Architecture, Downloaded

Online sources for house plans are cutting the architect out of the home building process. One site is now making available the plans of well-known architects like William Turnbull.

1 minute read

April 4, 2009, 9:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"Customers may choose among three Turnbull plans (they range from 650 square feet to 924 square feet) and build them on their own property. The $1,500 charge for the plans is a fraction of the 10% to 15% of construction costs normally paid to architects."

"Readymade house plans are not a new idea. You can get books thick with cookie cutter blueprints for ranch houses and split levels, and you can find thousands more at Web sites like eplans.com or garrellassociates.com."

"Of the roughly 29,000 plans sold by houseplans.com, less than 100 are by notable architects like Turnbull. But the list is growing as the company bets that designs by nationally recognized architects appeal to a broad sector of design-conscious buyers in the middle ground between high-end commissions and generic mass housing. In addition to Turnbull, their roster includes Nick Noyes, Dan Tyree and Ross Anderson, and David Wright, with more on the way."

Thanks to ArchNewsNow

Tuesday, March 31, 2009 in Fast Company

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 18, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Two people walking away from camera through pedestrian plaza in street in Richmond, Virginia with purple and white city bus moving in background.

Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA

The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

June 17, 2025 - WRIC

Woman and young girl looking at subway map, woman pointing.

Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?

Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.

June 9, 2025 - John Pobojewski

Close-up of yellow and black goldspotted oak borer beetle on blade of grass.

Southern Californians Survey Trees for Destructive Oak Pest

Hundreds of volunteers across five counties participated in the first Goldspotted Oak Borer Blitz, surveying oak trees for signs of the invasive beetle and contributing valuable data to help protect Southern California’s native woodlands.

June 22 - UC ANR Green Blog

New five-story apartment building under construction.

Opinion: How Geothermal HVAC Lowers Costs, Improves Grid Resilience

Geothermal heating and cooling systems can reduce energy costs and dramatically improve efficiency.

June 22 - Greater Greater Washington

Close-up on clipboard with pre-tenancy application and red pen.

Tenant Screening: A Billion-Dollar Industry with Little Oversight. What’s Being Done to Protect Renters?

Reports show that the data tenant screening companies use is often riddled with errors and relies on information that has no bearing on whether someone will be a good tenant.

June 22 - Shelterforce Magazine