Why Custom Home Design Is Better Than Searching Hundreds of Online House Plans

Jim came to us last week after another one of his internet sessions, browsing “hundreds of home plans”. He had been on all the popular sites: Architectural Designs, America’s Best Home Plans, Monster House Plans, etc. Even though he and his wife had looked for the last 3 years, they just couldn’t find exactly what they were looking for.

“We know what we want,” he said to me during our discussion. Even though he added all of the correct filters and narrowed down the search as much as he could, he was still left with so many options, and none of them seemed to be just right. “Why do so many plans put the laundry room on the other side of the house than the primary bedroom?” “Why do people have formal dining rooms, a kitchen island with bar seating, and a breakfast nook?!” 

Jim had specific desires, but he didn’t know how to bring them together in one plan. He had checked with a couple local architects but the pricing was nowhere near his budget. How would he ever be able to afford working with a designer to get the project right?

Affordable custom home design with Paragon:

I walked Jim through the steps of our design process within our 30 minute meeting. He needed to custom design a 2,200 sqft home and stop wasting all of his time going back and forth online. The plans he had saved on his favorites list were going to cost about $1-2k, and he didn’t know how much it would take to modify things making it just right. This is what I quoted him:

• $5,500 with the Essential Package (2,200 sqft)

• Work with a professional designer through 5 drafts/revision rounds

• See the project visually in 3D, and finish with completed home plans ready for permits

• Furniture staging, lighting, and utility plan included

• Design team with construction insight and rough budget guidance

Our process would bring together all the inspiration he had gathered from those previous 3 years of dreaming. The wrap-around porch, the simple rooflines, the flow of the kitchen, living, and dining rooms together, all while considering his overall construction budget.

Jim was shocked to find a professional design option that he could afford, especially one that would leave him with dependable and efficient home plans. Paragon Home Plans can do the same for you if you're interested in a design option customized for your home project.