How To Get Original Building Plans For My House

How to Obtain Original Building Plans for Your House

Getting hold of the original building plans for your house is essential for various reasons, including renovations, repairs, and additions. These plans provide detailed information about the structure, layout, and materials used during construction, serving as an invaluable resource for homeowners.

Contacting Local Authorities

One of the first steps in obtaining original building plans is to reach out to your local building department or planning office. These government agencies often maintain records of building permits issued within their jurisdiction. By providing them with your address or property identification number, they can search their archives and potentially locate the plans you need.

Visiting the Courthouse

Another option is to visit your county courthouse. In many jurisdictions, building plans are filed with the county recorder's office. Searching through their records using your property's legal description or deed information can yield the desired plans.

Consulting Previous Owners

If you have access to contact information for previous owners of your house, reaching out to them may prove fruitful. They might have retained a set of plans or know where to locate them. It's worth reaching out to them and politely inquiring if they could provide you with the plans.

Searching Online

Nowadays, various online databases and repositories exist where homeowners can access building plans. Websites like BuildFax and LexisNexis offer subscription-based services that provide access to historical property records, including building plans. However, availability may vary depending on your location and the age of your house.

Hiring a Professional Drafter or Architect

If all other avenues fail, you can consider hiring a professional drafter or architect to create a new set of building plans. While this option is more expensive, it ensures that you have accurate and up-to-date plans tailored to your specific needs and any renovations or additions you may have planned.

Tips for Handling Old and Damaged Plans

Original building plans can be decades old and may have suffered from wear and tear over time. If you encounter such plans, here are some tips for handling them carefully:

Use clean white gloves to prevent smudging the plans.
Photocopy the plans or digitize them using a large-format scanner.
Store the original plans in a dry, protected environment, preferably in a flat file drawer or acid-free archival sleeves.

By following these steps and tips, you can successfully obtain original building plans for your house, empowering you with detailed information about its structure and enabling you to make informed decisions regarding any future modifications or repairs.