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. 

Help! I Just Decided to Build a Custom Home- Where do I start?

*Disclaimer- We are going to assume you have already done your homework to ensure that you are in adequate financial positioning to build your dream home, and that you will be able to acquire a construction loan for the project.  We may do a separate blog on this one day.  For now – we’re assuming this portion has already happened.*

You just made the decision to build your dream home and are wondering where to start.  So exciting! To kick things off and get the ball rolling, you should follow these chronological steps:

1. Obtain your property plat.  When you purchased your property, it should have come with an official plat.  A plat is a document drawn up by a surveyor which outlines (dimensionally) your property’s borders and any easements.  Along with this document, you should reach out to your homeowners association (HOA for short) or the city to determine setback restrictions.  Typically, neighborhoods will not allow you to stick your house wherever on your lot you so desire.  They will outline how many feet from the street, how many feet from neighboring properties, and how many feet from the rear property line your house can sit.  It is so critical that before you even begin designing your dream home or shopping for the plan online, you know where your house is legally allowed to be positioned on the property.

2. Obtain your HOA’s rules and restrictions on what you can and cannot build.  They will mention things like – “minimum square footage of 2,500 SF” or “minimum of 75% of exterior walls must be composed of masonry, brick or rock”.  Make sure you understand what you can and cannot construct. 

3. Now for some fun- it’s time to get your plans drawn up!  We will post a blog soon on “Should I Purchase Plans Online or Hire an Architect”.  If you are going to purchase plans online, please make sure you first send a link of the plans (BEFORE YOU PURCHASE) to your HOA or the city (whoever you need permission from) for their approval.  Once you buy plans online, you cannot return them.  It is a permanent transaction.  If you are hiring an architect, make sure they build a relationship with the HOA or city and are aware of all requirements and restrictions.  One important note I’ll make on this step – spend the money on a site plan.  Ask your architect if this is a service they provide.  A site plan will show exactly where the house is going to sit on the property and illustrate the driveway layout, any sidewalks, existing trees that will remain, the pool, etc. 

4. Find a home builder. Check out our blog on “Important Questions to Ask a Potential Custom Home Builder” for help on this step.  The builder will want to see your plans before they can give you an accurate bid.  If all you have is a general square footage, they can only give you, at best, a ballpark price per SF.  Send your plans to 2 or 3 builders so you can get apples to apples bids.  

Hopefully you now feel prepared to commence your custom home build with as smooth a process as possible. You can do this!

Should You DIY Your Dream Home?

In this crazed world of DIY lure, this may be a question on many of your minds. With the financial savings potential and unlimited customization, DIY is an understandably appealing option. However, you should carefully consider 3 questions before taking such an all-consuming and potentially costly leap:

1. How much time do you have?

2. How much construction knowledge do you have?

3. Do you have the tools/technology to build a home?

If your car has an issue, do you take it to a mechanic or do you try to fix it yourself?  Some of you may actually diagnose and repair the car yourself because you have 1) the time to repair it, 2) knowledge of the mechanics of your car and 3) the tools to take on the challenge.  If you are this person, you should ABSOLUTELY fix the car yourself.  You will save money and have a sense of pride and accomplishment.  I commend you!

Others of you (like myself with cars) 1) don’t have the time, 2) don’t have the knowledge, 3) don’t have the tools and, I will add, 4) just honestly don’t care to learn.  I have more important things in my life (family, work, hobbies) on which I would rather spend my precious time. I just want the expert to handle the repair and if it isn’t right, I can hold the mechanic accountable to make it right.  No risk for me.  

It is the EXACT same thing with building a home.  If you 1) have 20 to 50 hours a week (depending on the stage of construction) to write contracts with subcontractors, purchase materials, and manage subcontractors, 2) have construction knowledge, the ability to read and precisely interpret plans, abide by construction and safety codes, and are prepared to be held responsible for the work performed on your jobsite 3) have a laptop with plan-reading/editing software, a truck and trailer to deliver materials to the jobsite, and 4) would enjoy building your own home, then maybe you should DIY your home.  However, this is a MUCH bigger deal than a car repair.  This is a huge financial, physical, mental and emotional investment.  Choosing to neglect calls from subcontractors will result in delays or (even worse) incorrect work being performed that will require costly remediation.  If you start out DIY-ing your home, and 1/3 of the way through decide that you cannot handle the job or just don’t have enough time – you will indubitably struggle to find a builder to swoop in and take over a project that someone else started. Sometimes reality TV isn’t actually reality and, unfortunately, watching HGTV a few times a week is not a qualification to build your dream home. 

Seek wisdom when making a decision this big.  Proverbs 18:15 says "The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out." And Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."  May the Lord guide you in this decision!

Important Questions to Ask a Potential Custom Home Builder

Congratulations! You have decided to embark on the wondrous journey of building a custom home! It will be full of inevitable twists and turns, but having the right builder on your team can smooth these challenges down to mild speed bumps. Building a custom home can take anywhere from 9 months to 2 years, so you want to find a builder relationship that fits for the long haul. But how do you find this seemingly evasive “right builder”? You research and ask questions- LOTS of questions. Here are 3 of the top questions you should be asking any potential builder:

1. Do you engineer your foundation AND structural framing?  When starting the process on your dream home, it can be easy to get so caught up in the finished product that you can actually overlook some of the most important pieces of the home.  You might have the most luxurious home on the planet, but if the foundation and framing is not intact, you won't be enjoying it for long.  Ask your builder if they are hiring a licensed, professional engineer to design and inspect the foundation and structural framing.  Believe it or not, some builders skip this step to save money.  Is it worth the risk to you?

2. How "custom" can I make my custom home?  This point can get confusing because we live in a time when production-custom hybrid builders are increasingly widespread. They provide a narrowed list of choices from which you can “customize” your home. However, let's say you have an antique door you want installed in one of the bedrooms.  Maybe you know of a supplier in Mexico with tile you love.  What if you decide halfway through the project that you want to add floating shelves in your kitchen?  Are these things your builder is ready to take on?  Or do they just want to stick to their go-to suppliers and floor plans?

3. How do you prioritize your subcontractor relationships? The last question, but possibly the most important question, centers on the builder to subcontractor (“subs”) relationships. The quality of these relationships can make all the difference in the timeliness of your project, as well as the overall quality of work in your home. Do the subs enjoy working for the builder?  Is the builder constantly finding new and cheaper trades for each project, or are they seeking to build lasting relationships with the subs?  Does the builder know and trust the hands that are working on your forever home?

Hopefully these questions provide a good starting point for finding your “right builder”. Stay tuned for more content regarding custom home deep dives and helpful tips!