“Most plans have been built at least once by someone. If you are looking for cost savings and a proven design, a stock plan is a potential option for your home’s plans. The city reviewers will want to see a stamp on the truss drawings.” Buy a Stock Plan For example, I prefer to order trusses for a home because the truss company will engineer them for no fee. I also like to take advantage of in-house engineering when it comes to certain parts of home construction. “A draftsman is not an engineer, so when there are situations where an engineer is required I will hire one. Are they familiar with local building codes and restrictions, and do they have a track record for designing homes in the area? “Every city is different, but most will have very specific guidelines on what types of details are required to be submitted for review,” notes Bull, including requirements for engineering. If you are considering hiring a draftsperson, ask about experience in the area where you plan to build. Bull says that draftsperson-drawn house plans like his typically include electrical and lighting details and HVAC and plumbing layouts, even down to duct sizing, circuit loading information and power requirements. An architect will typically charge 10 percent to 15 percent of the build cost.”īut don’t think that a draftsperson’s finished product will be less detailed than what an architect would provide. “My last project was a 3,500 square foot home with a budget of $850,000 and I billed $12,000 for the plans. Over the past 20 years, he has drawn more than 70 projects of varying sizes and styles and can draw a full set of detailed house plans in about 200 hours. “I can usually design a project for one-third the cost of an architect,” says Cory Bull with Bull Design and Build LLC in Austin. Thus, hiring an experienced draftsperson usually costs less than bringing on an architect - and the savings can be significant. Consider Using a DraftspersonĪ draftsperson can translate designs into a technical drawings and blueprint for builders to follow but typically does not have the design and engineering training that an architect does. If you are looking to save some up-front costs on your project, you might consider two other options for your house plans. An appraiser will need drawings to help evaluate the home’s value, a lender will require plans when approving the construction loan, the architectural review committee or city will need them to ensure the home meets neighborhood standards and codes, and most important, the builder will need detailed plans to guide the construction.īut do you need to hire an architect? The answer is not necessarily. Building a custom home without house plans would be next to impossible.
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