If you are planning on building a new home from house plans, you have to factor in the actual cost of purchasing a house plan. The price varies depending on the size of the home and the type of house plans that you purchase.
Although the specific names for the various plans vary somewhat depending on the vendor that you use, house plans typically fall into the following categories, which are listed here from most expensive to least.
Reproducible master: This includes a copy of the house plans on transparent paper. Minor changes can be made to these house plans, such as window or door placement.
Construction set: There are a minimum of five copies of the house plans needed for construction. The construction set has at least this amount plus a building license for construction.
CAD disk: This includes the same information as a construction set of house plans but it is in an electronic format to make minor changes. However, it is not available on all house plans.
Study set: A study set allows you to examine the house plan in more detail but a builder cannot use it for construction. However, many companies will credit the cost of the study set back to you if you end up purchasing that house plan for construction since this set still costs a few hundred dollars.
Right-reading reverse: This house plan reverses the image but has the text reading correctly.
Mirror reverse: In these house plans, the image is reversed as well as the text. You cannot build from these plans.
Purchasing house plans in reproducible master, CAD disk, or construction set formats can easily cost over $1,000. A mirror reverse of a house plan can cost as little as $50. The size of the house and its features can increase the price of the house plans. With the ease of shopping for house plans on the Internet, it is very convenient to compare prices so that you can get the best deal available when purchasing house plans.
Published on January 23, 2007