What are the benefits of building my home versus buying a home?

The benefits of building your own home instead of buying are numerous. Quality control and cost savings are two main reasons. By building your home home you are in control of the quality of construction of your home from every aspect from the ground up. As well as having a hands on role in choosing the exact building materials, insulation and green features, etc. that you want. Most importantly though, is that when you build your own home, the home is yours! You can customize the home to your exact specificatios and likings. Everything that you want and nothing that you don't.

To read more about the benefits of building your own home, visit blog at http://ArchivalDesigns.info

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What's included with your luxury home plans?

Construction drawings include the following:

• Working drawings of 1/4" front and 1/8" sides and rear elevations
• Foundation plan - most cases include a basement w/ poured wall construction
• Complete dimensioned and detailed floor plans
• Roof plan
• 1/4" typical building section with 3/4" typical wall section
• Major exterior details such as dormers, cornice and chimney
• Various interior elevations of major focal areas (not on all plans)

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Can I see samples of what the plans look like?

Here are links to .pdf example pages from a few of our different plans. These .pdf files are the same pages that would be included in your order.

Example Plan Page 1 - Cover Sheet
Example Plan Page 2 - Foundation
Example Plan Page 3 - First Floor Plan
Example Plan Page 4 - Second Floor Plan
Example Plan Page 5 - Lighting and Electrical
Example Plan Page 6 - Second Floor Lighting
Example Plan Page 7 - Rear Elevation
Example Plan Page 8 - Right and Left Elevations
Example Plan Page 9 - Roof Plan
Example Plan Page 10 - Cross Sections

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What is the cost of your home plans?

To see the price of a particular home plan, click on the purchase button at the bottom of the page of the home plan you are viewing. We sell 1 set, 5 sets, Vellums, PDFs and CAD Disks (if available).

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How many sets of home plans will I need to purchase?

Although we sell one set of blueprints, one set is not enough to build your dream house. One set is sold mainly as a review set before you decide whether to purchase additional sets. The actual number of sets you need will vary depending on your specific needs. We sell a five set package and an 8 set package. Vellums and Cad disks may also be purchased. Additional sets may be purchased within 30 days of original invoice date. After that date, any reorder will be considered a new order.

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How many times can I build a house from my home plan purchase?

You are licensed to build only one house from the home plans. This includes any changes that may have been made to the original plan.

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What is the difference between a vellum and a blueprint?

Vellum is a type of paper that the home plan is printed on that allows you to make changes to the home plan. When you purchase the vellum you also get a license that allows you to make changes, make copies and allows you to build one home from the home plan. A blueprint is a type of paper that does not allow you to make any changes or copies. They are similar to a copy from a copy machine (except they are black and much larger).

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Are your plans available in a CAD format?

Most of our home plans are available in AutoCAD format. Purchasers may specify a particular format, as we can provide 2006 or any earlier version. If no version is specified, AutoCAD 2006 files will be sent with the order. Some CAD software may not be compatible. For an additional charge, purchasers may request that house plan files be sent in .dxf format, which is compatible with most CAD programs.

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Can I return or exchange the home plans?

Due to the fact that we sell intellectual property upon which there is no way to verify that the plans have not been copied, duplicated or reproduced, we unfortunately can not honor requests for returns and refunds. With that being said, we will work with you 100% of the way to assist with answering any questions. We want you to make the most informed decision prior to purchasing your new house plans.

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Can I have modifications made to the home plans?

There are two ways modifications to your home plan can be made:

• First, we can make changes to your home plans through our modification department. Tell us what you want to change and we will give you an estimate as to what it will cost. For more details, click here.
• The second way is to purchase the home plan on vellum or in a Cad disk format and take it to your local architect or designer and have them make the changes for you.

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Do you design custom homes?

Archival Designs has received numerous awards for our designs. We can custom design a home for your needs. Click here for more info.

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How do I go about finding a home plan on your site?

We have a simple and easy to use search engine that will search our home plan database and pull up home plans that meet your needs for your review. Search by square footage, width, depth, bedrooms, baths and many others. One hint for you when searching plans...The more info you enter into the search criteria the less plans you will find, so you may want to consider removing some features in your search that may not be as important so that it will find more home plans for your review.

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How much will this home plan cost to build?

There are many factors involved with figuring the price of your home. There is no way for us to determine the actual cost of your home without knowing exactly what materials you will use, what you will pay for labor in your area, etc. Most homes typically fall into the $65 to $150 a square foot range. The only way to get an actual cost is to have your builder price it out for you.

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Do you know if this house has been built in my area?

We usually do not know where a particular house is built because we sell our plans all over the world. We also like to protect the privacy of our customers by not giving certain information out.

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Why aren't hvac and plumbing included?

Your local hvac contractor and plumber can determine the best layouts for your home because of the local codes, climatic requirements and commonly used systems that vary dramatically throughout the country.

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Will these home plans meet my local building codes?

Our home plans were designed to meet or exceed national building standards at the time they were drawn. Some states, counties and municipalities have their own codes, zoning requirements and building regulations. Before building, contact your local building authorities to make sure you comply with local ordinances and codes, including obtaining any necessary permits or inspections as building progresses. In some cases, minor modifications to your home plans by your builder, architect or designer may be required to meet local conditions and requirements. The purchaser should ensure that the home plans comply with all applicable building codes and are suitable for a particular site, including any subdivision restrictions, before actual construction begins. Because we have no control over the selection of your builder, or other professionals, we cannot be responsible for the advice or assistance you receive from them or for the methods they use.

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How is the square footage calculated?

Calculations are made from outside the exterior frame wall and do not include decks, porches, garages, basements, attics, fireplaces, etc. We include two story and vaulted areas only once in the calculations of the first floor. Stairs are counted once. Open story and vaulted areas are NOT included in square footage of the second floor.

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What do I need to know about architectural and engineering seals?

Some cities and states are now requiring that a licensed architect or engineer review and "seal" a blueprint or officially approve it prior to construction because of concerns over energy costs, safety, and other factors. Prior to applying for a building permit or start of actual construction, we strongly advise you to consult a local building official who can tell you if such a review is required.

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How were these home plans designed?

Each home plan was designed to meet the requirements of a nationally recognized model building code in effect at the time and place the home plan was drawn. Because of national building codes change from time to time, home plans may not comply with any such code at the time they are sold to a customer. In addition, building officials may not accept these plans as final construction documents of record, as the plans may need to be modified and additional drawings and details added to suit local conditions and requirements. We strongly advise purchasers to consult a licensed architect or engineer and a local building official before starting construction related to these home plans.

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