Custom House Plans
There are two basic types of house plans that can be purchased, custom plans or stock plans, with each having distinct advantages and disadvantages. Custom house plans are just as the name implies. The house plans are custom drawn to meet you family’s specific needs. The plans are normally drawn by a licensed building designer or, in some cases, a licensed architect in a geographic location close to where the 1.) owners live, or 2.) home will be built.
The process is, normally, much more involved and time-consuming since the owner’s specific requests will need to be integrated into the overall design of the home. Many times these type “special” requests can present significant challenges to the designer of the home, which as a result, may take additional time to resolve.
Since the home is being custom designed, specifically to meet the needs of that one person/family, the costs associated with the development of the house plans tend to be significantly larger than those for a similar set of stock house plans. However, in some cases, the custom house plan may be the only viable option based on the client’s needs, home location, special building considerations, etc.
Advantages of Custom House Plans
- Homeowner can get exactly what they want in home design
- Special needs can be addressed in the design (i.e. extra large garage for boat, larger than normal master bath, handicapped access, etc.)
Disadvantages of Custom House Plans
- Significantly more costly than stock houseplans
- Longer, more arduous process to develop
- Significantly more time consuming to produce (i.e. many meetings necessary with designer over several month period)
Determining whether your particular needs merit custom house plans or stock house plans is, ultimately, a personal choice based on your particular situation. Both types will provide you with the information that you need to successfully build your dream home.
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