Are you ready to build a custom home but don’t have a full set of plans?

How exciting!! You’re ready to build.  Maybe you’ve found a floorplan online you like but want to make a few changes.  Or maybe you have started talking to an architect to get some rough plans drawn up.  We have an earlier blog post detailing the difference between online plans and hiring an architect you can check out, but either way- you’re on the right track!  At this point, you have 2 different paths to choose from for the pre-construction phase.  You need to have a full set of plans before signing a contract with a builder, and there are two ways to go about obtaining these plans.

A Full Set of Plans

*full set of plans to include (at a minimum) the following:

1. Site plan – including flatwork & utilities

2. Floor plan

3. Reflected ceiling plan

4. Roof plan

5. (4) exterior elevations

6. Electrical plan

7. Engineered foundation plan

8. Engineered structural framing plan

The Two Pre-Construction Paths

Path 1: Manage the design phase yourself.

Path 2: Sign a design agreement with a builder.

There is no right or wrong option here.  It is totally up to you and your specific situation!  We’ll try to lay out the details of each path so you can make the decision that is right for you.

Path 1: Manage the design phase yourself.

Our very first client at JD Rock took this path, and we had an amazing experience with them!  Over the course of several months, they took the time to have an architect draw up plans for their custom home and corresponded regularly to ensure every detail was just right.  Next, they hired an engineer to engineer the plans.  Then, they sent their full set of architectural and engineered plans to multiple builders to bid on their custom home.  Thankfully, we won the job and got to work with these wonderful people!  The project went smoothly because all of the plans were finalized before we started construction.  

I would note – for this project, there was no HOA or official city to deal with.  This made the pre-construction phase much easier as the client did not have to seek approval from these entities.

Path 2: Sign a design agreement with a builder.

The second option for the pre-construction phase of your custom home is to sign a design agreement with a builder.  This option would work best for somebody who may not feel totally confident managing an architect and engineer on their own.  A design agreement hires a builder to manage and coordinate with you, the architect, and the engineer to design the ideal home for you – providing cost projections along the way.  By involving the builder early in the process, you’re avoiding the potential mistake of designing a home that is thousands of dollars (or more) over your budget.  Just to be clear – a design agreement does NOT necessarily lock you into using this builder to construct your home.  At the end of the design phase, you could submit your finalized plans to other builders for pricing and choose the best deal.

So again, there is no right or wrong option here.  You need to decide how hands-on you want to be, and how confident you are in managing the pre-construction phase on your own. Ultimately, choose the option that allows you to sleep in peace at night. We will never stop encouraging you to choose the path with the most peace of mind.

Should You Hire an Architect or Purchase Plans Online for Your Custom Home?

Purchasing house plans online instead of using an architect is one of the many decisions a client might make in an attempt to save money. However, this decision can just as easily become a money trap.

We are currently building a house for a client who purchased their plans online. As a result, there are three major hurdles we have had to overcome. This was NOT the client’s fault.  At the time, JD Rock had never dealt with online plans and encouraged the client to pursue this route to save time and money. It has turned out to be a great learning experience for us that we hope can bless/save others.

HURDLE #1- Revisions

Shortly after purchasing the plans, the client requested a few tweaks to the design.  They wanted to raise the gables on the front elevation and raise the first floor ceiling height from 9 to 10 feet.  No big deal… right? I contacted the online vendor for the plans to figure out how to implement these revisions. I was then directed to the architect responsible for this specific set of plans.  After numerous phone calls, voice mails and emails, I was redirected to the company subcontracted for plan revisions.  Again, many voicemails and emails were required to reach this firm.  Finally, they reviewed the revision request and sent a quote. For these “simple” revisions, their price was EXACTLY the same as the original set of plans purchased. I declined their proposal and hired an architect to simply redline (or markup) the set of plans already purchased.  So hiring an architect in some capacity was still required and the resulting plans were no longer neat and pretty.

Also – the house plans purchased came with an engineered set of structural plans. But due to the adjusted ceiling heights and elevations, the whole house had to be re-engineered. 

HURDLE #2- Site Plan

Because we used online plans, we did not have an official site plan for the house.  When you hire an architect, they should first measure your property to determine what size and shape of home will fit.  We never checked to see if the house would fit on the lot before purchasing the online plans.  HUGE mistake!  Luckily, the house (barely) fit, but it required pushing the house farther back into the lot than the HOA restrictions allowed.  My legs are still sore from all of the hoop jumping I did to get this approved.

HURDLE #3- Clear Communication  

Throughout the project, the client requested slight plan revisions here and there.  Shift the windows two feet.  Move the kitchen sink to the back wall. Scratch out the entire master bathroom and make it look like this instead. You get the idea. Customization is expected and encouraged in custom home building! If involved at the beginning, a professional architect would have likely uncovered many of these custom desires from the client in the initial design phase and then neatly laid out any subsequent adjustments. However, all of these changes can lead to major jobsite confusion for subcontractors if not communicated clearly through easy to read plans. 

In the end, you have to make the decision that’s best for you and your family.  Here’s my opinion: don’t waste time buying plans online.  I’ll make one exception.  If you have a large piece of property (let’s say 5+ acres), can honestly say that you won’t make a single change to the online plans, and have no HOA or building restrictions - then yes, you can and should buy the plans online.  You will save some time and money.  For everyone else, do your future self a favor and hire an architect.