What's included in a set of house plans?
Floor plans, elevations, sections, a foundation layout, schedules and the file format: what a set of house plans contains, how the Study, Complete and Studio Sets differ, and how to choose.
By Jovan Milivojević, founder and lead designerPublished 4 min read
A complete set of house plans includes dimensioned floor plans, elevations, sections, a roof plan and a foundation layout, with schedules for doors and windows and the build-up of walls, floors and roof, delivered as PDF and often as editable CAD files. What you get from any seller depends on the set you order, so compare sheet lists, not headlines. Here is what each of our three sets contains, and how to choose.
What does a complete set of house plans include?
Most catalogs describe a full set with the same core drawings:
- Floor plans for every level, with room names, areas and dimensions.
- Elevations of each side of the house, showing heights, openings and materials.
- Sections cut through the house, showing levels, floor and roof build-ups and the stair.
- A roof plan, with slopes or falls and the edges.
- A foundation layout, showing where the house meets the ground.
- Schedules, such as the door and window schedule.
- General notes and an area schedule.
A study or presentation set is lighter: it shows the design clearly enough to judge the layout and the look, without the full dimensioning your builder works from. Both are useful, at different moments.
What's in a Study Set?
The Study Set is a PDF of the design, for reviewing it at home and with your builder before you commit. It typically includes:
- design renderings and a one-page design overview;
- metric floor plans with room names, areas and overall dimensions;
- an area table in m² and ft²;
- elevations, a section and a roof plan where available for the design.
Every Study Set costs $149. The full price counts toward the same design's Complete or Studio Set within 12 months, so studying a design first costs nothing extra if you go ahead.
What does the Complete Set add?
The Complete Set is the set your builder works from, in PDF and editable DWG files, for building one home. It typically includes everything in the Study Set, plus:
- dimensioned plans, a foundation layout, the roof plan, elevations and sections;
- a door and window schedule, and the wall, floor and roof layers;
- drawings labeled in English, with an area schedule and general notes;
- metric PDF and editable DWG files to build one home.
Complete Sets cost $769 to $1,195, by size.
What does the Studio Set add?
The Studio Set adds the studio's time to the Complete Set. It typically includes everything in the Complete Set, plus:
- one round of changes by CAD ART studio before delivery, to the layout, openings and finishes (about 12 hours of design time);
- Q&A with your architect or builder by email or video, up to 6 hours over 12 months;
- a reversed, mirror-image plan on request.
Studio Sets cost $919 to $1,495, by size.
How do the three sets compare?
| Study | Complete | Studio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Files | PDF + DWG | PDF + DWG | |
| Use | Review the design | Build one home | Build one home |
| Floor plans | Room names, areas, overall dimensions | Fully dimensioned | Fully dimensioned |
| Foundation layout and schedules | — | Included | Included |
| Changes by the studio | — | — | One round, about 12 hours |
| Q&A for your builder | — | — | Up to 6 hours over 12 months |
| Mirror-image plan | Add-on | Add-on | On request |
| Price | $149 | $769–$1,195 | $919–$1,495 |
Each design's own prices are on its plan page, and every size band is on the pricing page.
PDF or DWG: which files do you need?
You need DWG files if anyone will edit the drawings. PDFs are for reading, printing and sharing: enough to judge a design and to ask a builder for a first price. Editable DWG files let your builder, architect or drafter work directly from the drawings, add their own details and convert the units, instead of redrawing the house from a PDF.
Are the drawings metric?
Yes. Every set is drawn in metric by CAD ART studio, and every area on the site also appears in ft². The UK, Ireland and Australia build in metric; in the US and Canada the DWG files convert to feet and inches once, where your trades need them. How to read metric house plans covers units, scales and levels.
Can you see the drawings before you order?
Yes. Plan pages show the floor plans where they are published; Cascade's floor plans are a good example of the drawing style. Ask us for the sheet list of any design; we reply within one business day. The Study Set is the low-cost way to see a whole design before you commit to the full set.
What if you want something changed?
Choose the Studio Set for modest changes, or ask for a quote for bigger ones. Changes to a design start from $99, with a free quote within 3 business days. Can you modify a house plan? explains which route fits which change.
How do you order a set?
Choose your design and set, and order online. Your USD invoice arrives by email within one business day, and your files arrive by email after payment. If you're comparing the price of plans with the rest of the budget, read how much house plans cost.
Study PDFs start at $149, so choose your design and order the set you need.
