If you've found a stock house plan that almost ticks all the right boxes but you just need to change a few items, then this is the way to go. Modifying an existing plan can be a great way to save money and time, while getting the exact home plan that you were looking for.
When Should I Modify Plans?
The goal is to only have to modify the plans once so you want to make sure that the following items have been taken care of before ordering plan changes:
- Discussed with your builder, and received confirmation that the plan will be buildable for your budget.
- Have the land/lot selected and have performed a zoning feasibility review to ensure that the building envelope will fit on the lot.
- Have a structural engineer lined up (if necessary).
This way you don't end up in a situation where you have to go back and pay to get the plans re-modified.
What's the Best Way to Customize Plans?
After you reach out to us to modify one of our house plans, it's important to try to communicate your needs as clearly as possible so that we can make the edits without wasting your time. The clearest way to communicate changes is always a picture. Simply print out the plans and elevations and redline them as needed (please write clearly).
We're also happy to arrange a screenshare meeting where we will sketch out the edits in real time and ensure that we're capturing everything that you want changed. Alternatively, you can simply write out an email with a list of edits.
What are the Most Common House Plan Modifications?
- Flipping or reversing the floorplan
- Adding or removing a garage bay
- Adding or removing a bedroom
- Changing the exterior wall construction (2x4, 2x6, ICF)
- Adding accessibility features (ramps, elevators, door frames, etc.)
- Changing roof lines and roof pitches
- Shrinking the square footage
But don't let this list constrain you, the sky is truly the limit! Note: your maximum allowable building height per local zoning code may be your true limit ; )
We're happy to answer any questions or lend our design expertise as well. So if you have a half baked idea, feel free to give us a call and you can talk through some options with our design lead.
How long does it take to Modify Floorplans?
We noticed that other home designers take days to get back to you with a quote, charge an exorbitant fee and then take weeks (or even months!) to make edits. We take less than a week on average.
Our goal is not to be the bottleneck in your home building process so we simplified how this works:
We charge a flat $400 fee for a round of edits. You can add simply add this to your cart at checkout. We'll contact you within 1 day to get all the information we need to make the edits and then turn around 90% drawings for your signoff within 5 working days. Once you signoff on the changes we review and finalize the drawings in 1 business day. It's that easy and simple.