The most difficult part of building a new home can be just getting started. This is the second part of a series on how to get started with your new home project. You have come up with some basic requirements on what you want in your plans. What is the next step? It is to start working on plans. There are two basic ways to get your plans. One is to purchase a stock plan from an architect or clearing house, the other is to have them drawn. It is very rare that someone finds the exact stock plan that works, but changes can be made. The original architect can make the changes, or many times, a local architect can purchase the plan from the original architect and make changes. That way if the original architect is in another part of the country, you can still meet with someone locally. Plus, the local materials and codes will be considered. The other method is to have the plans drawn by a designer or architect. This allows you to have an original plan, and it is designed specifically for your lifestyle. Sometimes the lot will dictate the plan, which may require a new draw. A new draw may be the more expensive option, but not always. This is what we are here to help with. Helping you decide if changing a stock plan or if an original design will work better for you. Next time, how to consider the size and options for a plan while staying in budget.