Bringing Your Own Architect’s Plans? We Build From Outside Plans Too

Aerial view of a custom home being framed on a wooded lot
An aerial view of one of our active jobsites in Blowing Rock, NC. On a wooded mountain lot, the site plan decides exactly where the house sits before framing begins.

Some of our clients come to us with a set of plans already in hand. They’ve worked with an architect, they love the design, and now they need someone to build it. That’s a good place to start, and we’re glad to do it.

ExCo is a design-build company, which means our own design team and our builders work under one roof. That doesn’t mean we only build our own designs. Here’s what happens when you bring plans from your own architect, what we add, and what changes compared with designing the home with us from scratch.

First, we review the plan set

The first thing we do is go through your plans to make sure the set is complete enough to price and build.

Most of the time, an architect’s set includes the floor plans and the exterior elevations. That’s the heart of the design, and it’s what most people picture when they think of “the plans.” But a crew needs a lot more information than that to build the house the way you expect it to look and work. The pieces we most often find missing are:

  • A site plan. This is the most common gap. It shows where the house sits on your lot, how the driveway gets to it, and how it relates to the slope, the septic system, and the views.
  • Cabinet elevations, so the kitchen, baths, and built-ins are drawn, not guessed.
  • Electrical layouts, showing where outlets, switches, and lights go.
  • Window and door schedules, listing every unit, its size, and its type.

When pieces are missing, we create them. The finished set is what we price from and what our crews build from.

Why the site plan matters so much


On a flat lot in town, the site plan is fairly simple. On a mountain or foothills lot, it can shape the whole project. Slope, septic, driveway grade, and views decide where the house can sit and how it meets the ground. A home that looks right on paper can need real changes once it’s placed on the actual site. That’s why we walk the lot early and draw the site plan ourselves when the set doesn’t include one.

There’s still a paid pre-construction step

Bringing your own plans shortens the design work, but it doesn’t skip it. We still have a paid pre-construction (design) phase. That’s where we review the set, fill in what’s missing, and get the plans to the point where they can be priced accurately and built without guesswork.

We do it this way because an accurate price depends on complete plans. If we priced from a floor plan and two elevations, we’d be guessing at the cabinets, the lighting, the windows, and the site work, and those guesses would turn into surprises later. We’d rather settle those questions on paper before construction starts.

What changes compared with full design-build

If you’re weighing your options, here’s how bringing your own plans compares with designing the home with us from the start.

  • Timeline. Our design phase moves much faster when you bring plans. A lot of the big decisions, like layout, rooflines, and the look of the house, are already made.
  • Price. We can price your home accurately once the plans are complete. The more thorough your architect’s set is, the less we need to add.
  • Selections. We’ll still go through selections with you: finishes, fixtures, and materials. Those choices finish the plan and finalize the price.
  • Revisions. It depends on what your architect’s agreement includes. If they offer revisions, they can stay involved. If not, and your architect’s agreement allows it, our design team can handle revisions in house.

A real example from near the Blue Ridge Parkway

On The Lookout on Poplar, a home we built near the Blue Ridge Parkway, the clients came to us with their own plans. We reviewed the set and helped them modify it: together we eliminated the basement and switched the foundation to a crawl space. Then we walked them through their selections.

The build went smoothly, and making changes like that on paper, before construction starts, is exactly what the pre-construction phase is for.

What to bring to your first conversation

If you have plans, bring them, even if you’re not sure they’re complete. We’ll tell you what’s there and what’s still needed. It also helps to bring anything you have on the lot, like an address or a survey, and a list of the things that matter most to you in the home.

If you don’t have plans yet and you’re still deciding how to start, read our comparison of hiring an architect or a design-build firm. Either way, you can see how a build moves from start to finish on our process page.

Common questions

Will you build from my plans as they are?

We review them first. If the set is complete, we price and build from it. More often, we add the drawings a crew needs, like the site plan, cabinet elevations, electrical layouts, and window and door schedules.

Is there a cost to review my plans?

Yes. Reviewing and completing the set is part of our paid pre-construction phase. It’s what lets us give you an accurate price.

Can you make changes to my architect’s design?

Usually, yes. If your architect’s agreement allows it, our design team can make revisions in house, like the basement-to-crawl-space change above. Your architect can also make them if their agreement includes revisions.

Start a conversation

Whether your plans are finished, half-finished, or still a sketch, we’re glad to look at them. Start a conversation or call us at (336) 990-9420. Building in the High Country? See our High Country page.

ExCo Custom Homes · 913 Main Street, North Wilkesboro, NC · NCGC #78996

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