Modifications?

Do you ever get frustrated looking through house plan websites? You'd think that with over 20,000 house plans, you'd be able to find at least one plan that would meet all of your needs. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case; some plans come pretty close, but it seems like there's always something missing. I'm not talking about the 90% RULE (see previous article), I'm talking about something major.

Sometimes the floorplan is perfect, but the exterior is hideous; other times the elevation is simply gorgeous, but the layout just won't work; sometimes the plan is almost perfect, but there are a few flaws inside and out (and by "flaws," I am referring to your personal preference). What is a person to do? Should you settle for less? Should you go back to the drawing board and start your tedious search again? This is where modifications come in. The picture above shows three very unique homes; the surprising thing is that they all have the exact same floorplan. Isn't it amazing what a few simple modifications can do?

Some people get scared when they think about making modifications. They may have heard horror stories from friends about how the draftsman charged an arm and a leg to move a few windows. They may get nervous when they hear that an inexpensive modification specialist will charge around $65 an hour to draft changes. Some people are even frightened off because people have told them that modifications can take months to complete. These are all very valid concerns, so I am going to take a little time to tell you about how the folks at The Plan Collection have made modifications as simple and easy as possible.

The first step is to know exactly what you want. You can't email the plan sales representatives and tell them "I love the way this home looks, but I need you to reduce it from 5,000 square feet to about 2,000 square feet." That just doesn't cut it. They need to know exactly which rooms are going, which rooms are staying, how the remaining rooms are going to be configured, and how you want the exterior to adapt to these modifications. If you can't figure out how to do it, how can you expect them to figure it out in a way that is sure to please you? You should always come to them with a detailed idea or game plan (sketches are always helpful, too).

After you have explained your vision to the folks at The Plan Collection, you will usually get a quote within a day or two. When you get your quote, it's important to remember that any modification below $500 is usually quite a steal -- $1000 is pretty typical for in-depth modifications. If you aren't willing to pay that much for changes, you probably shouldn't even consider modifications. In all my experience, it seems like The Plan Collection usually offers the lowest prices for modifications by at least $100 or $200. I'm not sure how they get such a sweet deal, but I'm glad they do!

After getting your quote, the choice is all up to you. To buy, or not to buy? That is the question (sorry about that; I know that was super-lame). If you choose to purchase the plans, the rest of the modification process is a piece of cake. You'll get a phone call from the modification team; they'll discuss all the details; and then within 3-4 weeks, you'll have yourself a set of modified house plans -- perfectly matching what you requested.

Modifications aren't for everyone, but if you've got the vision and the cash, you might have found yourself a winner. Check it out!