Tips For Modifying A Stock Plan

For various reasons you may decide to change or alter your custom homeplans. Fortunately this is usually a cost-effective and simple process. If you opt for the traditional route of hiring a professional designer, you would have to pay extra fees to change a house plan once it is finished.

When you buy a stock plan, many times you can make slight modifications without incurring any added design fees. Moderate changes usually result in a small fee, up to $100-500 respectively. This is far less expensive than the thousands of dollars it typically costs to change a custom home plan.

Here are some tips for avoiding excess design fees and charges for adjusting your stock plan:

• Ask for changes during construction. This way you don't actually have to modify your homeplan. This saves design fees. You will have to check with your local building rules and codes first however, to make sure it is ok to do this.
• Find out whether you can make changes without significantly altering the basic design of your home.
• Ask for a reproducible set or a CAD version of your homeplans so you can alter or modify the designs on your own.
• Select minor changes to customize your home. These may include door location changes, window elimination, ceiling heights, interior or exterior wall surfaces, cabinet location and garage space.
• Above all - work with a builder you can trust and agree to ongoing changes up front.

Some changes however, will inevitably result in a small fee. You may for example have to pay for the following changes:

• Foundation changes
• Pitch of roof
• Framing of exterior walls
• Room layout
• Garage entrances
• Width or depth of home
• Increased square footage
• Adding or eliminating rooms in the home
• Elevation of the home

Usually you can get a quote ahead of time to find out whether your budget is capable of managing any changes.

On to Part 4 - Architectural Styles - Back to Guide

• For more information about purchasing unique house plans online,
  Please visit our Home Plan Buyers Guide