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Frequently Asked Questions

Do your plans conform to my local building codes?
Do your plans carry an Architects or Engineers Seal?
Do you provide material lists?
Do you make modifications to your plans?
Can I return plans if I decide not to build the house?
What is included in a set of plans?
Do your plans include HVAC layouts?
How do you measure square footages?
Can you tell me how much it will cost to build a house from your plans?
Why do you only sell Vellum prints of plans instead of Multiple sets of prints on Plain Paper?

Do your plans conform to my local building codes?

Our plans are designed to comply with the International Residential building code. Our plans are all you'll need to build a house, but they may not be all that is required to get a building permit in your area. Permitting requirements can vary widely from region to region and even from town to town in the same state. Your local building officials can provide you with a list of what is required in your area. In addition to our plans, you may need to take additional steps to ensure that your plans are in compliance with local codes. California and other earthquake prone regions will require seismic engineering. Hurricane risk areas such as the Gulf, Florida, & Carolina coasts will have to be engineered to meet hurricane codes. Your area may even require review by a local professional simply as a matter of regulation. In these cases, you will need to hire a local professional engineer or architect to review the design and possibly provide additional drawings and calculations to meet local requirements.

 

Do your plans carry an Architect's or Engineer's Seal?

 

No, they do not. If your building department requires sealed plans, they will only accept a seal from a professional licensed in the state where you are building.

Do you provide Material lists?

No, not at this time. We will consider adding this service in the future if demand warrants.

 

Do you make modifications to your plans?

Yes, we do offer plans modifications - for more info see Modifications. If you would like to make modifications to one of our plans yourself, the type of paper used for our prints (vellum) does allow for minor modifications. To make more extensive modifications, you could purchase the CAD file of the plans and have them modified by a local designer or Architect. Any modified designs derived from our plans remain the property of Southern Heritage Designs and/or Mixson Graphics and may not be re-sold or transferred to someone else in any manner.

 

Can I return plans if I decide not to build the house?

 

Unopened Plans may be returned for refund within 30 days of order. Plans are shipped in sealed plastic bags that are tamper-evident. If returned plans have not been opened, a refund can be issued. The prints that we provide are intended to facilitate easy copying, so if the bag appears to have been opened, a refund will not be issued and the plans will be returned to you. Study Sets, CAD files, and Builder's Packages cannot be returned, so be very certain of yourself before placing an order.

What is included in a set of plans?

 

A typical set of drawings would include:

- Cover sheet
- Foundation Plan (1/4"=1'-0" scale)
- Floor Plan(s) (1/4"=1'-0" scale)
- Exterior Elevations (1/4"=1'-0" scale)
- Roof plan
- Electrical plan(s)
- Interior Cabinet Elevations
- Typical Construction Details and Cross Sections

For more information, see "What's Included?"

Do your plans include HVAC layouts?

No. The heating and cooling system needs to be sized locally as climate conditions vary. This is normally done by the HVAC sub contractor as part of their job. Also, the type of system used may vary based on the local climate and the personal preference of the homeowner or contractor. Some plans provide an interior place for the unit, however a crawl space or attic location is recommended if conditions in your area do not prohibit this.

 

How do you measure square footages?

 

The area of each Southern Heritage Home Designs house plan is measured in gross square footage. We measure the area at the perimeter of conditioned space from the outside of the sheathing on wood-framed exterior walls. It doesn't matter what the exterior material is - siding, brick, stone, stucco - each plan reflects the size of the house when the framing is complete. Modifications to that gross total include counting two-story volumes only once, and counting stairs only once. Porches, loggias, pergolas, patios, and other such "unconditioned" spaces are not included in the total, or are shown as separate numbers. Unfinished spaces (lower levels, garages, attics) are not included; finished lower levels and attics (when applicable) are shown separately.

Can you tell me how much it will cost to build a house from your plans?

Unfortunately, no. The first thing we would need to do would be to produce a material list, and as mentioned above, we are not offering that service at this time. Then we would need to plug-in numbers for the cost of those materials and the labor to construct the house, and those costs, especially labor, vary from region to region. This task would be better left to your local contractor since they would be familiar with material and labor costs in your area.

 

Why do you only sell Vellum sets of plans instead of Multiple sets of plans on Plain Paper?

We do this just to keep things simple, for the customer and for us. Vellum is a semi-transparent type of paper that is well suited to making copies using the blueprinting process. Blueprinting is the least expensive form of large-format copying. By buying a single set of Vellum prints, the purchaser can have as many copies of the plans made as they need. This way, the buyer doesn't need to worry that they may have ordered too many sets of plans, or too few.

 

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