Questions and Answers

Why Us?

victoriancottageplans.com is a different kind of House Plan company.  We are first of all builders.  We have physically built the homes you see on our web site.  Secondly we are designers.  From the beginning of our building career we realized that controlling design was the only way to successfully create a historic product that was both architecturally correct and affordable.  Having both designed and built our product we think we have some special things to offer a purchaser.   Our plans work both during construction and after you move in.  Our plans are efficient to build, even with all the detail we incorporate into them.  And if you decide to build one of our plans, we have the things you will need to execute your project correctly.  Estimates, materials lists, and very detailed drawings of the hard stuff.  If you have a problem, you can call and talk to someone who's been there.  Not a draftsman or an AutoCAD junkie but a real engineer, a real carpenter or a real general contractor.  That's why we think you might want to choose us.

What will it cost?

Costing is the most important part of this process.  If you can estimate it correctly, you can build it.  We offer a few products to help.  Our approximate estimating system can give you a "ball park" as to what our homes will cost in your area.  These preliminary estimates are based on a national database updated monthly to reflect labor, material and labor production rates. Remember this first estimate is normally based upon local contractors doing all the work with full mark-ups at every level.  The labor rates are heavily influenced by union wages and fixed production rates.  So you are probably going to do much better than our ball park numbers.   The only way to really find out what the actual price will be is to spend some time with a complete take-off and material list.  With that in hand you can negotiate with sub-contractors, compare labor bids, shop materials and determine if there are some high labor costs items you can do for yourself.  For that we recommend our estimate and materials list that we prepare for each house.  It should give you the information you need to start your project intelligently.

What Else do I need?

We sell good sets of plans but we cannot anticipate everything you will encounter while permitting and building your home.  First off you are going to need a SURVEY, a SITE PLAN and probably a SOILS REPORT.  The survey should be obtained by contracting with a local surveying company which you can find in your local yellow pages.  The site plan can be included in our plans for additional cost but we will need a digitized (AutoCAD) survey to start, along with some photos and  a sketch of how you want the home laid out.  It is normally more efficient for you to find a local draftsman to do the site plan for you as he knows the ins and outs of your local building department and utility providers. 

Secondly you may have very specific requirements for foundations (i.e. soil borings, pile foundations, frost line, soil swelling etc.).  These requirements will only be available from  your building department.  Its always a good idea to have a talk with them before you buy the plans.  There may be other surprises like flooding and or hurricane requirements, so do your homework.

What do I do after the plans arrive?

READ THE PLANS!  After you have a very good idea of what you have bought start asking questions and write the answers down in a journal.  There are going to be a lot of people involved in this process and you need to ask questions and take down names and phone numbers.  The following is a short list of who you need to talk to:

Building and Zoning Department

Surveyors

Utility Companies

Excavators

Concrete and Masonry Contractors

Framing Contractors

Drywall Contractors

Finish Flooring Contractors

Painters

Roofers

Insulating, Sealing and Waterproofing Contractors

Heating and Air-conditioning Contractors

Plumbers

Electricians

Lumber Stores

Window and Doors suppliers

After you've talked to at least two of each of the above and requested and received at least two prices from all of them you will know more than anyone on earth about your project and what its going to cost.  You will probably know how much you can do for yourself and how much profit you will make.

Do I need an Architect?

In short the answer is no.  The drawings you receive from us will cover most anything an Architect would provide in an historic residential design.  Please be aware that some residential communities require a Professional Architect "Seal" the plans.  In this case you may have to look hard to find an Architect who would use our plans.

Why not use an Architect?  The problem with utilizing an Architect is that nearly all Architects have a modernist design background with very little classical or historic knowledge. Combine this with the fact that very few have ever spent any time on a construction site or estimated construction costs and you will see why we answer in the negative.  Since most of my friends in life have been Architects, I'm sure this answer might be disputed a bit.  But unless you are building a modern "Le Corbusier" or a building that looks like a factory we can not recommend that you spend the money.  You might however consider hiring a good Construction Manager and if he happens to be an Architect, that's fine.

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