BUYING LOCAL VS. ONLINE

​When considering a major investment such as a new home, it's always wise to do good planning. Choices made at the outset can lay a foundation for a great outcome or, in the more unfortunate case, lead to easily avoided future problems.

The importance in choosing a local designer benefits a homeowner in many ways. First and foremost, someone familiar with local norms and housing regulations (which vary greatly nationwide) help the initial home design meet local standards. Building paractices are influenced by such things as terrain, weather patterns, earthquake vulnerability, and many other factors. Having your house plan conform to local customs helps tremendously in a more efficient and cost-saving experience.

Buying online can be a great thing. We all benefit from the savings in time, transportation, as well as money as we conveniently shop at home. However, problems can quickly arise when the product received does not meet the "as advertised" presentation. Buying home plans online can lead to problems unforeseen by an enthusiastic future home owner.

Through the years, many folks with online stock plans have visited my office to have their plan modified. Most simply need a few changes done to meet their needs. I'm always glad to help with that, and have many times. As we unroll the plan, more times than not, I immediately see a multitude of changes needed to have the plan improved. 

Valuable wasted space appears, along with over-engineered lumber sizes for our area. Foundations need to be adapted to accommodate a more affordable concrete slab design, and exhorbitant architectural details can make costs soar. Many contractors viewing extremely beautiful and detailed drawings immediately recognize the project requires much more time and labor. Their final bid can bring sticker shock to the future homeowner.

The bottom line is the initial cost savings of buying online is lost. Paying for modifications of the plan in addition to the original plan cost add up to roughly the same as having the plan drawn locally. But this pales in comparison to the tens of thousands potentially lost in additional cost overruns during construction. Dreaded change orders are inevitable and quite costly.

There are a multitude of ways to design the home and achieve the same "look" with a more effective approach. Having experience in everyday building trades provides the designer a tremendous advantage over others lacking those skills. 

The old addage, "you get what you pay for" is usually true. Have your house plan done locally. Let The Plan Shoppe, Ltd. guide you along the right pathway to a successful and happy building experence!