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Custom Home Plans - Information for Buyers

Article by Brandon Cornett

One of the great things about having a custom home built is the fact that you can change the floor plans to suit your needs. Maybe you need to enlarge the master bedroom, move a wall, or add a pantry off the kitchen. Custom home floor plans have this kind of flexibility "built in" from the start.

But where do these custom home plans come from? Who creates them? And how much input do you have when the plans are being drawn up? The answer to all of these questions is ... it depends on the scenario.

In this article we will discuss the different options you have when dealing with custom plans for your future dream home.

What Are Custom Floor Plans Anyway?

If you've ever had a house built before, you are probably familiar with floor plans. If not, here is a definition for you. A floor plan is the basic layout of a building (in this case a home), which identifies the placement of walls, windows and doors. They will also include the dimensions of all the spaces inside the home, typically rendered in square footage.

So by extension, custom home floor plans are the same thing, only much more customizable. With a standard home, you may have some flexibility with the plans (such as splitting a large media room into two spaces). But you won't be able to customize the layout from the ground up. This is the benefit of custom floor plans — you have a much greater degree of input and customization.

Who Draws the Floor Plans?

Here is where we get into several possible scenarios. Depending on the builder you choose, you may have a one-stop shopping experience. A "design / build firm" is one that provides the plans as well as the actual construction of the home. In these cases, a building designer will draw up the home's floor plans based on your input.

In other cases, you may work with an architect or building designer who is not part of the home builder's team / company. In this scenario, you would research and hire a third-party professional to draw up the plans for your custom home, and the plans would then be provided to a builder.

Keep in mind, however, that the builder may or may not be able to build the custom home based on the plans drawn by the third party. So for logistical reasons, the best options are to do one of the following:

  • Choose a builder who can design the home and draw up the plans (a design / build firm), or...
  • Choose a builder who can recommend a preferred architect, somebody they have worked with in the past.

Tips for Going Forward

So in summary, you can make the building process smoother by choosing one of the floor plan options listed above. This is one of the most important things to ask about when choosing a builder to turn your dream home into a reality.