Important Facts to know before purchasing house plans!

Buying house plans online is a big investment and there are many stock plan companies that sell substandard home plans. Ensure that your construction documents have all the necessary details to safely construct your home, and understand what should be included BEFORE you make your purchase.

Direct from the Designers™ House Plans has the highest design standards in the industry. Here are our house plan standards and guarantees that show our commitment to our customers, as well as some responsibilities that you need to cover before you can build your dream home.

Plan Details and Code Conformity

It is important to note that all plans sold on Direct from the Designers House Plans will have complete plan details; this includes:

• Exterior elevations, foundation plans, roof plans indicating slope, ceiling plans, dimensioned floor plans, building sections, and structure layout as necessary to convey intent of the design
• Blueprints from Direct from the Designers House Plans are guaranteed to conform to the International Residential Code (IRC)

Additional Engineering/State Stamp

There may be another step you will need to take to insure your house plans are in compliance with local codes. Despite our all-inclusive structure on our plans, some areas of North America have additional engineering. You may need to hire a State licensed structural engineer to analyze the design and provide additional drawings and calculations required by your local building department. Examples of this would be, but not limited to,

• Earthquake-prone areas of California and the Pacific Coast
• Hurricane risk areas like Florida and the Gulf States
• Carolinas and Atlantic Coast
• New York, New Jersey, Nevada and sections of Illinois

If you aren’t sure, local building departments typically have a list all of the items they require to submit to obtain a permit to build.

Additionally, stock plans do not have a professional stamp. If your building department requires one, they may 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.

Foundation Site Plan

Our foundation plans have been designed for universal conditions and do not address a specific site. It is recommended that soil samples be taken at the site by a local soil testing laboratory. The foundation should be modified by a local structural engineer to comply with the findings and recommendations of the soil testing laboratory.

Site and Septic Plan

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. Your home builder or surveyor can usually help with this step.

You may also need a septic design unless your lot is served by a sanitary sewer system. Many areas have area-specific energy codes that may also need to be followed. This normally involves filling out a simple form providing documentation that your house plans are in compliance.

Best Price Guarantee

We want you to purchase confidently, so Direct from the Designers™ House Plans backs up each sale with our best price guarantee. If you find the same house plan and package (5 printed sets, PDF, etc.) for less somewhere else, we'll refund the difference plus 5% more!

Return Policy

If you aren't satisfied with your purchase, Direct from the Designers™ House Plans offers a one-time 14-day exchange policy for non-electronic plan packages for plans that have not been modified, used, marked on or copied. Reproducibles, PDFs, CAD files, Study/Review Sets, PDF Bid Sets and modified house plans are not returnable or exchangeable. In addition, permitted exchanges are subject to a 20% restocking fee and all sales of house plans, including those requiring modification customizations, and all customization/modifications are final and not returnable or exchangeable for any reason. After purchasing plans, be sure to review the contents of your order immediately. If you have any questions, concerns or issues about your order, you must contact a DFD representative in writing within 14 days of the date of your purchase. In the event of a permitted exchange, your order must be returned to DFD within 14 days of the date of purchase and note that returned blueprints that look used, redlined or copied are not exchangeable.

Additional Information

For more information or to receive pricing on obtaining an engineering stamp, modification estimate or design assistance from our house plan experts, simply email, live chat or call our toll free number 877-895-5299, and we’d be happy to assist you.