"In modern war... you will die like a dog for no good reason."Ernest Hemingway
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Defining Condos
Condominium’s may be a confusing concept to some people. Condo’s represent a housing option that takes the step between apartment dwelling and home ownership. Condo’s, like apartments or home ownership, come both their good and bad things. Condominium’s ...
How To Find A Property Appraiser
When it comes to finding a real estate appraiser, many homeowners don't know what to look for. This article describes 5 things to look for in a property appraiser. 1. Always make sure a property appraiser is licensed or certified by the state to perform ...
Wake Up And Smell The Smoke
Saturday morning I woke up alone. Slowly before opening my eyes I began to stretch. Taking inventory as I moved one limb at a time, yes, all the usual aches and pains were still there. I don’t know whether I felt or heard it, but there was a major thump ...
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One question that we receive almost every day is whether or not the plan package for plan 1234 contains everything that a person would need to build the home in the state of "INSERT STATE/LOCATION HERE"... As such, we wanted to provide some additional information to clarify the subject.
In most areas of the country, these stock house plans will be everything you need to build, but not necessarily everything you need to obtain a building permit.
In addition to the house plans you order, you may also need a site plan that shows where the house is going to be located on the property. You might also need beams sized to accommodate roof loads specific to your region. Your home builder can usually help you with this. You may also need a septic design unless your lot is served by a sanitary sewer system. Many areas now have area-specific energy codes that also have to be followed. This normally involves filling out a simple form providing documentation that your house plans are in compliance.
To find out what documents you should expect with your house plans, see http://www.houseplancentral.com/houseplans-faq.php in the "What’s Included?" section.
In some regions, there is a second step you will need to take to insure your house plans are in compliance with local codes. Some areas of North America have very strict engineering requirements. Examples of this would be earthquake-prone areas of California and the Pacific Coast, hurricane risk areas of the Florida, Gulf & Carolina Coasts. New York, New Jersey, Nevada, and parts of Illinois require review by a local professional as well. If you are building in these areas, it
is most likely you will need to hire a state licensed structural engineer to analyze the design and provide additional drawings and calculations required by your building department. If you arenÂ’t sure, building departments typically have a handout they will give you listing all of the items they require to submit for and obtain a building permit.
Additionally, stock plans do not have a professional stamp attached. If your building department requires one, they will only accept a stamp from a professional licensed in the state where you plan to build. In this case, you will need to take your house plans to a local engineer or architect for review and stamping. In addition, plans which are used to construct homes in Nevada are required to be drawn by a licensed Nevada architect.
It is always a good idea to check with your local city, municipality, and state building authorities to ensure that your home construction will meet all applicable building codes.
Hopefully, the above information will provide you with a good basis for evaluatiing your particular house plan situation.
About the author:
Mark Mathis is a building designer and publisher of several stock house plan websites and informational resources including http://www.HousePlanCentral.com, http://www.HousePlanGallery.com, and http://www.moneytalks-bswalks.com. Be sure to visit each site and subscribe to our eNewsletters to receive special offers, promotions, and subscriber-only features.
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