Coastal Home Plans offers house plans from 65+ different architects and designers each offering a variety of purchase options for their plans. To learn more about the options and to help you decide the best format for your project read more below. One of the biggest factors will revolve around the number and complexity of modifications you would like make to the plan of your choosing. All of the plans on our site are available in formats that are ideally suited for making modifications. To familiarize you with these formats, let’s take a quick look at what’s available.
Printed Sets (5 or 8 SET Option) – Blueprints are the printed media traditionally used for construction documents. The original reason for printing “blue” was to help the copyright owners protect their designs. They do not reproduce well, which is an effective deterrent to copying. They are still in widespread use today – but are now typically black line prints on white paper. Blueprints are best suited for projects where no design changes are desired or required. Builders putting up “spec homes” fall into this category. Printed sets have copyright stamps printed on every sheet. As such, if the plan is modified, you will not be able to legally reprint the plans. This is why Reproducible Master and AutoCAD files are recommended if you plan to modify the design. Red more about each of these formats below.
Reproducible Master (PDF) – The Reproducible Master contains the identical number and sheets and info that is provided with printed sets, but it is in an digital format (PDF) that is sent to you via e-mail. It is one complete set that is a “solid line” drawing that you are allowed to modify. This format is best for making minor changes. If you need guidance on what would be considered “minor” call us and we’ll be glad to assist. You can make as many copies as you like to build one home. The typical printed size is a standard 24 x 36 blueprint available at Staples, Office Depot ort your local blueprint shop. The digital format is convenient for e-mailing the plans to your builder, engineer or others involved in the construction of your home.
AutoCAD – CAD (computer aided design) files are the original drawings created by the architect or designer. Using sophisticated software, the most popular version is called AutoCAD, the design professional creates the plan electronically on their computer. CAD files can be sent via e-mail. To make modifications, the user will need to have access to the software used to create the plan. Since the software is typically expensive and requires a significant amount of time to master, you will need to work with a design professional to have these files modified.
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If you have any questions about what format will work best for your project, give us a call at 1-843-886-5500 and we’ll be happy to provide guidance.
