You’ve found a home design online that could work – with some alterations. How can you best accomplish that? Most designers offering their home plans online will modify their plans based on your direction. They will usually provide you an estimate at no charge for the time frame and fees for the modifications. The plan’s original designer best understands the plan and the ramifications of your desired changes. Your desired changes may be so extensive that the designer may suggest that it would be a better idea to select a different plan or design a new custom home plan just for you.
A few design firms do not allow others to modify their plans, but most designers do allow changes to be made to their plans by other skilled professionals. If you are interested in having changes done locally, verify that the designer of the online plan you are interested in allows this.
The cost of changing a home plan will likely depend on the extent of the modifications you want to be made. The price you are quoted for plan alterations is based on the changes discussed. During the alterations process, should you identify further changes, expect that to add to the cost and time frame for modifying the plan. Additionally, if you will be having modifications done locally, your designer or drafting service will probably want the (more expensive) CAD file to make the changes to rather than starting with the non-editable PDF and having to completely redraw the home plan.
Design Basics license allows you to have changes made to our plans by others, however, you may no longer be eligible for plan technical support should there be questions, because we don’t know about the modifications made. Design Basics’ Plan Customization service goes beyond merely making your desired plan modifications. As we discuss the changes you would like, our designers may also identify related opportunities you’ve not considered made possible by the changes you seek. And, you retain full technical plan support throughout construction when you use our Plan Customization Service.
Plan Customization Designer Tricia Baker discusses modifying home plans in this video
The bottom line: Customizing an online home plan is like having a suit tailored. It can be a much better “fit.”
In our next post, we examine problem #4 – How do I know I’m dealing with a reputable firm?
For more resources on thoughtful design and products:
- View other articles on our blog
- Browse our Her Home™ Magazine
- Thoughtful Design Concepts
