McLaws Design - Frequently Asked Quesions

To submit your question, send an email to Aaron Mclaws.

Q: What's included in the working drawings?
A: Site Plan, Exterior Elevations, Floor Plan, Foundation Plan, Cross Sections, Roof Framing Plan, Electrical Plan, Mechanical Plan, Foundation & Framing Details, General Notes

Q: How much does a custom plan cost?
A: The price varies between $3.00 and $5.00 per square foot livable.

Q: What is the reason for different prices?
A: A lot depends on the area you are building in. Also is your lot flat, on a hillside, or somewhere in-between? Is there an Architectural Review process? There are many variables that need to be considered. All of this will be discussed in the initial consultation at which time the actual cost will be determined.

Q: What do I need to bring in for my initial consultation?
A: Identify as many specific details you desire as possible. List what rooms you desire and include things like size, orientation, and other features. How big do you want the house to be? Identify architectural style desired. Bring clippings from magazines or other resources to help describe what you want in your new home. Print a copy of our "Wish List" to help in this process.

Q: How long will my Custom Home design take?
A: The entire design process can be broken into 2 phases...
1st - PRELIMINARY DESIGN:
· In this phase we develop the Floor Plan from your "Wish List". It is necessary to keep the communication lines open for the give and take involved with the prelim layout. This phase can take as little or as much time as you require to get it right. Once the floor plan has been established and meets with your satisfaction, we will produce a Front Elevation. When the Prelim Floor Plan & Elevation have been approved, we move on to phase 2 (there are some subdivisions that require a prelim approval from the architectural review committee before moving forward).
2nd - WORKING DRAWINGS:
· In this phase we produce CAD drawings of your approved design. We take pride in our ability to build your house on paper long before the first nail is driven. All necessary drawings and documents are produced in AutoCAD for a clean legible result.

There may certainly be other steps involved if we are working with design review committees, hillside ordinances, or other special conditions. On the average the process takes between 6 and 8 weeks to complete. Again the timeframe is something we will discuss during our first meeting.