Modification Consultation

Update: Currently (January 2024) we are experiencing an extremely high volume of modifications. We are working as fast as we can, however the time frame for modifications has been extended to a minimum of 12 weeks. At this time, we cannot guarantee any special time-frames. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you are making changes beyond bringing the plans up to your local codes, we recommend that you make use of our Plan Modification services. All of our modifications are based on an hourly rate. Any changes that can be completed by our CAD Department will be $135.00 per hour. Anything that will need to be redesigned by Dan Sater II will be $235.00 per hour. On average, modifications cost around $4,000.00 (not including the cost of the plan). The range could be anywhere from $135.00 to $20,000.00, depending on the amount of changes and size of the home. 1) First, fill out the form on the right. 2) Submit the form and pay the consultation fee. Any pictures and sketches can be sent to customerservice@saterdesign.com.  3) We will send you a detailed proposal outlining the cost & time it will take to make your requested modifications 4) If you accept the proposal, you then purchase the plan & pay the agreed upon modification cost.  If you agree to proceed with the modification, the fee for the Modification Consultation will be deducted from the cost of the final modification. What does the $75.00 include? The $75.00 fee only covers the proposal. It does not include any sketches or extensive consulting. If you would like to speak to someone on our design team, you can set up a phone conference. You will need to contact our customer service department to set up that appointment. The phone conference will be $50.00 for 30 minutes. Why the fee for the consultation? We get requests for modifications all of the time. Each request must be researched. There are no quick and easy answers. Calculating if a modification is possible, and the time a modification will take, is a time consuming process. How long will it take to complete my modifications? Typically, once we receive your signed proposal, it takes five to six weeks to receive your preliminary. The preliminary drawings are sent to you with the changes you wanted to make. You have the opportunity to review them. Once you approve the preliminary drawings, it will take around five to six weeks to complete your modifications. However, depending on the complexity of your changes, it may take longer. Why do modifications usually cost more than the plans? Modifications are not just “point and click.” A simple change to one area might result in large adjustments needed in other areas. For example, simply moving an exterior wall 12 inches will require the foundation, floor, elevations, and roof plans to be adjusted. This could also impact the plumbing and electrical systems. Many times a simple interior change will impact the exterior look of the home as well. This can result in new exterior elevations being created. Seemingly simple changes to home plans can ripple throughout the structure. Modifications take skill, resources and time. Modifications are essentially turning our stock plans into a custom home for you alone. With our stock plans, we are able to easily resell them to multiple people with virtually no labor cost. Modifications can be expensive and take a lot of time because we are creating a one of a kind home based on your individual needs. How do I know which changes are possible? Any change is possible. It all depends on how much you want to invest in your new home plans. There is a fine line between modifications and a custom home. Smaller changes, such as removing a door, adding a window or creating a third bay to a garage are simpler modifications. Larger changes, such as bumping out walls and making the home larger (or smaller) are more complex modifications. When almost the entire home is being modified, that will lead to a custom home. Merging two or more separate home plans into one will definitely be considered a custom home. Also, keep in mind that it is much easier to add square footage to a home than remove square footage. Making a home smaller is a difficult task. It is always safer to start with a smaller home and add square footage to it. Please contact us if you have any questions about the modification process.