Can you send us a brochure of the plans that you offer? We rely on our website for marketing, as it gives us the ability to frequently update our homes, photos, information, and add new designs.  We feel it is more effective than printed materials to keep our information accurate.

Do you have model homes that we may visit or Is it possible to contact the owners of the houses shown on your website? Out of respect for the privacy of residents, we don’t share the addresses for our GoodFit customers. We hope that by sharing the floor plans, elevations, and photographs, you have enough information to make an educated decision about purchasing our plans. While we don’t have model homes, you may be able to view a Ross Chapin home by visiting the real estate website, Trovit.com, which is an excellent resource for home resales in the U.S. By using their search filter for Ross Chapin homes, you can see homes associated with us that are for sale in various locales.  You may then make arrangements with a local realtor to view a home.

Do you have more photos of the homes that you can share with me? Yes, for most of our homes we do. Send us an email with your request.

What is included when purchasing the stock house plans? You are purchasing a license to build one structure along with the construction drawings. Our GoodFit home plans are very complete and include all the information needed by a qualified contractor to build the home. The plans include a Foundation Plan, Floor Plans, Framing Plans, Sections, Building Systems, Elevations, Electrical Plans, Details, Specifications, and Window and Door Schedules. We leave the formation of the materials list with your contractor. Please know that we are not involved in the building process, so you will need to find a contractor who will guide you through permitting and the construction of your home.

How much does it cost to build your homes? Construction costs vary greatly from region to region. Using a range from low to high of projected local costs per square foot , we estimate construction costs for a GoodFit plan is somewhere just above the mid-range. Being smaller does not necessarily make a home less expensive to build. Detailing, degree of difficulty of the building site, finish materials, as well as competition and contractor availability all factor into the overall expense. You may get a current assessment of the cost per square foot range by consulting with local builders. When speaking with them, print up one of the online GoodFit floor plans, along with photos from the website, and provide information about your building site and desired finishes.

Do the plans need to be engineered? Yes. Each area has its own special building considerations such as soil conditions, severe weather (snow, hurricanes, tornados), and natural disasters (flooding, earthquakes), hence they must be calculated by an engineer for your particular building site. This is a good time to discuss any modifications desired, which may include a change in the HVAC or foundation. Usually, the changes may be indicated directly on the plan pages with red ink by the engineer, no redrawing necessary. When the plans are signed off by the engineer, you may then submit them to your local building department for permitting.

What about modifying the plans? You are welcome to investigate making some changes to the plans – most of our clients do make some adjustments to suit their individual needs. We suggest you keep the changes simple (interior walls, doors, windows, add a porch) and avoid major structural changes that would significantly affect the proportions, massing, and overall appearance of the home.  At this time, we are unable to take on stock plan modification work other than mirroring or flipping plans (the fee is $250).  However, you may take the plans (or a printout of the floor plan from the website) to a designer or engineer in your area for modification consultation as to feasibility and cost estimates. As we mentioned above, if you purchase the plans, you must have a local engineer review and sign off on the plans, so that’s a good time to discuss any changes you’d like to make.

What type of heating and air conditioning do the plans call for? Most of our plans have been designed with a gas stove or fireplace as the main heat source for the main floor living areas, and electric wall heaters in secondary rooms. If you and your builder are considering a different system, such as radiant floor or central heating & air conditioning, you should discuss these possibilities with your engineer or builder to ensure their fit with the building and structure. Our plans call for 2×6 construction, so there is plenty of room for heavy insulation.  

Are your plans adaptable for modular or SIPs construction? Yes, our plans are adaptable for these systems; however, the plans are detailed for standard wood frame construction. We suggest that you contact manufacturers in your area to give you an idea of the cost and feasibility. It will be wise to contact them in advance of purchasing plans if these construction approaches are essential for your home.

Are CAD files of the plans available? No. However, you may request a PDF file to make as many copies as you need for use in constructing your home.

What are my payment options for purchasing a set of house plans? 1) Pay by credit card through our office. Give us a call at 425.563.4252, M – F, 10:00 – 5:00 (Pacific Time). 2) Pay by check accompanied by your completed downloadable order form found on the web page with details about the plan you intend to purchase.

What is your refund policy? We do not offer refunds or exchanges, so you should be certain of your order before placing it. We suggest that prior to purchasing plans, you discuss with your builder, engineer, or local building inspector any site requirements that must be considered, such as height restrictions and set backs.

What’s the difference between homes shown in the Projects section and the GoodFit collection on your website? The homes found in the Projects section on the website are examples of our custom work to showcase the range of our custom designs. Our GoodFit designs were originally developed for a specific site for an individual client. When we decide to add a new home to the portfolio, we take out the information relating specifically to the original building site. We then add detail diagrams and incorporate sketches and instructions developed during the construction process, and create a floor plans for the website — it’s a lengthy process. Slowly, but surely, new home plans

Are there copyright restrictions for the floor plans and photos shown on the website? Yes. It is a common misunderstanding that it is permissible to copy and/or adapt a floor plan or design found in any media. It is not. Unauthorized reproduction, sale, or transfer of designs contained on our site is a violation of copyright laws, with liability of up to $100,000 per offense. All of our images are copyrighted and are the exclusive intellectual property of Ross Chapin Architects. We encourage sharing them with friends and family for inspiration, but they aren’t to be reproduced for commercial or promotional use without explicit approval. Contact us for more information.