Tips For Buying Truly Green House Plans

If you're in the market for a new house plan, you've may have already become overwhelmed at the sheer volume of plans that are available today on both the internet and in house plan-related magazines and books.

Finding that perfect floor plan, in the perfect square footage range, matched with the perfect exterior Architectural style, can be very difficult.  Added to that may be the confusion over which type of house plan package do you actually need?

Don't let the process overwhelm you.  Here are some tips:

- Always make sure that you purchase your house plans from a Certified Professional Building Designer (CPBD) who is a member of the American Institute of Building Design. 

Designers who have met the strict educational requirements, have suitable work experience and training in the field, and have passed the CPBD examination are highly-skilled professionals that specialize in the design and development of residential home plans.  Don't settle for less in choosing your plans.

- If you find a house plan that fits "most" of your needs but not all, its typically quicker, better, and cheaper to have the actual designer of the house plans make these modifications for you, where possible.

- If you live in an area with unique building code requirements (i.e. hurricane/earthquake prone areas of the US) or specific state-licensed Architect/Engineer stamping requirements, then you may need to have the modifications done by a local professional.  In this case, you would need to purchase a stock house plan package that comes with a "modifiable" license.  The packages that come with this type license include:  CAD Files, Reproducible/Vellum, and where available, PDF Files.

In regard to the PDF File plan package, a small number of leading home designers are now offering this option to their customers as a standard option. 

What is the PDF File plan package:

The "PDF File" plan package is your best value, and provides you with an electronic version of the plan's construction documents.  This plan package provides many advantages over the Reproducible, 8 Set, 5 Set, 1 Set, and Review Set plan packages including:

-  Need more copies of the plan?  No problem.  Simply take the file to any local print shop and have them print out your copies in your desired size.  In addition, you will have the copies available for use....that same day, in most cases.

- Need different size copies for different people?  Easy.  You can print out an 8 1/2 x 11 set for your office, a 11 x 17 set for your local building officials, a 18 x 24 set for your builder, a 24 x 36 master set for yourself. Unlimited flexibility.

- Need to modify the plan locally?  PDF Files have got you covered.  Simply take the PDF to a local building design professional and they will be able to update your drawings in the same way as if you provided them with a printed "Reproducible" set.

- Need your plans immediately?  No need to wait for your plans to ship.  Most designers can email you the PDF file, usually the same day.

Keep in mind that many designers might only offer a sub-group of their plans in the electronic PDF File format, but the more innovative, Award-winning design firms like House Plan Gallery, offer every single house plan in their collection with the PDF File plan package.

The PDF File plan package is truly the "green" choice for buying house plans in this day and age.  No paper is used in its creation, no waste by-products are generated, and its innate ability to be electronically and quickly "mailed" to you is a huge benefit that you can take advantage of today.

Shop for house plans with the green PDF File plan package available at trusted and reputable home designers like HousePlanGallery.com.