Plansource Customizes All Home Plans

Since its inception in 1996, Plansource has focused on quality design and service for all of its clients. Because the firm focuses only on residential design, Plansource is able to fully understand the needs of its clients, and the markets they build in.

The principal of Plansource, Randall W. Smith, AIBD, has an extensive background in residential construction and design. He grew up in a homebuilding family, and has since gained experience with two national home builders, and a national residential design firm prior to deciding to meet the challenges of establishing his own design firm.

The work of Plansource is throughout Florida and the South. The work is varied and includes many types of construction techniques and housing types. Mr. Smith’s experience includes single-family houses, multi-family townhouses, condominiums, and amenity buildings for communities.

House Design for the Elderly from Plansource, Inc.

 

 

A recent study has determined that up to 20% of all baby boomer households will have an elderly parent living with them.  In many cases, the elderly remain in sufficient good health to not have to be confined to an assisted living facility or nursing home.  However, they still need occasional assistance on a day to day basis.

Most homes have not been designed to meet this new demand.  A home must make all of its occupants comfortable, and privacy is a necessity for everyone.   Additional considerations such as wider openings, grab bars, and easier door handles are amenities that can make living a bit easier for those elderly occupants.

Plansource, Inc. has a catalog of pre-designed homes and duplexes for the Florida market, all of which can be viewed on our website, www.plansonline.com.  While our home plans come in many various sizes, widths, and configurations, we recognize that we cannot have a pre-designed home for every situation.  That is why we offer our customization service for each and every plan in our catalog.  It is important to us that our plans are viewed as a starting point to develop the home of your dreams.  This is where experienced design creates the difference.

An example of what we can do is our Plan 2044.  We have taken that house, and revised a section of it to allow for an elderly parent to have their own private living quarters within the home.  Thought has been put into privacy, security, and safety.  This is only an example of any number of changes that can be performed on our plans.

Since its inception in 1996, Plansource has focused on quality design and service for all of its clients. Because the firm focuses only on residential design, Plansource is able to fully understand the needs of its clients, and the markets they build in.

The principal of Plansource, Randall W. Smith, AIBD, has an extensive background in residential construction and design. He grew up in a homebuilding family, and has since gained experience with two national home builders, and a national residential design firm prior to deciding to meet the challenges of establishing his own design firm.

The work of Plansource is throughout Florida and the South. The work is varied and includes many types of construction techniques and housing types. Mr. Smith’s experience includes single-family houses, multi-family townhouses, condominiums, and amenity buildings for communities.

Who Does Plansource Work With?

Plansource, Inc. prides itself on the diversity of design that we create for homebuilders across Florida and the southeastern United States.  We can design a cost efficient entry-level home, or a mansion with the ultimate design detail.  Our client list is very long, but we thought we would share a few of our clients to show the diversity of styles, construction methods, and price points in which we work.

Gray Homes, Tampa, Florida

Tamlin Homes, Tampa, Florida

Country Squire Homes, Tampa Florida

Hibiscus Homes, Orlando, Florida

TH Taylor Homes, Montgomery, Alabama

Southern and Traditional Homes, Brandon, Florida

American Homes, LLC, North Port, FL

Some of the homes you may see on these client’s websites could be a custom home we designed specifically for a home owner, or the house may have been chosen directly from our catalog.   Or perhaps someone chose a catalog plan, but requested changes to suit their needs.  All of this is available to clients of Plansource, Inc.

The principal of Plansource, Randall W. Smith, AIBD, has an extensive background in residential construction and design. He grew up in a homebuilding family, and has since gained experience with two national home builders, and a national residential design firm prior to deciding to meet the challenges of establishing his own design firm.  He has also owned a custom homebuilding company.

2007 Florida Building Code in effect March 1, 2009

As of March 1, 2009, the 2007 Florida Building Code will be in effect statewide.  The electrical code will not be changing at that time, but is expected to be updated in the coming months.

The new code has a myriad of minor changes and clarifications that affect most aspects of residential construction.  The most sweeping changes are to the Energy Code, which now requires a much higher degree of energy efficiency in all new homes.  This includes air conditioning/heating units, windows, doors, insulation, and other aspects to conserve energy.

However, it is important that consumers be aware that this extra cost will have to be passed from the homebuilders to the buyers.  These new products and regulations add costs to the home that hopefully will repay itself over time.

The principal of Plansource, Randall W. Smith, AIBD, has an extensive background in residential construction and design. He grew up in a homebuilding family, and has since gained experience with two national home builders, and a national residential design firm prior to deciding to meet the challenges of establishing his own design firm.  He has also owned a custom homebuilding company.

Plansource and WD Farmer Form Partnership

Plansource, Inc., a Tampa based residential design firm, has partnered with W.D. Farmer’s Homes for Pleasant Living to distribute our portfolio of plans within their publications.   W.D. Farmer, FAIBD, Residence Designer was established in 1961.  W.D. Farmer has been a residential designer for 48 years.  His firm is recongnized throughout the country for outstanding work.

 

As always, all Plansource, Inc. plans are designed to the 2007 Florida Building Code and are available as signed and sealed permit sets, as well as unsigned sets for a builder or homeowner to utilize his own engineer.  Plansource, Inc. will continue to do its own order fulfillment to ensure the standards for Florida’s complex building code are met.  Custom home and duplex designs, CD Roms of the drawing files, presentation artwork, writing architectural deed restrictions, and full design customization services of our single family and duplex catalogue plans are but a few of the many services we provide homebuilders in Florida and throughout the Southeast. 

 

Since its inception in 1996, Plansource has focused on quality design and service for all of its clients.  Because the firm focuses only on residential design, Plansource is able to fully understand the needs of its clients, and the markets they build in.

 

 

 

 

Appointment to Historical Review Board

Randall W. Smith, AIBD, the principle designer and president for Plansource, Inc., has been named by the Board of County Commissioners, Hillsborough County, FL to a three year term on its Historic Resources Review Board.  The Board acts as an architectural review board to protect historic resources throughout the county.

 

Since its inception in 1996, Plansource has focused on quality design and service for all of its clients.  Because the firm focuses only on residential design, Plansource is able to fully understand the needs of its clients, and the markets they build in.

 

Randall W. Smith has an extensive background in residential construction and design.  He grew up in a homebuilding family, and has since gained experience with two national home builders, and a national residential design firm prior to deciding to meet the challenges of establishing his own design firm.

 

The work of Plansource is throughout Florida and the South.  The work is varied and includes many types of construction techniques and housing types.  Mr. Smith’s experience includes single-family houses, multi-family townhouses, condominiums, and amenity buildings for communities

Prices of Homes- $ per square foot?

The most asked question I get is how much is a home per square foot?  It is almost like asking how much is a car per pound?  A Volkswagon and a Rolls Royce both get you where you are going.  They both have the necessary equipment to do that.  Yet, one is so much more expensive than the other.

It is the same with houses.  There are many many variables that go into the cost of a home.  Some of the costs are fixed, such as impact and other fees, and taxes charged by local governments.  There is also a point of diminishing returns where no matter how small you make a house, how stripped down, the cost will not go any lower due to those fixed costs. 

One large cost factor in homes are the finishes that go into them.  One kitchen with nice cabinets and ordinary appliances can be tens of thousands of dollars less than a luxury kitchen with high end appliances of the exact same size.  No crown molding versus 4″ painted crown molding versus 9″ stained crown molding can be twenty dollars or more per lineal foot in cost.  That is eight hundred dollars for a ten by ten room. 

A tile roof costs at least twice as much as a shingle roof.  The layout of the house can be a more efficient design, thereby using less materials, fewer beams, and less cost.  A sprawling house with a large roof and more complicated design can cost quite a bit more, even if it is the same size as the efficiently designed house.  Ceiling heights, roof slopes, exterior ornamentation are only but a few of hundreds of factors that play into the cost of a house.

Another huge factor is energy.  Each home is made of paints, veneers, stains, varnishes, plastics, vinyl, carpet, asphalt shingles, fiberglass, insulation and many other petrolium based products.  Even if the product is not petrolium based, it still needs to be transported to the job site-fuel surcharges are very common among suppliers.  While we may be currently enjoying a lull in the price of energy, it is not expected to last, and that cost will be passed along to the consumer.

A marketing tactic most homebuilders use, as do automobile dealers, is to build a beautiful model home, and say that it starts at a certain price.  In your head, you think, that is a reasonable dollar per square foot cost.  Then the builder points out that the house has many upgrades that you don’t get for that price.  You add all those upgrades, and the price goes up accordingly.  

It is difficult to compare many builders.  Some builders specialize in giving you the most house for the money.  As a trade off, you get no choices, no options, and the houses are ten feet apart, not to mention the quality of materials.  Some builders give you as many options as you can think of, and you are going to have to pay for that privilege.

Also, the prices of new homes are not coming down.  Another question I am asked is why are new custom home price quotes not any cheaper than two years ago?  The main answer to that is the excess inventory and foreclosed homes are being sold at less than cost.  You cannot compare a new house to those.  Also, material prices have not come down.  The fixed costs have not come down.  In both cases, they have actually gone up.  Due to our current situation of higher unemployment, labor costs have come down some, but labor is actually a small part of the overall cost of the home due to more common pre-fabricated construction products that allow for quick and easy  installation, or other factors that have been developed to shorten the building time. Generally speaking,  it is nowhere near the 50% alot of people think.

This idea of comparing based on dollar per square foot seems to be a very difficult concept for alot of buyers to understand.  You must make sure you are comparing apples to apples, and in most cases, you are comparing apples to T-bone steak-very little in common with each other.  Buyers need to realize what they are shopping for-as much house as you can get for the money, or a smaller house with more luxury in it.  The trade offs are the quality of the home, the finishes of the home, location, and many many other factors that can only be determined once you make your decisions with an experienced builder and designer. 

Not to mention, a new building code was adopted effective March 1, 2009 which has new guidelines that are going to immediately raise the cost of the house simply to meet the new code.

In short, you cannot say a $100/sf house is the “going rate no matter what is in the house”.   It is the “going rate for a house of pre-determined design, location, and finishes criteria“.  You need to know what that criteria is when talking to a builder.  And, as with everything in life, remember, you get what you pay for.  Please refer to my blog on costs associated with a designer.

The principal of Plansource, Randall W. Smith, AIBD, has an extensive background in residential construction and design. He grew up in a homebuilding family, and has since gained experience with two national home builders, and a national residential design firm prior to deciding to meet the challenges of establishing his own design firm.  He has also owned a custom homebuilding company.

Plansource Now Offering Remodeling and Home Addition Plans

Plansource, Inc., a Tampa based residential design firm, has added remodeling and home additions to their list of services offered to homebuilders.  All of the same quality and attention to detail that our clients have come to expect from us will be a part of this new service.   The growth of this segment of the housing industry is expected to continue to grow as new home prices resume their upward trend, and land in the most convenient and sought after locations will be hard to find. 

 

Of course, the same great new home plans you have come to expect from our firm are still available on our website, www.plansonline.com.  All of our plans, new and remodeling, are designed to meet the 2004/2006 Florida Building Code and are available as signed and sealed permit sets, as well as unsigned sets for a builder or homeowner to utilize his own engineer.  Custom home and duplex designs, CD Roms of the drawing files, presentation artwork, writing architectural deed restrictions, and full design customization services of our single family and duplex catalogue plans are but a few of the many services we provide homebuilders and homeowners.

 

  

Since its inception in 1996, Plansource has focused on quality design and service for all of its clients.  Because the firm focuses only on residential design, Plansource is able to fully understand the needs of its clients, and the markets they build in.

 

 

Plansource can be reached at (813)909-2941, or www.plansonline.com

 

 

 

 

Plansource chosen for Charity House

Plansource, Inc. is proud to have been chosen as the designers for the Greater Brandon Community Foundation charity house.  This Foundation serves the local Brandon area, and focuses on the community at large.

The home will be built in Fish Hawk Ranch, in the Garden District.  The home is a unique blend of prairie and craftsman styles, with the warmth of stone and detailing that is reminiscent of the turn of the century.  Although the house may look as if it was built long ago, it will contain the most up date features regarding energy, design, and green building techniques.

The house is scheduled to be completed in early 2010, and will be raffled off by the charity.

Tamlin Homes, Inc. of Tampa is the builder of the home.

The principal of Plansource, Randall W. Smith, AIBD, has an extensive background in residential construction and design. He grew up in a homebuilding family, and has since gained experience with two national home builders, and a national residential design firm prior to deciding to meet the challenges of establishing his own design firm.

The work of Plansource is throughout Florida and the South. The work is varied and includes many types of construction techniques and housing types. Mr. Smith’s experience includes all aspects of single-family houses, multi-family townhouses, condominiums, and amenity buildings for communities.

Plansource can be contacted at www.plansonline.com or (813)909-2941. 

Tamlin Homes can be reached at www.tamlinhomes.net

The Greater Brandon Community Foundation can be reached at www.brandonfoundation.com.

What To Look For In A Great Residential (Home) Designer

Picking a designer is as important as picking a builder, an accountant or any other professional.  They are creating your home, the largest investment most people make in their lifetime.  And, as in everything else in life, you get what you pay for.  You need not spend a fortune on great design.  What separates a good designer from a great designer is the experience of the designer and the ability to put your vision on paper to be realized on the ground and within your budget.

With any designer, you must ask these questions:

1.  Has the designer ever built a home before?  Field experience is incalcuable when designing a home.  A small adjustment in a design due to the knowlege of construction and real world issues can save a client more than the designer’s entire fee.  Even a small error in the field can cost thousands of dollars not only in retrofitting, but in time.  That interest clock on a mortgage never stops ticking.

2.  What kind of questions does the designer ask you?  Does all he discuss is his past projects, or does he discuss your life, how you live, your desires, and your budget?

3.  Has the designer completed a broad range of designs?  Many styles and sizes of homes, utilizing the many varied construction materials and techniques that are available today?  Is he accustomed to putting the same thought and details to a small modest home as the most elaborate mansions?

4.  Does the designer have the contacts with engineers, builders, the building departments and other professionals that make the creation of the construction documents complete and useful?

And remember, as with everything in the world, you get what you pay for.   A great designer can be a great resource to show you how to actually save money and still achieve the dream home you have always wished for. 

The principal of Plansource, Randall W. Smith, AIBD, has an extensive background in residential construction and design. He grew up in a homebuilding family, and has since gained experience with two national home builders, and a national residential design firm prior to deciding to meet the challenges of establishing his own design firm.  He has also owned his own custom home building company.

The work of Plansource is throughout Florida and the South. The work is varied and includes many types of construction techniques and housing types. Mr. Smith’s experience includes all aspects of single-family houses, multi-family townhouses, condominiums, and amenity buildings for communities.

Plansource can be contacted at www.plansonline.com or (813)909-2941.