NY Times Article about Stock Home Plans
Sunday, July 15th, 2007 at 1:41 pm 
By adminThe NY Times included an interesting article about home plans last week that I wanted to mention. A quick summary: Thousands of stock home plans are available online. Clients can pay architects a nominal fee for modifications to a stock plan to suit their needs. This can be more economical than an architect’s custom design. Here’s a link and excerpt:
Click Your Way to an Architect-Designed House
For buyers of home lots, blank canvases of sorts for building a dream vacation home, stock plans represent a way to save money and to streamline the road to construction, allowing buyers — especially those who have bought lots in rural areas, where architects may be hard to find — to get into that vacation home as soon as possible. The business isn’t new; books and magazines have long featured home designs for purchase. What has changed is the accessibility of such plans on the Internet and the growth of stock plans, which some architects have turned to as a side activity to their custom designs.
The article makes a lot of good points, and it is no surprise that a stock plan is cheaper than a custom design. It’s certainly understandable for second/vacation homes, where functionality may be far more important than customization or personal aesthetics.
Considering the audience for this blog I may be preaching to the choir. Please bear with me.
I would counsel anyone planning to build a home to at least discuss their project with an architect or two. From a functional standpoint variations in lot size/shape, soil, sun/wind exposure, and surrounding structures/geography can dramatically impact a home design. It’s impossible for a stock plan to account for the specific conditions of your site.
These functional considerations can dramatically impact the comfort and quality of your home. For example, if the rear of your lot has significant western exposure, and you choose a stock plan with lots of windows facing the backyard, your utility bills (and comfort level) will suffer.
Obviously an architect can also be a great help in making your home fashionable as well. It’s always enjoyable to visit an architect-designed home for the first time - seeing the creative uses of materials, details in the trim and finishes, innovative use of lighting, and the natural flow of the floor-plan is always inspiring.
The other day I visited this listing: 615 WEST LIVE OAK STREET designed by local architect MJ Neal - a great example of what an architect can bring to the table.
Obviously in the real world we all have budgets and limitations. Just make sure you strongly evaluate your options - architectural services may be cheaper than you think, and they could save you a lot of money in the construction of your home.
If you plan to eventually sell your home it is also worthwhile to do a little market research. A good Realtor can help you understand key features buyers seek in your area. They can also show you other newly built/remodeled homes near your project. This always helps to insure the design features and level of finish out is in line with the area.
For those facing this dilemma, I would HIGHLY recommend the AIA Homes Tour in the Fall. I’ll be posting more on it later, but mark October 6-7, 2007, on your Calendars.
