Do plans meet code?

Yes, plans are designed to meet the most current International Residential Code (IRC) and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

What information is included in plans?

See a sample plan.

Do you design larger homes?

I have done larger projects but they are not featured on the website for obvious reasons. Dozens of larger design projects can be seen around Point Roberts, Washington, where I live and work.

As of October 2020, I no longer offer services for large-scale residential projects. I do generally work on a couple of small-scale projects every year. Feel free to email me.

How much does it cost to build a house?

Material and labor costs vary widely from region to region. Downloading a plan and emailing it to builders for competitive bidding is the absolute best way to determine costs in your area. As a general rule, you can expect to see bids at $300-400/sf and higher post-pandemic, particularly in the Western US and in other rapid economically expanding regions.

Do plans need engineering?

Yes, some do; but not all. It just depends on the location, the building department, and the design elements.

Can you build me a house?

The small HOUSE CATALOG is not a construction company!

I’m a builder, can I use your plans to build for resale?

Yes, your plan purchase includes a license to build one house for personal or professional purposes. If you choose to build a second house from the same plan you only need to repurchase the plan to refresh the license.

Can I market or sell your plans?

No, do not upload, download, sell or otherwise distribute plans from the small HOUSE CATALOG in any format or design modification.

Do you still offer free house plans?

No, I discontinued my free plan downloads in 2017 because people were reselling them at their own websites, and online at Ebay, Etsy, and other venues, especially out of Canada, where online copyright laws are not well enforced. I tried to revive a free platform in 2022 (zerohouseplans.com) but ran into a new set of complications and ended the program. I have uploaded those plans as inexpensive option on smallhousecatalog.com.

What is your refund policy?

Plans are delivered as digital goods (PDFs) and are non-refundable. I stand behind my products and client satisfaction is important to me however my creative works are delivered via internet downloads as "intangible goods" and for this reason I do not offer refunds.

Do plans come with material lists?

I do not include material lists with plans and I recommend people submit their plans to local building supply centers to request free or small fee based “take-offs for construction.” These are preferable because they will offer locally available materials and current pricing. Online lists are gimmicks and are overwhelmingly inaccurate unless they are supplied by a company specializing in building material lists.

Where are you located?

Point Roberts, Washington and Seattle, Washington.