Cost, timelines, and results are the major factors to balance as you determine the right house plan.
First, do some homework. Think carefully about your building needs and goals.
There are four main ways to develop house plans for residential construction.
Stock House Plans There are many different styles of stock house plans available. The savings that can be realized when purchasing a stock house plan, rather than hiring a Draftsperson or Architect, can be very substantial. Many house plan designers sell stock plans that provide great floor plans and elevations that can meet your house design needs. The benefit of stock home plans is that you can “see” the plan and choose one (or more) that you like.
Stock Home Plan benefits include:
Stock Home Plan recommendations: Buy the CAD file option. It may cost a bit more ($700 - $1,000) but it can save you money if you need modifications, structural engineering, or need to add construction details. Most Architects, CAD Drafting Techs, and Engineers work with CAD files. Choose a plan with the proper foundation you need (basement, crawl, slab, walkout), and try not to alter the “footprint.”
Stock Home Plans – What you should Know. Stock home plans will, most likely, need some modifications: construction details added, material specifications detailed, or structural engineering before a building permit can be issued. It is important to realize that most house plans, including custom plans done by a local Architect, will require building department plan check comments to be corrected before you can obtain a building permit. This means that you will need to “fix / edit / detail / modify” the plans before a permit will be issued. This is another reason for the “CAD File” option and it will be easier to get this done with a CAD file.
Stock Home Plan Sites: www.cobshomesplans.com www.houseplans.com www.eplans.com www.houseplanguys.com www.dreamhomesource.com www.globalhouseplans.com
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Local Architect
If you are designing a unique custom home or have a building lot with characteristics that will affect the house design, you may consider using a local Architect. Most Architects are educated in design and can be a real benefit to the final house design. Remember that many Architects do bigger commercial projects, so choosing a residential custom home specialist would be beneficial. Start building a list of potential Architects. Find out who designed homes in your area. Get recommendations from builders, contractors, friends, relatives, or referrals that have worked with architects.
Check to see if the architect is a member of The American Institute of Architects (AIA). Membership in the AIA means that the architect subscribes to a professional code of ethics and has access to a variety of professional and technical resources. Contact your AIA local chapter; many have lists of member-owned architecture firms that are interested in doing custom home design.
Interview the firms you have chosen. Describe your new construction ideas and ask if their schedule and workload will allow them to take on your project. Try to get a preliminary understanding of their cost and pricing structure for custom residential homes. If the office is unable to handle your project, ask if they can recommend another Architect.
Look beyond the office building or literature of the Architect you are choosing. Focus on past work, cost, time lines, and results. Meet the people in the Architectural Firm. They usually have a team who will design your new home. See if the chemistry is right. Remember, you will be working with the Architect for a long time, and you’ll want someone with whom you feel comfortable.
During the interview, ask questions, such as: How busy is the firm and what kind of timelines should you expect? Can they take on your work? How will they handle the job (again meet the team)? Insist on meeting the person who will actually design your project. How interested is the firm in your job? Talk about your budget and find out the range of fees that the architect would anticipate for your project. Architects charge for their services, which can be confusing. Often there is no set fee for a particular type of project. Fees are established in a number of ways, depending on the size and scope of new home, and the amount and nature of the services best suited to your unique needs.
Some projects are best if done at hourly rates; others for a stipulated sum per unit, based on what are to be built (for example, the number of square feet, rooms, etc.). Some architects charge a fixed fee; others charge a percentage of construction costs. Whenever you feel it is appropriate, discuss with your architect how he or she would expect to establish the fee on your project. The architect may suggest a combination of the above methods. The basis for the fee, the amount, and payment schedule are issues for you and your architect to work out together, before any work gets started.
Designing a custom home is an exciting and creative challenge. The process can be fun, satisfying, and positive, and it’s usually hard work. Once you have found the architect, you are ready to put in writing the terms of your agreement on the scope of work, services, schedule, construction budget, and architect's compensation. Make sure you understand the estimated total cost as well as the “worst case” costs. Find a and AIA Architect
CAD Drafting Technician (Draftsperson) If you have purchased stock plans from a home plan site, magazine, or other source, a draftsperson can make modifications to meet your needs and/or satisfy local building codes in order to get a building permit. A draftsperson can also take the plans to structural engineers or other licensed professionals to be reviewed if a structural engineering design and stamp are required.
Traditionally, house plans were drawn by hand; but today the computer has made drafting quicker and more accurate. Drafting Technicians are trained and experienced in Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) software. They can produce 3D renderings, floor plans, and elevations as well as plumbing and electrical plans to meet most building codes. It is easier, quicker, and more accurate to make changes to home plan drawings created with CAD. Therefore, draftspersons are often asked to convert plans on paper or velum plans to a CAD program for future use. Please note that most plans have copyrights that must be protected. Make sure you have the proper-use licenses with your house plans.
Modify an Existing Plan You may have a stock plan or a design you have found that you want to modify. You can contact the existing Architect, Draftsperson, or Designer (their names are usually on the plans), or you can take the plan to a Draftsperson or local Architect and they can also help you with the plan modifications. The benefit to this is that you have a good starting point and most likely the plan can be modified. Again, please remember that you have to respect the copyrights of the owner of the plan. Most Designers and Architects require AutoCAD formats to modify an existing plan.
