How to Get Floor Plans of a House – Are House Floor Plans Public Record?

If you’re considering buying a home, it’s important to see the floor plans first to get an idea of how all the rooms are laid out.

Buying a new home is not the only reason you might be wondering how to get a house floor plan. Even if you already own a home, you’ll likely need to figure out where to get the floor plan for your house before you start any remodeling projects.

How do you get floor plans for your house, or for another home? And are house floor plans public record?

Here’s what you need to know if you’ve ever had to ask – how do I get the blueprints for my house?

Contact the City of Houston, Austin, San Antonio Permitting Center

The first step of figuring out how to get floor plans of a house is to contact the City of Houston, Austin, San Antonio Permitting Center. Most local centers of this kind have a large collection of existing house plans for the area.

Even if your home was built years ago, you can likely get the floor plans for your house by visiting the City of Houston, Austin, San Antonio Permitting Center.

Contact Your House Plans Provider

Another easy way to figure out how to get your house plans is to contact  Atlas Green Homes or your home’s builder. Most builders and architects keep floor plans on hand for years, so yours may still be available.

You can also use Plans & Permits for help with your  projects A simple phone call at 713 545 2429 or E mail us at info@atlashomes.us can get you the help you need as you work on either buying a house or remodeling your existing home. The knowledgeable professionals at Atlas Green Homes can help you find the floor plans for your home projects.

Check with Your Real Estate Agent

In many cases, the listing agent of a home will have the floor plans available. After all, many buyers ask to see the layout of the home before purchasing. Some real estate agents even attach the house plans for existing homes to their online listings, so they shouldn’t be hard to find.

If you don’t have a copy of your existing house plans, just ask the listing agent of your home, “Where can I find blueprints for my house?” You should be able to locate a copy of your house plans with little investigation required.

Ask Your Neighbors

Your neighbors might have done some remodeling work recently and might therefore have a copy of their floor plans. Consider asking them how to find floor plans of a house, since they’ve already been through the process. For many housing developments, your neighbor’s home may have been built by the same contractor, so they could speed up the process significantly.

If your neighborhood appears to have similar house plans in Houston, Austin or San Antonio you might not even need a copy of your specific home’s floor plans (depending on your needs). You can just find a neighbor with the same layout and ask for a copy of their floor plans. This is not a recommended route if you’re editing or drawing plans for a building permit.

Generally, floor plans should be public record. But that doesn’t mean figuring out how to get floor plans of an existing house is always an easy process. So if you’re still wondering, “Where do I find floor plans for my house?” you may need to try a few of the aforementioned options.

With the help of Plans & Permits, you’ll get a fast response from a friendly team that can provide you with the floor plans you need.

Contact Atlas Green Homes today to get started.

If you’re looking to build on your property but attempting to do so without a permit, you may want to think again. That’s because building without a permit may have some consequences.

A permit may be required, depending on the city you live in and the addition you’re making to the property. If you’re considering whether it’s worth the risk, here are a few aspects to take into account.

Common Reasons for Building Without a Permit

Here are some common reasons people often want to build without a permit:

• Delays – Some cities are backed up in building permit applications and may take weeks to process. Homeowners sometimes take the risk of adding to their space and even selling a house without permits to avoid these delays.
• Convenience – Building a house without a permit is not ideal because it leaves the potential for an undervalued home. Sometimes the new homeowners forgo getting a retroactive permit because it’s easier to add to their home than going through the review and inspection process before the permit application is even viewed.
• Expense – Building permits aren’t free, and sometimes homeowners or contractors may build sans permit to avoid these expenses.

Is Obtaining Building Permits After Work is Done a Possibility?

While you may have started the work before getting a permit, obtaining building permits after work is done may be a possibility. However, that permit price may be more than the original price and you could pay more fees if the inspection is failed.

Penalty for Building Without a Permit

What happens if you build without a permit? The consequences of building without a permit typically come in the form of a penalty.

If you want to avoid any “building without a permit” fines, consider the following situations before building an addition without a permit.

Selling a Home Without Permits

When you fail to get a permit and later try to sell a home, you may lose out on the potential increased value you would have received if you initially got the permit done correctly.

The home appraiser may not include the work in the appraisal. This lowers the home’s value for future sales. Selling a house that has work done without permit by the previous owner may also mean you’ll face fines, and you may have to get it redone so that it passes local building codes.

Building an Addition Without Permits

There are also penalties for building additions to your home sans permits if you’re addition doesn’t comply to local standards and laws. Moreover, the penalty for building without a permit varies based on your location.

Building a Basement Sans Permit

What happens if I finish my basement without a permit? Always check with the city coding department to determine if making a change to your basement sans a permit will cost you more in the end.

Building a Deck Without a Permit

When you build a deck, it may change the structure or appearance of your home. In some cities, building a deck without a permit may require a fine in addition to the inspection fee and permit application.

Building a Structure Without a Permit

Structures may also require permits, too. For example, if you build a shed without a permit, you may not have to face a penalty. For instance, the city of Houston exempts permit requirements for residential accessory structures, including storage sheds, as long as they are less than 200 square feet.

However, if your city requires a permit for the shed, then you could face penalties. Building a structure without a permit in the city of Houston may run the cost of the permit fee plus the investigation fee per occurrence.

Final Thoughts Before Building Without a Permit

The proper City of Houston planning and permitting is important if you want to avoid any potential extra fees or fines for not getting a building permit in the first place. Instead, opt for getting a permit when you’re adding an addition to your home.

If you need custom home plans in Houston before undergoing your next project, contact the experts at Plans & Permits today!