Selecting an architect has become infinitely easier and much more affordable. With the advent of plan books and computer aided design known as CAD, you can now buy a ready to build set of blueprints at a very affordable price. However as we have mentioned in this series, don’t let price be the driver of your decision since the cheap way in could end up costing you more in the end…so let’s explore!
The complexity or the uniqueness of the project will dictate whether you should enlist the services of an architect, a home designer that uses CAD, or buy a plan out of a plan book. If you have a unique home site with topographical challenges or a complex design, an architect is probably the way to go. If you’ve seen a home in a plan book that has most of your wish list but needs some tweaking and some of your own touches, the CAD designer may be the way to go. If you see a plan in a plan book that you love and has a floor plan that suits the way you live, then that is the route to go and the most economical.
Remember in part 1, we talked about selecting your builder first due to their consultation capabilities, well during this process it will pay off in spades! If you decide to go the architect route, your builder can advise in this selection based on their previous experience. Your builder can also advise the architect in their plan design since they know the budget you are working within. Don’t make the mistake of having a plan fully drawn and paid for only to find that after you show it to your builder, you can’t afford to build it!
For those using the CAD designer, know that it’s a little like “self service” because you need to come up with the basic interior and exterior design and the changes that you would like. Their main job is to get it “to work”. By that I mean the changes must be able to be built by your builder and meet building code requirements. Remember, the guidance of your builder to articulate your needs to the designer while keeping in mind your budget is invaluable. A word of caution; when getting a price from the CAD designer; be sure to ask if it includes all requisite architectural and structural approvals for the jurisdiction you are building in. This is usually not included and will either have to be done by them or a structural engineer prior to plan approval.
The last and most economical route is buying a plan from a plan book. There is plenty of room for error here too, so proceed with caution. Most plan services will sell you a basic set of plans that will include the exterior elevations and interior floor plans at a nominal cost. These are not “working” drawings, and cannot be used for estimating. Share them with your builder and they can probably tell you if you are in the ball park to meet your budget. Before you make the final purchase, find out how many sets of plans you get for the price, whether or not additional changes are charged and what the cost is to have the plans approved for the jurisdiction you are building in?
Be advised, that all plans whether from an architect, a CAD designer or plan books are the property of the entity from which you bought them. They usually cannot be resold or reused by anyone without their express written permission. Please come back and see us as we continue the series and discuss “going from plans to final price”.
