Custom Home Design versus purchase of
pre-designed "Stock Plans"
You have two options for a design:
1. Pre-designed or "Stock" Plans:
If you are lucky enough to find a plan that closely meets the needs of
your family and meets your vision for a beautiful architectural style,
"Stock Plans" are the least expensive and fastest way to go.
We are now offering "Stock Plans" based on our most popular
designs.
Click here to view the stock plans currently available. We
are currently producing one new stock plan each month.
2. Custom-designed House Plans: If your
needs are not met by one of our new stock plans, then a custom design is
the way to meet those special needs and vision for your new home. Those
special needs may be because of unusual lot location, size and/or slope.
Or perhaps your lifestyle calls for an unusual design. We will create a
custom design that meets those special needs. Your custom design will
result in a home that is beautiful, a healthy place to live, and a
source of pride for you and your family.
The Schematic Design Plan is the critical
creative part of your design. It includes the floor plan, the heart of
your new home. It also includes the creation of the architectural style
for the facade or "Front Elevation",
which reflects the designer’s creativity and your aesthetic vision.
The production of the
“Architectural Construction Drawings Set” is
the computerized drafting phase. This phase produces the detailed
architectural construction drawings necessary for the construction of your
new home and for the application for a permit to build from your locale.
Cost for SCHEMATIC DESIGN (Floor Plans and
Facade Elevation Design):
Our Standard Quality Design Service gives you a completed
Schematic Design in 5 weeks.
Size Of House*
Cost per Square Foot of Covered Area
5,000 square feet & above
$ 0.95 per square foot
3,000 to 4,999 square feet
$ 1.15 per square foot
2,000 to 2,999 square feet
$ 1.35 per square foot
Our New Express Design Service gives you a completed Schematic
Design in just TWO (2) WEEKS.
Size Of House*
Cost per Square Foot of Covered Area
5,000 square feet & above
$ 1.25 per square foot
3,000 to 4,999 square feet
$ 1.45 per square foot
2,000 to 2,999 square feet
$ 1.65 per square foot
*The per square foot cost of designing a smaller
house is higher due to the increased effort necessary to create an efficient
design in a constrained area. Our fees
(per square foot) are lowest for homes that are greater than 5,000 square feet.
All area calculations are 'under roof'-- including air-conditioned/
heated space and all covered porches, covered balconies, garages, gazebos, storage areas, etc.
but not including open patios, open decks, and attic.
CHANGE REQUESTS: After we have gone through
two major revisions, and you decide to make further major revisions, there will be a fee based on how
extensive the revision is and how far we are along in producing the final
plans and elevations. A major revision typically comprises more than
20% change in the design. There will never be additional charges or work
without your written approval of this work. There are no charges for
minor revisions as long as they occur before the creation of the
Construction Drawings.
PAYMENT TERMS: Unlike many designers,
we believe that we should not receive the total amount of the design fees until the
client has seen significant progress. Accordingly, we ask fifty percent
(50%) of
the quoted fees in advance, with the final payment of fifty percent due
upon receipt of the approved floor plan layout. After receipt of the 2nd
half payment, we will proceed to complete and deliver the facade elevation
design.
ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS SET: These are the construction drawings
needed when applying for a building permit.
Fees for Standard Service production of Architectural Construction
Drawings:$ 2.00 per square foot of covered
area. Estimated time to completion is 6 weeks.
Fees for Express Service production of Architectural Construction
Drawings: $ 3.00 per square foot of covered
area. Estimated time to completion is 2 weeks.
OPTIONAL SERVICES:
For REMAINING 3 ELEVATIONS (3 NEW DRAWINGS--Rear, Left, and Right
Sides) PLUS ROOF
PLAN DESIGN: The remaining 3 Elevations and
the Roof Design are included in the production of the
Construction Drawings Set. However, in instances where we will not be the
design service preparing the Construction Drawings Set, we can create the remaining 3 Elevations and
Roof Design in order to complete the Design Development. The cost for
this service is $0.50 per square foot 'under roof'. For SLOPING LOTS or IRREGULAR LOTS:
Cost is $0.55 per square foot 'under roof' when ordering side and rear
elevations package.
COMPUTER-GENERATED 3D PERSPECTIVE RENDERINGS (OPTIONAL) --photo-realistic
images: From 2D Cad files: starts at $600 From Hand-rendered
drawings: starts at $1200 (plus you get the 2D files as well)
sample
of 3D perspective model
EXTERIOR ANIMATIONS or INTERIOR WALK-THROUGHS (OPTIONAL): From
2D Cad files: starts at $1800
Special orders such as computer generated perspectives, fly-overs and
walk-throughs require payment in advance. We subcontract this work to
Third parties.
FOR CRITIQUE OF EXISTING PLANS, please call for consultation.
For information on our SCOPE OF
SERVICES and to know what is included in each
package, click
here. To learn the Steps To
A Custom-Designed New Home, click
here.
Important Note: If such services are
necessary, there is a fee for Structural Engineering computations and the
signing of the plans by a Structural Engineer licensed in your State. This
may be required due to sloping terrain, soil conditions, seismic
environment, snow, rain or wind loading environment or by the use of
non-standard structural design, e.g. cantilever, pre and
post-tensioned structural elements for long unsupported spans. There may
also be other conditions that make it advisable or mandatory to use a
structural engineer for the structural design. These fees are typically
$1.00 to $3.00 per square foot of covered area.
