The House Plan Shop, LLC publishes top-selling stock house plans from many of North America’s top-selling designers. Stock house plans and home plans are designs developed to suit the needs of various groups of people within the overall population. These home plans include many of today’s most sought-after features and amenities and are standardized to satisfy a larger group of house plan buyers and home builders rather than a single person or family for whom a custom home plan would be designed. (See Custom Home Plans Verses Stock House Plans.) Below is a list identifying the elements and information included in a typical set of stock house plans although the information may vary slightly by designer.
The Elements of a Stock House Plan
Most house plans published with The House Plan Shop typically include the following elements:
- Coversheet – In most cases this is an artist’s rendering of the finished home. Generally, this page is not necessary for construction, but rather serves as a visual aid representing the finished home. Not all designers provide a cover sheet with their plans.
- Foundation Plan – The foundation page provides a detailed drawing of the foundation including information such as thickness of foundation walls, column locations, floor joist sizes and spacing, as well as other construction notes and details.
- Floor Plan – The floor plan pages reflect the layout of each floor of the house. In most cases these pages will include all wall sizes, room dimensions, notes about ceiling design, window and door locations and sizes, and other structural and layout notes and details.
- Basic Electric – The basic electrical information is sometimes found on the floor plan page, while other times it is on a separate page. In either case, this information will reflect the suggested locations of outlets, switches, and fixtures.
- Simple Plumbing – The simple plumbing information may be found on the floor plan, or it might be on a separate page. This diagram indicates the locations of bathtubs, showers, commodes, and sinks.
- Interior Elevations – The interior elevations page contains descriptive details and drawings showing the built-in elements of the home such as, fireplaces, kitchen cabinets, built-in bookshelves or desks, vanities, moldings, and handrails.
- Exterior Elevations – The exterior elevations page is used to describe the look and feel of the home’s exterior finish. It provides views of the house on all sides and calls out the exterior finish and trim materials and their placement, including siding, brick, stone, stucco, etc. This page also indicates the type of roofing materials and decorative elements such as window shutters. The exterior elevations typically indicate details such as roof pitches and ceiling heights. Sometimes window and door sizes are included here.
- Details – Details may be found on a separate page or in various locations throughout the construction drawings. They communicate how smaller elements should be constructed. This includes items such as how the fireplace should look, the design of handrail spindles, and the sizes and styles of moldings used throughout the home.
- Sections – Home plan sections may be on a separate page or on various pages throughout the construction drawings. Typically, these are views of the home showing the composition of the foundation, interior and exterior walls, roofs, floors, and stair details. These drawings indicate the rooflines, ceiling heights and the relationship between floors.
**Note: Not all stock house plans come with each element described here. They vary by designer.
Additional Information About Stock House Plans
While stock house plans generally contain all the information you will need to build your new home, you may need additional information to obtain building permits. Building codes vary greatly from place to place, and each city and county has its own requirements. Sometimes it is necessary to work with a local building official to obtain the additional information needed for your building permits. Below is a list of the items most commonly needed for building permits that are not included with stock house plans. Please check with your building department for a specific list of building requirements for the area where you plan to build. This will ensure you have everything you need to get started.
- Site Map – A sketch or drawing of your lot reflecting where the house will be located and how it will be situated on the property. Because everyone’s lot is different, it is impossible for the designer to provide this information in the set of construction drawings. You will need to work with a local professional if you need a site map.
- Energy Codes – This is a list of requirements indicating the types of windows, doors, and insulation required for the region where you are building. You will need to obtain this locally as stock home plans are sold all over the continent and energy codes vary north to south and east to west across North America.
- Building Codes for Specialized Areas – Depending on where you are building, you may need to request a list of specialized regional building codes. In northern regions such as, Michigan, Minnesota, and Canada your house plan will need to meet snow load/roof load and insulation requirements. If you are building in a seismic zone such as California, you will need a list of requirements to protect your home against damage from earthquakes. Areas along the Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard are prone to hurricanes and will need to meet local wind codes. Since stock house plans are built across the continent, it is impossible to design them to meet the specialized building codes for all regions. You will need to work with your builder and/or local design professional to make adjustments to your stock home plan ensuring your new house meets any specialized building codes and requirements for your area.
- Local Building Codes – This is a list of requirements necessary to build in your area. Each city, county, and neighborhood have thier own local building codes that you must follow. These codes vary greatly and can include such items as a specific foundation type, maximum ridge height, minimum or maximum square footage, location of furnace, and type of exterior finish. Be sure to check with your building department to find out what is required and allowed in your new neighborhood. If slight modifications must be made to meet local building codes, your builder or local design professional can typically assist you for a minimal fee with the use of PDF or CAD file.
- Septic Design – If you are building outside city or county limits and your lot cannot be accommodated by a sewer system, you will need to work with a local professional to obtain a septic design and layout. This must be done locally ensuring the design is specific to your lot and house plan.
- Truss Layout – If your stock house plans call for a truss roof, you will need to obtain your truss layout from a local truss manufacture. It will be necessary that you/your builder provide a set of home plans to the truss manufacturer who will design the truss layout. Typically, this is provided to you at no charge. The truss layout must be done locally to ensure it meets local building codes and reflects the materials available in your area.
- Finished Electric – Some stock house plans (but not all) come with a suggested basic electrical plan, but if you need further information to obtain your building permit, you will need to work with a local electrician to ensure finished electric in your new home will meet local codes.
- Finished Plumbing – Your stock home plans will include a simple plumbing plan reflecting the locations of bathtubs, showers, toilets, and sinks. However, if you need further information to obtain building permits, you should work with local plumbing officials. They can determine the location of water and sewer or septic lines on your property and how they will run to and from your home, as well as provide detailed information about the finished plumbing inside your new home.
- HVAC – Stock house plans do not come with a heating and cooling plan. Occasionally, a designer may provide a suggested location for the furnace on a floor plan, but this is not always the case. The heating and cooling layout will be determined locally based on the size of the unit you choose. Consult a heating and cooling expert for further information.
- Engineer’s or Architect’s Stamp or Seal – Stock home plans do not come with a professional stamp on them. If you are required to have your house plans stamped or sealed by an engineer or architect, you will have to work with a local professional who is licensed in the state or province where you plan to build. This professional will review the house plans and seal/stamp them.
Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to research what is needed to build with a stock house plan in your area. Some municipalities will require all the items mentioned above, while others may require just a few, and still others will only require the stock home plan itself with no additional information at all. Start early and ask plenty of questions. Check with all necessary building officials before construction begins to ensure you have everything you need to build your dream home. There are tremendous benefits to building with a stock house plan, but it is necessary to educate yourself about the residential construction process before you begin.
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