make their own changes based on local codes, trade practices, and product availability in their markets.
What is included in your upgraded plan sets?
These features differ depending on what options are selected, but generally our upgraded packages can include items like:
Interior elevations showing millwork, built ins, and interior walls that are clad in wood, tile, and other specialty finishes.
Reflected ceiling plans: Plan view that shows the ceiling; these plans show ceiling finishes, dimensions between lighting and HVAC registers, and other ceiling features.
Plumbing Plans: Site specific plans show drain sizes and layouts, and where drain pipe leaves the house to connect to septic or sewer systems. They can also include gas pipe sizes and layouts from the gas meter to the various gas appliances & equipment.
Mechanical Plans: HVAC ductwork plans, equipment sizes, and calculations that might be required for local plan review
Structural Plans: In certain states where our own engineers are licensed, we can coordinate with a structural engineer licensed in your state.
What's not included but available at additional cost?
Paper prints delivered to your home
AutoCAD "dwg" files sent directly to your local design professional
Are your plans available in New York, New Jersey, Nevada or Florida?
Generally, in these states you will need an Architect as well as one or more Engineers who are locally licensed, either due to state practice laws or more stringent local permitting requirements. We can provide CAD files for your locally licensed design professionals, please contact us prior to purchasing plans to discuss the best option for your situation.
Will I need to hire a Structural Engineer?
Absolutely.
Our plans do not include all of the very specific information needed for the concrete and framing subcontractors. Building codes differ greatly across the country depending on wind, snow, and seismic loads, so there is no "one size fits all" set of structural plans that will be both cost effective and code compliant in all regions. Even in areas with very lax permitting standards, the value and peace of mind provided by having a structural engineer evaluate your project is worth much more than the fees charged. We would not recommend proceeding with a general contractor who advises you that engineering is unnecessary because their crews "are good and they will figure it out."
In what file format are plans available?
Our plans are available in paper, AutoCAD, and PDF file formats depending on the options selected.
Why do you insist on sending CAD files directly to my engineer? Why can't you just give them to me?
CAD files are very useful to Architects, Engineers, and designers who are trained in CAD and maintain the necessary software subscriptions. We find that the vast majority of homeowners don’t own this software, and wouldn’t know how to open the files even if they had them. We have had unfortunate experiences where homeowners unknowingly forwarded the wrong files, and obsolete versions of their floor plan, or an incomplete version that didn’t included the necessary information to others which lead to expensive mistakes during construction.
For this reason, we insist on forwarding technical files directly to your local Architect, Engineer, or building designer so that a qualified professional can take responsibility for our project’s success.
Are your Pre-Designed plans all I need to build from?
It is highly unlikely. There are indeed some very rural locations where we hear about clients being able to obtain a building permit with "a sketch on a single sheet of paper," but this is the rare exception. Even in our home state, there are some cities that require only a few sheets of drawings while others can require dozens of sheets for the same design. We would recommend doing your own research at the local building department, as well as hiring a local Architect or Engineer early in the process to find out what is the typical permitting process in your city or county. General Contractors can often tell you what is customary, but we would highly recommend you confirm this information with your local city or county and a local Architect or Engineer (believe it or not, but there are dubious contractors out there who will tell clients that they don't need building permits, when in fact they very much do need permits!).
There are indeed areas in the US where building from a set of stock plans is possible. However, we always recommend that prior to purchasing a stock plan from ANY provider it’s best to inquire with your local permitting office exactly what they will require you to submit for a building permit. It is wise to assume that some structural and or mechanical engineering will be required. In addition, our plans assume a truss roof. Roof trusses along with the required engineering would be provided by your builder’s favorite local manufacturer.
Will your plans be good enough for my local building department?
Very likely, no. Building codes and code enforcement differ greatly across the country. Even in our home state, local cities differ on what they do and do not require in a set of plans. We would recommend doing your own research at the local building department, as well as hiring a local Architect or Engineer early in the process to find out what is the typical permitting process in your city or county.
Are your plans copyrighted? Do I own the plans I buy from you?
Yes, all our work is fully protected by federal copyright and intellectual property law. As is the case when you work with most designers and Architects, you are purchasing a license to use plans to construct your home. When you purchase one of our pre-designed plans, the ownership of those plans remains with us.
Are your plans available in CMU (concrete block) or ICF?
Depending on the design, we may be able to convert the design to CMU or ICF through our Plan Modification services. For ICF homes, we work with a nationally respected expert who specializes in ICF construction.
How is the square footage calculated?
"Livable" square footage calculations are calculated from the exterior side of structural sheathing and do not include decks, porches, patio covers, or garages. You can also think of it as the spaces that are air conditioned, including the wall thickness. This is similar to how many permitting jurisdictions calculate livable square footage.
This may not match the square footage determined by a home appraisal or real estate listing, as appraisers typically measure to the outside finished face of exterior walls (depending on the wall finish, this may end up being a larger number). When discussing square footages with your contractor, it is important to know what they mean when they quote price per square foot numbers, as they must budget for the entire area under roof (not just livable space). Remember, any contractor quoting a budget in a "$/SF" format is most likely giving you an "average or averages" number and the actual completed cost is very likely to differ.
Can I build multiple homes from the plan I purchase? Don't I own the plans?
No. When you purchase a PDF or CAD plan you are purchasing a license to build ONE residence. The original designer retains the copyright, pursuant to federal law.
How are my plans delivered?
Upon purchase, our plan sets are delivered electronically via email, or paper copies are shipped via FedEx or UPS (depending on the options purchased) Your order is personally fulfilled by one of our designers, and assuming no modifications are requested, we ship or email within one week.
Can I return my plans?
No. PDF, paper, and CAD files may not be returned for credit and/or refund. All sales are final. As you can imagine, we would have no way of telling the difference between an honest mistake and a devious customer who fully intended to use a plan set after it was "returned." Please double-check your selection before ordering, and contact us if you have questions prior to placing your order! We want you to be satisfied with your purchase.
Can I modify the plan?
YES! Most customers do end up making changes to their plan set. You can schedule a consultation call prior to your purchase to discuss modifications - once we have a better idea of what you're looking to accomplish we can provide a quote. And yes, the cost of the consultation call will be credited towards your purchase.
How much do plan modifications cost?
Fees vary widely depending on the scope of the changes. Plan modifications start at $750, and can be several thousand dollars for clients who wish to make significant floor plan changes or for those who make several rounds of modifications over weeks and months. You can schedule a consultation call prior to your purchase to discuss modifications - once we have a better idea of what you're looking to accomplish we can provide a quote. And yes, the cost of the consultation call will be credited towards your purchase.
Can a plan be flipped or reversed to better fit my parcel?
Of course, a "mirrored" plan set is available for an additional $200 fee. Text and dimensions will be edited so that they remain legible and read left-to-right.
Why does it take longer to order plans that include HVAC and plumbing specifications?
HVAC and plumbing plans are very site specific. The city sewer lines, for example, may be located to the front, back, or sides of your yard depending on the lot configuration, and this would change the flow direction of your drain pipes.
HVAC is also very site specific and equipment and ductwork sizes can change depending on what direction the house faces. Beware of any contractor who attempts to size your HVAC system based only on the square footage ("X tons per SF"). We all know that a 1,000 SF "box" with huge west facing windows and no overhangs will require a much larger air conditioning system than the same size envelope with only a few very small north facing windows and deep overhangs. Our HVAC designers use sophisticated design software and take the time to correctly size your system based on its design, window sizes, insulation values, project location, and site placement. This ensures an efficient system that isn't oversized just so an equipment salesman can charge you more with less effort on their part.
Why is an oversized HVAC system a bad idea. Isn't bigger better?
This is a myth that can cost you money (and actually be dangerous in some climates). Oversized HVAC systems can be louder, more expensive to purchase, use more electricity, and the motors suffer from more wear & tear (more starts and stops). And in humid climates, they can actually cause mold growth and lower indoor air quality because they don't dehumidify the air as efficiently as a properly sized system. In larger homes, it almost always makes more sense to install multiple smaller units than a single large unit. HVAC expenses last the life of a home, we highly recommend installing a correctly designed system that performs better and saves money.
Where can I get prints of my plans made?
Most medium sized cities will have a reprographics shop (what they used to call a "blueprint shop"), these printers almost always offer the best value for large format printing. You can also see if your local Staples, Office Max, or FedEx Office offers large format printing. These stores may be more convenient (many FedEx Office locations had self-serve printers), but often charge a premium for the convenience (often up to 3x's more than a reprographics shop). If local options are limited, you can contact our team and we can ship paper plans nationwide.