Plans

HomeSurgeon

I am new at this Blog Site, this question may have been asked but could not find it when I searched. I have been in the business for some time now and have had good experience in most trades associated with residential construction, but now I am a licensed GC doing mostly remodels. I now have a couple of potential customers wanting additions and I am asking your advice about a good way to bid it, or the common way you guys bid? Really most of all is going about getting plans drawn? Cause they both asked me for help with the plans and really don't have a clue in this.

Chris Johnson

Well, it all depends on your location

ME, I live in sue happy CA, you couldn't pay me enough to do a set of drawings for fear of liability, recommend a architect or engineer is the furthest I go.

I was originally from laid back Ontario and did all my own drawings no problems.

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Chris

joasis

Until you learn the business, cost plus is the safest way to travel.....and never never never draw up plans and spec anything unless you are prepared to accept design liability.

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HomeSurgeon

Thats cool, I figured that. So would you even bother with a bid w/out plans. I need to find an engineer to recommend, if I may have to deal with him or her, they better have personality, if that's possible.

Thanks

Chris Johnson

How do you bid a job without plans or specs? That's a good way to lose money cause in court you are the professional preying on the homeowner taking advantage of them.

You sure you know what your doing in this business?

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Chris

Kgmz

Anymore in most localities you need to have a engineers or architects stamp and calculations on buildings, additions, etc. over so many square feet. What the square footage is, etc. you will have to find that out from your local building department, etc.

I draw all of my plans, and have a engineer that checks them, does the calculations and stamps them for a reasonable fee. I have been drawing my plans for over 30 years now and when I was in school wanted to be a architect, but then decided I couldn't sit behind a desk/drawing table everyday for the rest of my life.

Now for the problem of hiring someone else to do the plans. First it gets expensive if there are many changes after the initial concept. And this is with just a designer/drafter not a Architect/Engineer. I have had quotes from designers when I thought I was too busy to do the plans, and ended up making the time and doing them myself because the fees were too high in my opinion. And then you still have to pay the engineers fees. I have found most will not do any work for less than $2,000-3,000, and this is for something simple like a 50' x 150' stick framed warehouse/shop type of building. Really its just a square box with a couple of small rooms in it for offices and bathrooms and some doors. And if you check Architects fees, you will see they are a lot higher. Also the seems to be a trend with Architects for awhile now, that they will not do the load calculations and will want you to hire a engineer for this so another fee.

So if you know how to build, you should be able to put it to paper. Or at least have a idea of how it should be drawn. You will be way ahead if you learn to use a CADD program and start drawing your own plans. Then find a engineer to check them for you and do the calculations. My engineer only charges me about $500 for the average house, more if it is larger or more complicated.

By learning to do this you will make extra money from the design and plan charges to the customer. Typically you should charge anywhere from $2000 to $5000 for something like a addition to a average house.


But if you don't have the time, need it done right now, or just don't want to learn how to do it. There should be some draftsmen/designers or Architects in your area or close that can do it. Suggestions on how to find one, the phone book, ask some of your suppliers/lumber yard, ask someone at the building department and preferably the plan checker.

joasis

I generally have an architect draw my home plans....if the customer and I agree, I always stipulate changes can occur as necessary to make a plan workable. The time you get engineers or others involved is when you have situations beyond "typical".....and we are talking residential here. Now commercial is a whole other world.

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HomeSurgeon

CJ,
I know you can't, I threw that out cause I have been on jobs and heard the gc giving a price off the top of his head for an addition or whatever saying "he has done a bunch just like it". Thats why I said that, I would not do it. And home owners try to get you to quote them there, which I do not do either, and they say " The last guy gave me a price". So I was curious to know if some of you all did that too. Cause I have lost jobs when I will not give prices up front, waste time with the estimate, to find out later they gave it to the guy who quotes them at the door. Cause hear in my area of NC at least, just about everyone gives free estimates, so to compete with people like that is just about impossible, and I try to warn the homeowner on stuff like that, "Surprises" that will pop up on bids like that. But I guess some HO's don't care, cause I try my best to avoid surprises, but then again I do home repairs and I end up fixing a lot of these builders crap.
Thanks

HomeSurgeon

KGMZ, You answered 2 questions with your reply. I did not ask my first question the right way. I apologize. Engineer approval with a CAD drawing. Thats what I was trying to ask, when HO asked for help. I use a Punch program for remodeling to show my clients what there project will look like, but you can't use it for plan details I don't think. I don't know what you use but I was told Cadsoft has a good program, for cheaper than the Timberline.

rbsremodeling

I don't know about anywhere else but here we give a price 9 out of 10 times before we get to the plan stages.

It is how it is done here.

Ballpark first, then design contract then new estimate based on plans.

8 out of ten times my ballpark is usually no more or less than 10% off of the final estimate.

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wellbuilthome

in NJ we could draw our own plans and the HO could pull the permit no stamp. I can get free beam specs from calling Georga /pacific .Now im in NY and i need plans for most decks additions ect. My wife draws the job , and then we give it to a drafts men to make it plan size and stamp it. I pay 1000 bucks some times 1500 .I no how much i want for the job when im talking to the people .I have old job take offs to read up on before i meet with them. I never give them a price with out a plan and writen proposal . Never Never Never