You will need to have your lot surveyed.  You may then be required to obtain a grading plan.  We can make recommendations for surveyors and civil engineers if you wish.  In the case of Custom Design projects, we can begin schematic design while this work is being done, but we cannot begin preliminary drawings until this work is completed.  The time and charges necessary for completion of this work is beyond the scope of our work.

Yes.  Although all plans are drawn with a slab-on-grade foundation, each can be modified, for a fee, to a raised wood floor with or without a basement, depending on your lot.

Yes.  Exterior style or finish changes can be done for an additional fee.

Unfortunately, No.  Our customers’ personal information is held in the strictest confidence.

Depending on the project package requested, the completion time will vary.  Our projects are given the following deadlines:

Custom Design:After you and the Designer have finalized the initial concept, it will usually take 2-3 weeks to prepare your schematic floor plan. After you approve the schematic floor plan, it will usually take 1-2 weeks to prepare your preliminary plans.  After you approve the preliminary plans, it will usually take 2-3 weeks to prepare your final plans. Our agreement with you assumes we will meet a total of four times or less and that we will make revisions to the drawings in response to your feedback.  Once we have received signed approval of the revisions at each phase, either in person, by fax, or scanned and sent as a PDF, we will proceed to the next phase.  If additional meetings and/or subsequent revisions after receipt of approval are required, then the fee and completion time will be adjusted accordingly.  If additional meetings and subsequent revisions are required, then the fee and completion time will be adjusted accordingly.  Generally, an additional week will be added for each additional meeting and the additional time will be charged at our hourly rates.

Plan Re-Use With Modifications:  After you and the Designer have finalized the initial concept, it will usually take about 1-2 weeks to prepare your preliminary plans.  After you approve the preliminary plans, it will usually take about 1-2 weeks to prepare your final plans.  Our agreement with you assumes we will meet a total of two times and that we will make revisions to the drawings in response to your feedback.  Once we have received signed approval of the revisions at each phase, either in person, by fax, or scanned and sent as a PDF, we will proceed to the next phase.  If additional meetings and/or subsequent revisions after receipt of approval are required, then the fee and completion time will be adjusted accordingly If additional meetings and subsequent revisions are required, then the fee and completion time will be adjusted accordingly.  Generally, an additional week will be added for each additional meeting and the additional time will be charged at our hourly rates.

Plan Re-Use As Is:  This is the simplest and least expensive package we offer.  It is also the most time-efficient because there are NO changes and the plan has already been approved through the City of Bakersfield or the County of Kern.  (Major changes to satisfy requirements of other jurisdictions may result in additional charges based on hourly rates)  It will usually take 1-2 weeks to prepare your final plans. Our agreement with you assumes an initial meeting and NO changes to get to final plans. Any alteration to the plans changes the basic Agreement to a Plan Re-Use with Modifications. 

Structural Calculations & Title 24 for Plans Not Prepared by The Plan Store.net::  Some clients come to us with plans that they have drawn themselves, have purchased over the Internet, or have acquired from some other source.  Often, we will recommend that we begin again with a Custom Design because the work can be completed faster and with less expense.  If we determine that we can complete Structural and/or Title 24 calculations with only a few modifications on the drawings, we will usually be able to complete these in 1-2 weeks. 

Our plan packages are as follows:
Custom Design:The cost will computed at a per-square-foot rate for conditioned space (any space that is heated and/or cooled) and unconditioned space (usually garage or large storage space) plus supplements as noted on the Fee Schedule. The cost of changes to the plans AFTER the Client has approved the preliminary plan will be computed at our hourly rates. The cost incurred by additional meetings and revisions beyond the agreed four meetings will be computed at our hourly rates.  See Fee Schedule.

Plan Re-Use With Modifications: The cost will computed at a per-square-foot rate for conditioned space (any space that is heated and/or cooled) and unconditioned space (usually garage or large storage space) plus supplements as noted on the Fee Schedule. The cost of changes to the plans AFTER the Client has approved the preliminary plan will be computed at our hourly rates. The cost incurred by additional meetings and revisions beyond the agreed two meetings will be computed at our hourly rates.  See Fee Schedule.

Plan Re-Use As Is:The cost will computed at a per-square-foot rate for conditioned space (any space that is heated and/or cooled) and unconditioned space (usually garage or large storage space) plus supplements as noted on the Fee Schedule. Any alteration to the plans changes the basic Agreement to a Plan Re-Use with Modifications.  See Fee Schedule.

Structural Calculations & Title 24 for Plans Not Prepared by The Plan Store.net   If we determine that the plans are adequate, we can prepare only Structural Calculations and Energy Compliance Calculations (Title 24) as noted on our Fee Schedule.  However, with this service, some additional drafting hours (charged at the hourly rate) will likely be needed to add the structural requirements to the plans.  See Fee Schedule.

FEE SCHEDULE

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There is no refund on Custom Design and Plan Re-Use with Modifications because you have approved the plans at each stage of the process and the plans have been prepared to your specifications. 

For Plan Re-Use-As-Is, we can exchange your plan for another of our plans, but you will be charged for the difference of cost if the replacement plan is more expensive than the plan you originally chose and you will be charged for the additional copies.  No refunds will be made.

Building Departments typically require two sets of Plans and Calculations.  The additional set of Plans is for your use. When your Final Plans are approved by the Building Department, they will return a copy to you.

Exceptions:  We do not provide grading plans, engineered septic plans, mechanical details, and truss calculations.  Please check with your building department to verify if the additional plans will be required.  Major changes to satisfy requirements of jurisdictions outside of Kern County may result in additional charges based on hourly rates. 

We will ship your plans to youfor an additional charge. The plans will not be shipped until paid in full.

All of our online plans have passed Plan Check and conform substantially to required codes of Kern County.  On a custom designed home, however, it is virtually impossible to meet all codes, therefore some revisions may need to be made to pass your local codes.  We will make all required revisions within our scope of work.  On Plan Re-Use-As-Is, major changes to satisfy requirements of jurisdictions other than Kern County may result in additional charges based on hourly rates. 

Utilizing the revised schematic plan (Custom Design) or the revised Re-Use Plan (Plan Re-Use with Modifications), we prepare the preliminary plans for your review which consist of the refined floor plan, exterior elevations and a cross-section of the house.  You will then review the preliminary plans, indicate any revisions that you require, and approve those preliminary plans as revised. 

Final plans are what you will take to the Building Department to submit for Plan Check and receipt of your Building Permit.  It is best to obtain your Building Permit before you provide your plans to your Contractor.  The Contractor will develop a cost of construction for you.  We do not provide an estimate of the cost of construction or the cost of construction.

Some clients come to us with plans that they have drawn themselves, have purchased over the Internet, or have acquired from some other source.  In most instances, these clients request that we provide them with Structural Calculations and Energy Compliance Calculations (Title 24) required for a Building Permit.

Yes, with the Plan Re-Use with Modifications.  Such a change would need to be discussed with our staff.  The most important consideration is the structure and the beam that spans across the garage.  Depending on the current design of the garage doors and windows, the structure may need to be changed when the door is relocated which will incur an hourly charge.

We print the standard 3 sets: two for the Building Department and one for you.  If you would like more, we can print more sets for you. See our Fee Schedule.  The Building Department will return one set to you.  The number of sets you will need will vary upon you and your builder’s specific needs.  Besides a set for yourself and the Building Department, you may need sets for your builder, subcontractors, and/or mortgage lender. 

It is typical that corrections are requested by the City/County.  In that case, we complete the corrections and submit them to the City/County for you.  We do not charge extra for this on Custom Design and Plan Re-Use with Modifications as it is a part of the service you have paid for.  However, on Plan Re-Use-As-Is, major changes to satisfy requirements of jurisdictions other than Kern County may result in additional charges based on hourly rates. 

We have listed the information for Building Departments within Kern County.

We do not provide a list of materials for your particular house plan.  Depending on your location, different materials may be required for the same application.

Most construction material stores such as Home Depot or Lowes often prepare material lists at no cost and they will specify materials that are available or are required in your area.  They will need a set of your plans in order to generate the materials list.

We have close working relationships with many Contractors in the Kern County area.  For your convenience, we have provided a list of Contractors that we have worked with for your consideration.