I’ll bet you a pickle and a piece of cheese I know the first thing you did when you decided you wanted to build a house?
You started looking at house plans, right? Dill and sharp cheddar please.
Naturally that is the first place everyone goes because it’s exciting and interesting to see all of the possibilities. You get to pick exactly what you want, where you want it, how you want it, and what size. And with the millions of places to look online at house plans, there is an endless amount of options to consider.
I too, started looking at house plans several years ago when we first decided we wanted to build. But as I looked more and more, I also became pickier and pickier. I wanted a certain size master bedroom, but I didn’t need the huge bathroom with the jetted tub that always accompanied it. I wanted a bathroom that had a door opening to the back porch. I needed a huge laundry room for our very large family. Every time I searched through house plans, I would find something else that I loved and just had to have in my dream home.
Well, after awhile it became pretty near impossible to find a house plan that had even close to everything I wanted in it. Which brought me to the question … should I be buying stock plans from somewhere and having them altered, or can I draw up my own exactly the way I want them? Which option is better?
So in case you were wondering the same thing, here is what needs to be considered when answering this question for your house plans.
- The building codes in your area
First and foremost, you must find out what the requirements are for where you want to build. Unfortunately every single city and county have their own unique rules and criteria for building a house. I really wish there was one set of rules that everyone could follow, but that’s just not the case.
***Side note, here is a very quick overview of the 4 levels of individuals who can draw up house plans:
- Yourself or a friend (Obviously the lowest level unless you are an architect or engineer. Little to no experience means a larger learning curve and the possibility of more mistakes or not passing building departments standards. However it won’t cost hardly anything. Most people do not go this route because of the high risk of getting things wrong.)
- A designer (Doesn’t have a degree in engineering, and in some places can not qualify to draw up your blueprints. However, they often have plenty of experience and may or may not do it for their living. They are generally the cheapest option, other than doing it yourself.)
- An engineer (Has gone to school for this and is “certified”. Will be more expensive than a designer, but usually has more experience and knowledge on this subject. Some places require a stamp from a certified engineer to accept the blueprints for permits.)
- An architect (Is usually reserved for designing more elaborate houses or houses in difficult areas. An architect is generally chosen if you want a unique home that focuses on the beautiful design and details. Most of the time, an architect is your most expensive option.)
Alright, back to building codes … get online, and search for the building department in your county. Call the phone number and just ask them a few things:
- Do you require an engineers stamp on blueprints to build in this county?
- If the answer is “no” then ask if you can draw up the plans yourself or have a designer do it?
- Depending on the answers to those questions, ask if they recommend any engineers, architects, or designers in the area?
The answers to these questions will, at the very least, eliminate a few of your options.
If an engineers stamp is required, then you know that you either need a certified engineer or architect to draw up your plans -or- you have to purchase a complete set of stamped plans from a reputable company that will make the changes for you if needed.
If you don’t need an engineers stamp, and your building department doesn’t really care who draws up your plans as long as they are up to code, then you know you have all the options open to you.
This will allow you to then consider item #2 on our list:
2. The cost to have custom blueprints drawn up
Stock plans that I have seen run anywhere from $600-$5,000. Be careful to know what you are paying for though. Some of the cheap plans don’t come with everything you need, while some of the expensive plans are variations of blueprints you can find elsewhere for cheaper. That’s not always the case, I just want you to do your homework to make sure you know what you are getting.
You also need to remember that making changes to stock plans, no matter how small, still cost a little extra. That company has to have an engineer go in and alter the plans to your specifications. So, while you may be able to find some plans that you really like, if you decide to bump a wall out a few feet or add in a closet, you need to know how much that will cost you.
Having custom blueprints drawn up can cost anywhere from $500-$30,000. Yes, there are 4 zeros behind that 3.
A lot of factors influence how expensive your custom plans would be.
- Who you choose to draw them up (friend, designer, engineer, or architect)
- The size and style of your home
- The location of your building site
- The going rate in your area
- Whether you hire someone from your area, or travel for better prices
Many people/companies charge according to the size of the home. Each square foot costs $x, and it doesn’t necessarily matter how intricate the plans are or how many hours they spend on it.
Large cities are very often more expensive than rural places. That’s not always the case, but prices vary A LOT from place to place.
Usually you DO NOT have to hire someone from your area to draw up your plans. This would be just like purchasing plans online where the company is based on the other side of the country. It shouldn’t matter where they draw your plans, as long as they are up to code.
I heard of a lady once who found someone a few states away that she wanted to hire. It was actually cheaper for her to fly out there twice and meet with the guy, than it was to hire someone locally. That’s a big price difference. So don’t be afraid to price match in other states or areas.
Make a few phone calls to designers, engineers, or architects, and ask a few questions. Then you will be able to determine what the price factor will be for you.
3. Your personal taste and desires
If you spend hours and hours looking for house plans and, like me, can’t find what you want anywhere, then you need to be considering custom plans. Why settle for stock plans when you can’t get what you want?
Maybe you want a very elaborate and detailed home that could only be perfect for you if an experienced architect drew it up for you. If it’s worth the cost to you, then you should absolutely go that route.
Sometimes you can come up with your very own plans, take them to a designer or engineer to draw up, get exactly what you want, and not cost much more than it would for a set of stock plans.
In our case, it actually came out cheaper. We didn’t have to have an engineers stamp, so we found a designer that came highly recommended. Our house was simple so I wasn’t worried about having a designer draw it up instead of an engineer or architect. Plus, I knew exactly what I wanted, so I just drew up the plans myself and then took them to the designer to put into his computer program.
When compared with the prices online of similar house layouts and sizes, our custom plans were a few hundred dollars cheaper than stock plans would have been. Plus, I literally got EXACTLY what I wanted and was able to create my own home.
So, to sum it all up… when deciding whether you should be buying stock plans from somewhere or having your own custom blueprints drawn up, you need to consider:
- The building codes in your area
- The cost
- Your personal taste and desires
If you would like to learn more about how I drew up our plans, and the details behind that project, you can CLICK HERE
You can also download my FREE pre-building timeline, which includes everything you need to do and when you need to do it, starting at 18 months before ground breaking day. It covers everything from when to start hiring sub contractors to what needs to be done the week before you start building. Grab your FREE timeline right here:
~Farmer’s Wife
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