Home Plans And Home Designs - Planning for new construction
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cathlabrunner
06-16-06, 06:16 PM
Hello,
Any recommendations for an online guide to house plans?
Thanks,
Joey
Any recommendations for an online guide to house plans?
Thanks,
Joey
Doug Aleshire
06-17-06, 05:24 AM
cathlabrunner,
Just to give you some ideas here to help out with your intentions, I'd like to interject some thoughts.
I'm not sure if you looked at past posts where I have mentioned about on-line plans. Granted, CoolHousePlans and others do great at providing the buyer with great variety and some insight to what they cost. I find that they do what they say but in the end, you are paying for that service. I find that most of my clients have looked at them, they get ideas of what they like and don't like. They choose not to use them as they are not local and they like the one on one approach. Also having someone available to answer questions is another concern they have. Granted, cost is always an issue but when you desire a full service for such a venture, you want the most you can afford. It is not the time to be cheap at the forefront as it will cost in the end. They don't get the flexibility and convenience that they desire. I cannot take a plan shown to me and redraw it and say it is mine. They may give me ideas but they must be drawn by me, at that point I own them, it is my property. But there are some issues to be made aware of.
Please review the disclaimers on what is offered. These are done to protect them.
Plans are puchased "AS IS". No refunds in almost all cases.
Some plans are done by Architects as well as designers, thus
some may have a seal and others do not. This may or may not be required where you live.
Some plans have material take off's and some don't. This is of no matter as a good yard can do the take off if you buy your materials from them.
The plans you see in pictures are designed to entice you to buy. The estimated cost to build, per say within a region is strictly that, "Estimated". Even then, you and I still don't know if that is paneled siding or vinyl, vinyl windows or Pella, Formica countertops or granite, you can see what this could all mean in the end. Allot of Generals will give a square foot price up front as a "GUIDE" for you and then when it get's down to all the items that you desire, upgrades, etc., you can forget about the estimated cost. I agree that good shopping with Generals and Subs will definitely help but I assume that the costs will still be higher than expected.
The other issue is Copyright Laws and believe me, this is becoming more and more of an issue. If one buys the plans and then has them modified either to your own taste in design or to meet codes, you cannot legally do it. Again a fee is required
The plans cannot be modified or altered without the consent from them and even then, they will insist that you have them do it. So, what you pay for the drawings initially will gradually and almost always end up being allot more than you wanted to pay.
Most plans will require modification, if not to the layout but to meet local Building Codes. Allot of plans look great but if they lack what is required, you need them to be corrected and this will require them to do it. An example of what the bottom small print says in most ON-LINE purchases of plans reads something like this,
It is the customer's responsibility to ensure the accuracy, compliance with applicable statute or regulation, and fitness of purpose of any plans or construction information
How do I know this, you may ask. I have had to do MANY plan revisions of purchasd plans over the internet. Issues lacking on these plans include, cross sections, detailed sections, or if they have them, they do not meet the criteria of the local building officials requirements of even State Code requirements, foundation layouts that are incomplete, window-door schedules, etc. Many lack the critical notes that the City desires. What's worse, your subcontractors or even General Contractor will make many assumptions if the plans are not good enough - lack of information/details means "assumptions" and this will cost the homeowner money. I have even had to redraw complete plans particularly when the stairs or floor levels do not fit the layout. Yes, this does happen!! Even then, I have been asked to alter the plans to make them meet the clients needs. Room size changes, elevation views. So does it make sense to buy on-line plans? Sometimes yes - sometimes - no.
Again, PLEASE review the disclaimers on what is offered. These are done to protect them. You need to know what you are paying for!!
Last is the issue of "How will they know?" Well your name, building address and Building Permit are all "Public Information" When a Building Permit is obtained, it only takes one call or as in my case, I get a report of all permits pulled, monthly within the Detroit suburb area. How do you think they get the data on "Housing Starts"? I can go to City Hall, review the plans and if one was done by me and I didn't get paid in full for my work, I have all the rights to sue. On-line companies do make money from this and there are allot of out-of-court settlements to reduce the limit of damages that could be incurred.
Assuming you pay $450, $750 for a set of plans, and modifications have to be done, you could easily be paying $1,000, $1,500 or more when everything is said and done.
These are just some thoughts that I will pass on and hopefully it has helped in some way.
Hope this helps!
Just to give you some ideas here to help out with your intentions, I'd like to interject some thoughts.
I'm not sure if you looked at past posts where I have mentioned about on-line plans. Granted, CoolHousePlans and others do great at providing the buyer with great variety and some insight to what they cost. I find that they do what they say but in the end, you are paying for that service. I find that most of my clients have looked at them, they get ideas of what they like and don't like. They choose not to use them as they are not local and they like the one on one approach. Also having someone available to answer questions is another concern they have. Granted, cost is always an issue but when you desire a full service for such a venture, you want the most you can afford. It is not the time to be cheap at the forefront as it will cost in the end. They don't get the flexibility and convenience that they desire. I cannot take a plan shown to me and redraw it and say it is mine. They may give me ideas but they must be drawn by me, at that point I own them, it is my property. But there are some issues to be made aware of.
Please review the disclaimers on what is offered. These are done to protect them.
Plans are puchased "AS IS". No refunds in almost all cases.
Some plans are done by Architects as well as designers, thus
some may have a seal and others do not. This may or may not be required where you live.
Some plans have material take off's and some don't. This is of no matter as a good yard can do the take off if you buy your materials from them.
The plans you see in pictures are designed to entice you to buy. The estimated cost to build, per say within a region is strictly that, "Estimated". Even then, you and I still don't know if that is paneled siding or vinyl, vinyl windows or Pella, Formica countertops or granite, you can see what this could all mean in the end. Allot of Generals will give a square foot price up front as a "GUIDE" for you and then when it get's down to all the items that you desire, upgrades, etc., you can forget about the estimated cost. I agree that good shopping with Generals and Subs will definitely help but I assume that the costs will still be higher than expected.
The other issue is Copyright Laws and believe me, this is becoming more and more of an issue. If one buys the plans and then has them modified either to your own taste in design or to meet codes, you cannot legally do it. Again a fee is required
The plans cannot be modified or altered without the consent from them and even then, they will insist that you have them do it. So, what you pay for the drawings initially will gradually and almost always end up being allot more than you wanted to pay.
Most plans will require modification, if not to the layout but to meet local Building Codes. Allot of plans look great but if they lack what is required, you need them to be corrected and this will require them to do it. An example of what the bottom small print says in most ON-LINE purchases of plans reads something like this,
It is the customer's responsibility to ensure the accuracy, compliance with applicable statute or regulation, and fitness of purpose of any plans or construction information
How do I know this, you may ask. I have had to do MANY plan revisions of purchasd plans over the internet. Issues lacking on these plans include, cross sections, detailed sections, or if they have them, they do not meet the criteria of the local building officials requirements of even State Code requirements, foundation layouts that are incomplete, window-door schedules, etc. Many lack the critical notes that the City desires. What's worse, your subcontractors or even General Contractor will make many assumptions if the plans are not good enough - lack of information/details means "assumptions" and this will cost the homeowner money. I have even had to redraw complete plans particularly when the stairs or floor levels do not fit the layout. Yes, this does happen!! Even then, I have been asked to alter the plans to make them meet the clients needs. Room size changes, elevation views. So does it make sense to buy on-line plans? Sometimes yes - sometimes - no.
Again, PLEASE review the disclaimers on what is offered. These are done to protect them. You need to know what you are paying for!!
Last is the issue of "How will they know?" Well your name, building address and Building Permit are all "Public Information" When a Building Permit is obtained, it only takes one call or as in my case, I get a report of all permits pulled, monthly within the Detroit suburb area. How do you think they get the data on "Housing Starts"? I can go to City Hall, review the plans and if one was done by me and I didn't get paid in full for my work, I have all the rights to sue. On-line companies do make money from this and there are allot of out-of-court settlements to reduce the limit of damages that could be incurred.
Assuming you pay $450, $750 for a set of plans, and modifications have to be done, you could easily be paying $1,000, $1,500 or more when everything is said and done.
These are just some thoughts that I will pass on and hopefully it has helped in some way.
Hope this helps!
Rockrz
10-27-06, 11:30 AM
Checkout http://www.HeritageBuildings.com