About Our House Plans
All of our house plans were designed to meet or exceed the requirements of a nationally recognized model building code in effect at the time and place that the plans were drawn.
Our plans will provide the necessary information you need to construct your home. However, some cities and states require a local licensed architect or engineer to review and “seal” a set of drawings (blueprints) prior to construction. We strongly recommend that you consult with your local building official to see if such a review is required prior to applying for a building permit or starting the actual construction. Our plans do not come with an architectural seal. You may need to have your plans sealed locally.
*IMPORTANT INFORMATION*
LOCAL BUILDING CODES AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS
Due to differences in geography and climate throughout the United States and Canada, each state, county and municipality has its own building codes, zoning requirements, building regulations and ordinances. Modifications may need to be made to your plans in order to comply with local requirements at Purchaser’s expense. Additionally, permits and inspections may need to be obtained from local governments before and during construction.
We authorize the use of our house plans on the expressed condition that you consult with a local licensed architect or engineer prior to beginning construction and strictly comply with all local building codes, zoning requirements and other applicable laws, regulations, ordinances, and requirements.
The foundation drawings included in each set of plans were originally created for a specific plot of land in a specific locale and therefore, may need to be modified for your building site. In addition to local codes and regulations, soil, climate, and potential natural disasters (floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.) can affect the foundation design. Be sure to have your foundation plans reviewed and, if necessary, modified by a structural engineer in your area before the start of construction, even if local officials don’t require that you do so.
It is the responsibility of the Purchaser of the JHA house plan(s) and/or the Builder to see that the structure is built to meet all the codes and requirements of their specific area.
TYPICALLY INCLUDED IN OUR PLANS
Cover Sheet
Coversheet. This is usually an elevation of the finished home which is not necessary for construction but gives a visual representation of the finished building. We include the name of the house, the sheet index (list of drawings), and general notes.
Foundation Plan
The foundation drawing is a detailed layout of the foundation including information such as thickness of foundation walls, column locations, footing location and sizes as well as other construction notes and details.
Floor Plans
The floor plan drawings depict the layout of each floor of the building. Included are wall thicknesses, room dimensions, window and door locations and sizes, plumbing fixture locations and other notes and details.
Exterior Elevations
The elevation drawings describe the appearance of the exterior of the building from all sides and notes the finish materials such as siding, brick, stone, stucco, etc. Also, the roofing material and decorative trim elements are shown.
Sections
Building Cross-Sections may be on a separate sheet or on various sheets throughout the drawings. These drawings are a “cut” through the building indicating the composition of the foundation, interior and exterior walls, roofs, floors, and stairs. This is where the various building heights are shown such as floor-to-floor heights and roof pitches.
Interior Elevations
Most drawing sets contain some interior elevations which are views of various built-in elements such as fireplaces, kitchen and bath cabinets, built-in shelves, desks, etc.
Details
Details are enlarged drawings of important architectural and structural elements of the design. They may be shown on a separate sheet or in various locations throughout the drawings.
Electrical Schematic
The basic electrical information is sometimes shown on the floor plan sheet or on a separate sheet. This is not an engineering drawing, but a design drawing which shows the location of plug outlets, wall switches and lighting fixtures. It does not indicate the size or location of the electrical panel.
Framing Plans
Some of our drawings contain floor and roof framing plans and others have the framing members noted on the floor plans.
*Please note that not all of our plans include every above sheet.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN OUR PLANS
While our plans include all the information you will need to build your house, some additional items may be required by your local building officials including but not limited to the following:
- Architectural or Engineering Stamp
- Site Plan
- Mechanical Drawings (location and type of heating and air equipment and duct work)
- Plumbing Drawings (drawings showing the actual plumbing pipe sizes and locations)
- Energy calculations
- Materials List
RETURN POLICY
Our plans may not be returned for credit or refund under any circumstances once the order has been processed. Please double check your selection carefully before placing your order. It is also very important that you check the dimensions of your lot or site, taking into account the zoning/building restriction lines (setbacks) before placing your order.
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
When you purchase a set of plans, you are purchasing a license to build. This license gives you the right to construct one house from these drawings. To build the house more than once without express written permission violates this copyright. By agreeing to these TERMS AND CONDITIONS, you are agreeing to abide by the copyright laws. Please read more information about copyright laws and the penalties involved for copyright violations here.
Ignorance of these laws or inadvertently violating them does not exempt the Purchaser and/or Builder from penalties. If you are interested in building a house multiple times, please contact us to inquire about our reuse fees.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
To read Terms and Conditions click here
