Home Plans Modification Service
Modify Your New Home Plans & Make Your Dream A Reality
It is common for people to make changes to home floor plans such as moving walls or increasing the size of the garage. People often change the foundation or ceiling heights of a plan. Most people who buy Home Plans make changes to suit their needs. Your builder or a local home designer can help you make changes. We also offer a modification service and can have a Homeplan modified for you.
If you want to have your own builder or home designer make changes to a Home Plans then you should order a reproducible masters such as vellums (or CAD files if they are available). The ordering screen for the plan will tell you if reproducible masters or CAD files are available for the Home floor plan. Most plans are available as a reproducible master, and a few plans are offered in a CAD format. If the ordering screen does not show that a reproducible master is available, then we can usually special order a master for you.
Reproducible masters (such as vellums) are easy to change because you can erase the lines (using a mechanical eraser that draftsmen use) and add new lines. Masters are semi-transparent and you can use them in blueprinting machines to legally print blueprints. Most cities have printers or other businesses who provide blueprinting services. Also, many home builders or home designers have blueprinting machines that can be used to copy a reproducible master.
A reproducible master or CAD file also comes with a license that gives you permission to change and reproduce the master. You can only make copies of a plan if you buy the reproducible master or the CAD file. Regular blueprints cannot be copied because it is illegal to make copies unless you have purchased the master or CAD file.
Getting an Estimate for Modifying a Home Plan or Garage Plan
We can prepare an estimate on the cost to modify a plan. To prepare an estimate, you need to tell us all the details of what you want changed. Our estimate will be the actual price you will pay to make the changes you request.
Because of the time it takes to prepare an estimate, we charge $50.00 per estimate. However, we will deduct that $50.00 fee from the cost of the modification fees if you have the modifications made.
If, after receiving your modification estimated price, you decide not to proceed; we will credit your $50.00 deposit towards the purchase of said houseplan or any other homeplan on Home-Plans-Home Plans.com. (Must call 1-800-482-0464 - Mention that you have completed the online modification form.)
It is important you put all of the changes you want in your request. Any requests for other changes will require a new estimate and an additional fee of $50.00. Also, only one estimate fee ($50.00) will be deducted from the cost of the modification service.
To request an estimate, please fill out our online online form.
Give as much detail as possible when describing your changes. When describing rooms, use the same room names as what is shown on the Home floor plan (such as "Bedroom 1", "Bedroom 2", etc). When indicating wall changes tell us what direction you want the wall moved as though you are looking at the houseplan from outside the front of the home (For example, indicate wall movements by saying "towards the front", "towards rear", "to the left", "to the right"). If possible give approximate sizes (such as expand room 2 feet to the left or give desired width and depth for a room). When giving dimensions for a room use the word "width" to describe dimensions that go in the direction from side to side of the home. Use the word "depth" for dimensions that go from the front to back of home.
If it's difficult to explain your changes using words, then feel free to draw your changes out or sketch changes on a print out of the homeplan. You can scan and email those changes or fax your instructions to: 425-969-9884.
Important: If you send a fax, then include your credit card number and expiration date on you fax and state that you give us permission to charge $50.00 for the estimate followed by your signature.
On the fax put this information at the top of the cover page:
Attn: Home-Plans-Home Plans.com Custom Home Plan Estimate
Please be sure to put your name, phone numbers (including fax number if available), email address, plan number, and order code on all correspondence you send to us. We prefer to work by email, so please use our online form instead of faxes if possible. (Faster turnaround time).
If you request an estimate then a designer will look at the changes you request and let you know what it would cost for the additional labor. Usually most changes can be made as long as the changes are buildable and meet building code requirements. |
Typical Cost of Modifying a Home Building Plan
The average prices specified below are provided as examples only. They refer to the most commonly requested changes, and are subject to change without notice. Prices for changes will vary or differ, from the prices below, depending on the number of modifications requested, the plan size, style, quality of original plan, format provided to us (originally drawn by hand or computer), and method of design used by the original designer. To obtain a detailed cost estimate or to get more information, please contact us.
Sample Modification Pricing Guide
Adding or removing living space |
Quote required |
Adding or removing a garage |
Starting at $400 |
Garage: Front entry to side load or vice versa |
Starting at $300 |
Adding a screened porch |
Starting at $280 |
Adding a bonus room in the attic |
Starting at $450 |
Changing full basement to crawl space or vice versa |
Starting at $495 |
Changing full basement to slab or vice versa |
Starting at $495 |
Changing exterior building materials |
Starting at $200 |
Changing roof lines |
Starting at $360 |
Adjusting ceiling height |
Starting at $280 |
Adding, moving or removing an exterior opening |
$65 per opening |
Adding or removing a fireplace |
Starting at $90 |
Modifying a non-bearing wall or room |
$65 per room |
Changing exterior walls from 2"x4" to 2"x6" |
Starting at $200 |
Redesigning a bathroom or a kitchen |
Starting at $120 |
Reverse plan right reading |
Quote required |
Adapting plans for local building code requirements |
Quote required |
Engineering and Architectural stamping and services |
Quote required |
 Adjust plan for handicapped accessibility
|
Quote required |
Interactive Illustrations (choices of exterior materials |
Quote required |
Metric conversion of home plan |
Quote required |
Metric conversion of the materials list |
Quote required |
*Prices and Terms are subject to change without notice.
The above costs are the average cost, however the cost may vary if the changes are more complex than typical. Also, if you are making many changes to a plan, then the costs of the individual changes will usually be less than what is shown above.
In general, most people who modify a Homeplan usually spend around $2,200.00 to modify it. The cost is directly affected by the type of changes and labor involved. Your cost may be less or more depending on the amount of labor needed to make your changes. If no exterior walls are moved then the cost is usually less than if exterior walls are moved. If an exterior wall is moved then more changes are involved because the changes affects more drawings (such as the roof, foundation, exterior views, etc.).
People are sometimes surprised that it may cost more to modify a plan than what it cost to buy the reproducible master. The reason for this is that many customers share the cost of designing the original stock Homeplan. However when making changes to a plan the labor for those changes is specific to your needs and you will pay all the labor costs of making your changes. Even after customizing a plan, a stock Homeplan is still a good value when compared to the cost of designing a new home plan. For example it may cost you around $2,200 to buy and modify a stock Homeplan. To design a new Homeplan from scratch you could easily spend $5,000 to $10,000 to hire an architect.
Turn Around Time, Payment of Work
Normally it takes 1 to 2 business days to receive a customization estimate. After you approve the estimate it normally takes 3 to 6 weeks to make the changes to the plans. Plan changes are done in the order they come in.
The design process is usually done in two phases. The preliminary phase will involve sketches and design work to show you how the designer interpreted your changes. The preliminary phase also shows you how your changes will affect various parts of the home. After you approve the preliminary work then the final phase will involve changing all the pages of the blueprints that are affected by your changes.
You will need to pay for the cost of the reproducible master and the cost of labor that has been preformed for you. For example if you decide not to finish the final design phase then you are still responsible for paying for the cost of the blueprint masters and the preliminary design work that was done for you. The estimate you receive will show you the total cost to complete the changes you requested and the estimate will usually be broken down in to two phases of design work. If your changes are fairly simple then there may only be one phase of design work needed.
After changes are made you can receive the changed reproducible masters and make your own copies of the blueprints. Or if you prefer we can hold on to the masters for you and make blueprints for you for an additional fee. Most people let our designer retain the master in case they need additional changes later.
To request an estimate, please fill out our online form.
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