Architectural Designs

how do I find house plans for a home that is already built?

My Wife and I want to build a home. We found a house that we want to build and make a few modifications. How do I get a hold of the plans for this house that is already built so that I can give them to an architect to make the changes?

Public Comments

1. City hall keeps records and should have records going back to the date built and plans
2. umm i would try city hall place or jus call they company that draw it up
3. Find the architect. They are his property. If you can't, All you actually need is the floor plan.
4. All I would need is the floor plan, and some photos of the roof style and exterior. As long as you're building a house, you'd want to make minor changes to introduce any new code or modern features that improve on the existing home. If you know the house well, there are probably some little things that are annoying, Here's your chance to make it perfect for just a little time upfront. Be sure to put new "rough-ins" for the future guest laundry, bath, and wet bar downstairs. Also, make sure the new house is appropriate for the neighborhood and the lot. Sometimes a house plan looks great on paper, but looks ridiculous once it's placed on the lot, in relation to the neighbors or the road, and so on. For instance, is the best driveway location really going to work with this house, or does the garage need to go someplace else? Stuff like that.
5. the city and county will most likely not have plan for the home as they cannot afford to house such a tremendous library of large plans, that is usually only for commercial structures however it's worth trying your local county seat. if you choose to have a local draftsman draw up the home for you, I suggest that you make substantial changes to the exterior and interior of the home (say 20% changed). be forewarned that if you copy the house entirely you are infringing on the architect or building designers copyright. and then you subject yourself to heavy fines if you were ever discovered (which is unlikely unless it was a local designer and the home is noticeably copied). as suggested earlier, you should use the home as a template to design the home you truly want and have a draftsman or home designer use it as inspiration... the county will have record of who built the home and that builder will most likely have some record of where he got the plans. if you give that builder the opportunity to bid on the construction of the new home he will likely be more motivated to find out where he got the plans. I own and operate a home design service and would be glad to help you design your new home. although we will not copy the house for you, we will design something exactly the way you want it.