frequently asked questions

The square footage listed on any given plan is considered the total living square footage of the home, meaning the area designed as “finished” and heated in the home. This includes lower levels when shown as finished (though many of our homes can be built excluding the lower level or instead as optional unfinished / future finished space). 

The square footage does not include garages, storage areas, unfinished space, decks, porches, courtyards or other outdoor living spaces.

Our home plans provide all the necessary information to build your home with confidence, though they do not include structural calculations, as that information is site-specific. There will likely be some adjustments necessary to the home or garage plans to orient the home to your site and to comply with local building codes. Your home builder and building department will be able to help with this process.

Our Digital House Plan Sets include the following:

• Cover Sheet
• Specifications
• Foundation Layout Plan
• Floor Plans
• Sections
• Elevations
• Roof Ridge Plan
• Electrical Plan
• Details

For a detailed description and illustration of what our house plans include, check out: About Our House Plans.

If you’re not quite ready to purchase a full Digital House Plan Set because you’re interviewing builders and getting bids, we offer Bid Sets of many of our plans, suitable for getting estimates from builders so you will have an idea of the cost to build your home. These include the four elevation views of the home and floor plan sheets and are marked “Not For Construction.”

If you purchase a Bid Set, you will receive a discount code equal to the amount you paid for the Bid Set that you can apply toward the purchase of a complete Digital Plan Set. We offer Bid Sets for many of our plans, listed below the “Add to Cart” button.

Please note that our Bid Sets are marked “Not For Construction” and are copyright-protected. Purchasing a Bid Set does not provide you with a license to build the plan and to do so would violate copyright laws.

The right plan format for you depends on your situation and how much versatility you may need. We offer our plans exclusively in digital formats—either as PDF or PDF + CAD files—so you won’t need to pay for shipping or wait for plans to arrive in the mail. Once you’ve accepted and signed a license agreement, you will receive your plan files electronically based on the estimated timeline given before checkout, and you can then print the number of plans you need at your local print shop, or share the files with your designer and / or builder.

Digital PDFs are not editable, meaning that changes may be more difficult to make, though some minor adjustments may be made via redline by your local professionals. 

When you add the CAD files option to your plan purchase, you’ll receive the Digital PDF Plan Set along with CAD files of each plan sheet (.dwg format) that allow for further customization and options. 

CAD (Computer-Aided Design) files are digital files that contain detailed and accurate technical drawings and specifications of a design. CAD files are commonly used by building and design professionals to create and modify house plans, and this allows you much more flexibility in making sure your home design meets your needs and works best for your site. 

For a more detailed comparison of the two digital options, check out: About Our House Plans.

When viewing our home plans, you’ll see that each plan has a unique estimated timeline posted near the top. As a small business, we share our design and drafting team with our founders, the Colorado-based architectural firm LGA Studios, meaning a team of humans checks over every order for quality assurance. Because we often experience busy seasons of custom design work, we want to be transparent about our timing so you know what to expect. Though we have a small team, your plan is important to us, and we want to make sure we deliver what you need with a personal touch and make ourselves available to you for customer support as well.

Some of our home concepts are exciting new designs, fresh off the drawing board, and that can mean the plans need to be finished up to the level of quality we demand for our house plans, which may take several weeks.

The timeline estimates shown on each plan are for the existing floor plan and exterior elevation as shown. If you would like to make customizations to the plan, that will increase the amount of time it takes to deliver your plan, depending on the complexity of changes requested. The design and drafting team at LGA Studios handles all plan customizations, and they will be happy to provide a proposal and estimate for this service if you choose to proceed.

If you are not requesting customizations, then when you place your order with us and sign your license agreement, we will process 50% of your payment upon checkout, and the remaining 50% will be processed when we deliver the final files to you as a digital download. We’ll keep you updated via email if we have any questions or need to update you on anything.

Unfortunately, given that it is possible to make illegal printed copies of home plans and digital files once received, we do not allow returns or refunds.

Make sure you double check the dimensions of your lot before purchasing a home plan and feel free to get in touch with us if you need assistance or have any questions about choosing the home plan that's right for you. We want you to be completely satisfied with your plan purchase, and we’re happy to help in any way we can!

Our home plans meet the International Residential Code (IRC) in effect when the plan was designed. The International Residential Code is the base code typically adopted by all states, though states will often add their own adjustments on top of the base code due to state-specific geographical conditions. Because local regulations and site variations differ widely, you’ll need to run your plan by local experts who can help you out.

Some areas of the country have especially strict engineering codes–with good reason–such as hurricane risk zones along the Gulf Coast or earthquake-prone areas of California. Certain neighborhoods have strict Homeowner Associations or Architectural Control Committees with dictates on setbacks and style. 

Many areas require additional steps, including site plans, structural engineering, MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) plans, energy code compliance, and local code updates. It is your responsibility to comply with all local building codes, zoning requirements, and other applicable laws, regulations, ordinances, and conditions set forth by your planning commission. 

A great place to start is with a visit to your local building department or their website. Many will have a handout or list of everything you need in order to submit for a building permit.

Before purchasing a set of plans, we recommend visiting your local building department either in person or via their website. They will often have resources, recommendations, and a checklist of everything you need in order to submit for a building permit before breaking ground on your site.

Often, you will need a site plan and will likely need to hire a structural engineer, as a state-licensed engineering stamp is one of the most common requirements when applying for a building permit. Site and state conditions vary widely, and an engineer will be able to address local frost-depth requirements, hillside considerations, soil testing requirements, wind and lateral bracing, and load conditions pertaining to snow, wind, and earthquakes, as required by your area. 

An engineer will analyze the design of your house plan and may provide additional drawings and calculations as required by your local building department. Trusses, if used, may also need to be professionally engineered. Your home builder will likely be able to recommend trusted engineers in your area.

Some areas require an architect and / or engineer’s stamp in order to be approved for a building permit. Every county and municipality has its own requirements and regulations, and our plans do not come pre-stamped. Please visit your local building department to learn if a stamp is required.

Because our plans are designed to meet national building codes rather than state or county-specific codes, our plans do not show extensive HVAC or plumbing. Local building codes and your personal energy preferences dictate systems such as heating and cooling, duct layout, and the location, type, and number of heating and cooling units necessary. Water flow is also site-specific. Your builder and subcontractors will be able to help you choose the systems that are right for you that meet your local building codes.

Finding the right builder for your home is crucial to the success of your project, as it is their experience and craftsmanship that will have an enduring impact. It’s important to find someone you trust and who you can build a good relationship with, and this may mean interviewing several builders and certainly doing your homework.

Good word-of-mouth is a great way to get started – ask for suggestions from family and friends, or if you’ve already purchased your site or know the neighborhood you’re interested in, ask your new neighbors who they would recommend. Especially if you have a challenging site, finding a builder with experience in that area can make the learning curve a lot less steep should you run into issues. You also may consider going to a Parade of Homes in your area, where you can examine the work of local builders up close.

You’ll want to verify that every builder on your shortlist has an updated license and insurance, which you can do by contacting the state licensing board, and it’s a good idea to ask each builder for references of homes they’ve built. You may want to drive by these completed homes or sites that are under construction to get a better sense of how they operate.

Once you’ve narrowed your field of potential builders, set up interviews with the best candidates to work through your questions. If you’ve already selected a plan, you can request that the builder create a bid for what it would cost for them to build your home. If you're still in the idea phase, you can show them plans on our website or purchase a Bid Set to see if they would be confident taking on your project, or if they've built homes on a similar scale and budget to what you have in mind.

You may ask about how they select subcontractors, inquire about potential timelines, and generally see if they would be a good match for your project. Quite a bit can come down to gut instinct, as the relationship you have with your builder is important to the success of your home build.

For more details and example questions you may wish to ask during your interviews with builders, LGA Studios has a blog series with ideas: How To Select A Home Builder.

Our plans are designed for use by individuals and companies with prior construction knowledge. They are detailed, but are not a step-by-step guide for building a house. Unless you are an experienced home builder, we recommend working with a trusted local builder when using our plans.

Our team of designers come to the table with decades of experience in residential design and building. Our collective passion is to spread the practice of good design and to create homes that make people happy, and we have extensive experience in conceptualizing communities, green building, and custom construction.

We can find or develop innovative floor plans based on any criteria, from floor plan style to footprint size to square footage, and we can customize your favorite plan with a variety of elevations, providing your clients with the architectural style they crave.

We can open our portfolio of hundreds of floor plans to you for your perusal, and we can help you find or design homes that suit your goals, whether it be attracting new clients or developing a new subdivision or a pocket neighborhood. Please contact us for a custom quote to discuss the possibilities.

If you’ve found a plan of ours that you love working with and would like to build the plan more than one time, we offer additional or unlimited building licenses for many of our plans. One building license is included with the purchase of a Digital Plan Set, or you may add on additional licenses when you add the plan to your cart. If you need anything else, just send us a message or give us a call, and we’ll get you taken care of!

We advise purchasing your site first, as this will determine the maximum width and depth of the home you can build there (the home’s footprint). There is an art to marrying the right home with the land, and giving this some thought in the beginning is what will bring harmony to your project, creating a home you’ll be happy with for generations.

Besides the width and depth of the site, there’s the slope to consider, and certainly if there are views you want to take advantage of (or perhaps minimize). How much distance would you like between your home and your neighbor’s? And would you ever want to add an ADU or detached studio?

Although it's more common to purchase your site before your plan, if you find a plan first that you know is the right one for you, it is absolutely possible to shop for your site second, it just depends on what feels best for you. If your dream plan and your dream site aren’t quite a perfect fit, feel free to get in touch with us for a customization consultation and we’ll help you figure out how to sync them up!

In either scenario – whether you purchase your site before your plan or vice versa – we always recommend that your very first step before anything else is to visit your local building department either in person or online to find out more about what the process of building a home in your area will entail.

Many building departments provide brochures or checklists of what you will need before applying for a building permit, and this is a great place to start so you can identify specific challenges you may encounter for your chosen lot, and find a builder who can help you meet them.

Sometimes, the lot you fall in love with to build your home on is straightforward, with no issues to hinder building. Other times, there may be challenges that arise based on the land and zone that you’ll need to account for.

Hillside lots can pose challenges or require retaining walls that must be engineered, or a geotechnical engineer may need to assess risks of ground movement and groundwater, particularly based on soil types, faults, or slide potential.

Additionally, some neighborhoods and subdivisions have strict Homeowners Associations (HOAs) and Architectural Control Committees that may require you to meet additional requirements and reviews.

None of this should dampen the excitement of finding your dream home, however! This is only to set you up for success by understanding the potential setbacks that may arise when pairing your perfect home with your perfect lot.

If the lot you’ve chosen is more challenging, we recommend scheduling in a bit of extra time to handle issues as they arise and budgeting out a bit of extra cash to cover more substantial engineering, but it will be worth it knowing your home is just right in the end.

This is the fun part, so break out the whiteboard and colorful markers!

First, figure out your must-haves and the information you already know, like how many bedrooms you need, the width and depth of home that will fit your site, and an approximate square footage that fits your budget.

Floor plan style is a great place to go next. A two-story home with a finished lower level is great for families with children, providing space for both privacy and time together. If this is a home you’re planning to retire in, or if you may be caring for aging parents or in-laws, a ranch plan that has the bedrooms, kitchen, garage, laundry, and other living spaces all on one level allows for seamless aging-in-place and long-term independence.

You probably also have a sense of what you want your home to feel like. Maybe you want an open floor plan with a gourmet kitchen at the center and tons of light. You may want more secluded areas incorporated into the plan, like bay window nooks, a library, or home studios. You surely have thoughts on your primary suite – does it have walk-in closets, a spa-like bathroom, a private patio, a fireplace?

Think about your work style and hobbies as well. Do you or any family members work from home? An office or study could be a must-have to help you live your best life. How do you like to entertain? Would you like a formal dining room for holiday celebrations, a game room with space to host poker night, a home theater for movies, or a courtyard for summer wine tastings?

The floor plan that feels right to you is what will matter most, because even aspects as major as the architectural style can be overhauled to suit your tastes once you find the right plan.

If you’ve found a home that’s almost right but not quite perfect, get in touch with us to ask about home plan customization, and we’ll see what we can do for you!

Absolutely! It’s quite common to want changes made to a plan, and these can range from minor adjustments that simply bring a plan up to local code requirements to major overhauls that verge on custom home design. Your chosen builder or local engineer can often help you with tweaks and solutions to comply with local code jurisdiction and site orientation, but if you have anything more complex in mind, you may be better off enlisting the help of a trusted drafter or building designer.

Our design team can help you with modifications, or even develop a new plan for a truly custom fit. Find out more about this process here: Customize a Home Plan.

If you like the feel of the plans we offer in our collection but you’ve decided a custom home is right for you, Colorado-based custom home design firm LGA Studios is the founding company of Rocky Mountain Plan Company and they offer custom home design. Visit LGA Studios to learn more.

We have a great blog series to learn more about the history and features of many popular architectural styles! Check it out here.

When you purchase a plan, you’ll receive a license agreement to build the plan once. This license will be issued in your name and is not transferable for any reason.

One building license is included with the purchase of a Digital Plan Set. If you would like to build a plan more than once, you may add on additional licenses when you add the plan to your cart or contact us to pay a reuse fee. If you need anything else, just send us a message or give us a call, and we’ll get you taken care of!

When you purchase one of our plans, you are purchasing a license to build the plan one time and you will also be sent a copyright release to sign.

The copyright release allows you to legally make copies of the copyrighted house plan for you to use and provide to your builder, engineers, and subcontractors. It does not, however, give you permission to sell the original plans.

All plans and illustrations on this website and in our plan books are the copyrighted property of Rocky Mountain Plan Company, LLC, and law strictly prohibits reproduction in whole or in part.

Upon purchase of a construction set of plans and a license agreement, one home may be constructed, and the plans may not be resold or copied.

Fines up to $250,000 per instance of each plan sold or of any copyright violated will be enforced and prosecuted.

We strive for accurate representation of renderings and plans and will not be responsible for errors or omissions. Learn more about copyright information.

Our website and payment information is handled through Shopify. Your credit card information is never stored on our site and is fully encrypted and secured. We do not sell or give out any private information to anyone for any reason.

Feel free to send us a message or give us a call at 719-635-0880!