| Q. |
Will I need to spend time finding a local architect to seal my plans? and do the plans meet local building codes? |
| A. |
Most cities and states require that a licensed architect seal a blueprint. Olson Plans have been prepared by a licensed architect and should meet all local and state requirements. You will not incur additional local costs or time in finding a local architect to review and seal your plans. Plans submitted for building review will be the responsibility of Olson Plans for compliance and any corrections required at no additional cost. Corrected plans will be reissued to the local building departments. |
| Q. |
What states do you have architectural registration? |
| A. |
William Olson, Principal of Olson Plans is licensed in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado and Kentucky. |
| Q. |
How many sets of plans will I receive? |
| A. |
You will receive 10 sets of plans consisting of roughly 14 sheets of drawings and specifications. |
| Q. |
What engineering is necessary? |
| A. |
To properly build a home, an engineered drawing with site grading changes in respect to home location, driveways and pools must be provided to the contractor. Olson Plans will assist you in hiring an engineer that will provide this information for you. In some cases, a look-out or walk-out basement will require this due to a sloping lot. After this information has been provided by an engineer, Olson Plans will change the drawings accordingly. |
| Q. |
How do I make changes to a plan? |
| A. |
You submit a marked up reproduction of our plan and elevation drawing, printed from our website with a required modification list. We will call you discuss the changes and any costs associated. |
| Q. |
How is the living area of a plan calculated? |
| A. |
The living area of a plan is calculated to the outside of the exterior walls. Garages, basements, attics, bonus rooms, screened in porches are not included in square footage. Please contact us if you have any questions about our plans. |
Q. |
What mechanical and electrical information do you provide? |
| A. |
Local regulations vary for electrical and mechanical layout and installations. Our plans provide schematic drawings for electrical lighting and outlet locations. Mechanical layouts usually are not required by building departments. When they are necessary, layouts are provided by our heating subcontractor. |
| Q. |
When can I expect to receive my plans? |
| A. |
Drawings with no changes should be received within 5 days after payment has been received. Plans with changes can vary greatly depending on the amount of changes that are required and the time required to make these changes. |
| Q. |
How do I order stock plans from Olson Plans? |
| A. |
If you know the plan you would like to purchase you can order by phone or by email. For more information contact us at any time. |
| Q. |
What does stamped and sealed plans mean? |
| A. |
When an architect stamps and signs working drawings it means the drawings have been reviewed by the architect to meet all building code requirements and is structurally sound for the location in which the home will be built. |
| Q. |
Where do I start when planning to build a home? |
| A. |
The first thing you need to decide is where you will build your home. Lot sizes, slope, drainage, corner vs. middle lot all have an impact on the type of home design you need. Before selecting a lot you should check with your local building departments to see if there are any restrictions on the property, what are the local codes and is there an association that has special covenants. |
| Q. |
What is a Stock Plan? |
| A. |
Stock plans are drawings that have been previously created by an architect and drawn to construction specifications. Your fee for the stock plan covers the cost of creating copies and a share of the original cost of plan development. |
| Q. |
How do I make changes to a stock plan? |
| A. |
All of Olson's plans were created by Olson architects and are computerized in a CAD system. To make a change simply note the change desired and discuss the change with one of our designers. If your change is structurally sound and meets code requirements we will have the plan changed by our draftsmen. |
| Q. |
Are all stock plans sold through architectural companies? |
| A. |
No. Many times the stock plans you find advertised on the internet or in a catalogue are being sold by a publishing company. If you purchase the plan from a publisher you need to consider how you will receive architectural advice about your plan. This could be an extra cost to you. |
| Q. |
Are all of Olson's plans on this website? |
| A. |
No, Olson has over 4,000 stock plans. All of our plans were created by our draftsmen using our CAD system. However, not all of our plans have been digitized for the internet. We are working hard to digitize all of our plans. Please continue to visit our site because new plans are constantly being added. |
| Q. |
Why do some plans only have detail specification and do not have a picture of the elevation or the floor plan? |
| A. |
We are working hard to create rendered elevations and floor plan images. Again, keep visiting our web page because we are adding new elevations and floor plans every day. |
