Innovative Real Estate with Three Squared, Inc.
As specialists in efficient residential and commercial prefabricated design, Leslie Horn, Breck Crandell, and Jill Ramirez of Three Squared, Inc. share their greatest insights, tips, and case studies from their years of experience in the industry. They'll be giving you their best advice through, trainings, guest features, and Q&A segments so you can turn your innovative vision to a reality.
Innovative Real Estate with Three Squared, Inc.
Launching Builder Ready Plans: Your Questions Answered
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We've got exciting news we are finally ready to share - we are launching our Builder Ready Plans. Three different pre-drawn designs that you can now purchase to start building your own innovative home.
In this Episode we answer all of your questions about our plans - everything from how much they will cost to purchase, to customization, cutting construction timelines, and everything in between.
Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn in this Episode:
- What are Three Squared's Builder Ready Plans?
- How much do they cost to purchase?
- What design options are available?
- Can I customize these plans after purchase?
- Can Three Squared build these plans for me?
Supplementary episode from today's conversation:
Ep. 39 - Buying Home Plans On The Internet: Who Can You Trust And What Is Legit?
Ready to move forward with your project? Contact us here and we will put you in contact with the right member of our team.
Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay up to date on new project releases, trainings, and more.
Welcome to the Innovative Real Estate Podcast with your hosts Leslie Horn, Brett Crandall, and Claire O'Lilla. We're here to make your life easier as a real estate developer and teach you everything we've learned about designing and building innovative homes, multifamily, and mixed use structures. On this podcast, we'll be giving you our best advice, trainings, and QA segments so you can learn from our years of experience and make your innovative vision a reality. Welcome back to the Innovative Real Estate Podcast with Three Squared Inc. We are so excited to welcome you in today's episode because this is our very special 50th podcast episode. Which uh, I don't know about you, Leslie and Breck, when we first started this thing. I don't know if we ever thought we would get to 50, but here we are.
SPEAKER_03And 50 and way over 10,000 followers, our downloads, which is really amazing.
SPEAKER_00Yes. So we're celebrating. We're happy to have you here. And uh today, in celebration of our 50th podcast episode, we're gonna be diving into a bit more detail on something that we covered on a previous episode, which is the builder ready plans that our team is so excited to offer. So this is a new offering that we've got um, really because of popular demand by people asking us, hey, three squared, I know you do custom design. These are beautiful, but really I'm just looking for something quick and easy to get started with. I want to skip the custom design process. And I, if I can shave some dollars off my design budget, let's go for it. I don't need something custom. I just want to get started. So we resisted this for a long time for some reasons that we'll get into in the episode. And if you are interested in catching the original episode that we did on this, this is episode 39 titled Buying Home Plants on the Internet, Who Can You Trust and What is Legit. So I highly recommend go check out that episode if you want to know what you need to know before you buy plans online. If you want to know what some of the upgrades and options are that are sometimes available with online plans, and most importantly, what you need to look out for on the internet so that you don't get scammed. So we'll have uh the link to that episode below if you want to check that out. We will also have a link to our plans so you can take a look at those and see what we're referring to in this episode. And of course, if you want to reach out and get started with our team, then there will be a contact form linked below as well. So, Breck, I'm gonna kick it off to you. Our project highlight of the week this week is none other than well, it's actually three projects.
SPEAKER_02We are rolling out the build already plans. So, uh, while this platform might expand to include other plans and models in the future, uh, we wanted to start it out with something very simple. And these are three products that we have gotten a lot of requests for that we have built a lot of. And so we consolidated it into a small, a medium, and a starter home. Uh, and so the small is two containers. So it's 640 square feet. It is a very comfortable one-bedroom, one bath, uh, kind of like a bungalow style, like bachelor, bachelorette pad, um, perfect for, you know, like an in-law suite, an expansion. It can make a great accessory dwelling unit, uh, very open concept kitchen, living, dining. Uh, then we step it up to the mid-container home, and that's 960 square feet. So just shy of a thousand square feet. That's a very comfortable two-bedroom. Um, and it's actually a two-bath configuration in that one. And then we've got our family container home, which is really targeted at like a starter home for a family. That is three bedrooms, two baths, with a uh spacious living room and open concept kitchen and dining, with some terraces, and uh that's a two-story home. So we've got these three models uh ready to roll out. These are going to be available on our website here. Claire's gonna end this episode with some real directive on how you can find these plans and how you can access them. But these are some very modern industrial designs, um, very akin to the stuff that you've seen on our websites uh and on our various social media channels. So this is like a it's a concept that kind of is connecting all of the projects that we've worked together so far over the years and just taking the best ideas and the best layouts that we have to offer as a company, and we're providing them for purchase uh so that you could just launch right into your project and get going on this. So we'll talk a little bit about the audience for this and uh some of the reasons that we have actually decided to go this direction. So, Leslie, I'm gonna throw it over to you real quick. Uh, I just want to know why did we end up doing this and why are our plans better?
SPEAKER_03Thank you, Breck. And um, I'll take on those questions. So here's the deal. You know, we were so frustrated. We had people coming to us all the time, and they'd say, Yeah, I bought these plans um on the internet. I just spent, you know, $850. And we're like, ah, okay, sending over the plans. Um, Breck, do you remember the one plan I sent over? What the garage looked like?
SPEAKER_02The one plan, you mean like the 12 plans you sent me over where you can't work in a garage because it's not even wide enough to fit a car? Yeah, no, we've seen some silly stuff.
SPEAKER_03We sure have. And so those are the things that frustrate us. You know, as a as a architectural design firm, you know, we we get a lot of people who want to have a, you know, something custom designed or what have you, but then maybe don't they they don't have the the right budget for it, so to speak. So we decided to take this on primarily because we have to put together with them a plan of action. So they're just not delivered to you. They're delivered to you with, hey, this is what you need to do if you have when you have your land, you've got to, you know, there's there's a step A, B, C, D, and E. So that you're just not left hanging. I mean, this is or stranded like with just with this document that you don't know what to do with. You know, municipalities are all different. And we can actually help you with the second piece of this, but at the end of the day, you're still saving a good 50, 60 percent of custom design um home designs. And we just really feel strongly we need to be good stewards and not just send something out that you'll never touch, you'll never use, you'll never even. I mean, the thing is this, they're not stamped and they're not stamped on purpose. Nobody is selling a stamp drawing for $200. I want you to hear that. The thing is this every municipality has different rules and regulations. And so if you don't quite know what you're doing, it can be very confusing. We have a plan for that. If you know exactly what you're doing, write on. Get these plans. You can go and get them stamped. We'll talk about all that process. But moral of the story is we have a plan. Um, it's not a waste of money. There you go. Um, you know, in addition to that, you know, Breck, I I want you to or Claire. One of the reasons that we've put this in place, it's because of cost. So tell everybody how much they cost.
SPEAKER_00Of course. Yeah, the million-dollar question. So we've got uh a couple options for you because as you heard, Leslie just shared that you will need an architect to stamp these plans as you will need any design plans in order to get through permit approval and get it actually built. So we do have a couple options because we have had some requests for people who are adept and capable and they want to just have the plans, then that is an option. They range about $2,700 to $4,100 for essentially the basic plans. If you want to take these and really not have our support along the way, you feel good, you've developed before, then that is an option. However, in our experience, it's always best to have that added layer of support, especially from the architect that is actually has designed those plans in the first place, because they know um all about those plans. Um, unless you are one of the many people who have come to us who uh needed our support fixing the plans that you originally purchased, that might be an exception. Um but we really want to add that support and let you know that we're here through the process and really hold your hand through that. So we do have additional levels of support that range approximately, and we say approximately because we might also release some additional options that would have additional um costs associated with those. But as of right now, it's about 12,000 to 20,000 based off of the square footage plans that you're wanting to purchase, if you're wanting that added level of support. Um and if you are wanting that uh that architectural stamp, then that would be a custom fee. We would just take a look at that with you. But again, approximately within that $12,000 to $20,000 range. And uh along with that, because I have been sharing about this new option with people that I've been having conversations with who call in and say, you know, I'm so excited. I want to get started with these. And um, hey, can I just add this one little thing? Or can we just add a bathroom here? Or can we just do this? So I do want to be very clear with everyone listening that these plans were created specifically for people who want to skip the time, energy, and budget that's required for a custom design process. So, for reference, typically it's about 12 weeks with us for a custom design. If you're wanting these plans, you essentially skip that process and go right into uh what's considered our step two. And um, for those of you who are wanting a customized design, I would highly recommend just reach out to our team. You can use the same exact contact form linked below, and we'd be happy to get you an estimate on architectural and engineering rates for a custom design.
SPEAKER_02Well, think about it like buying a car, right? Like there's the car on the lot. If you want that car, here's the price for that car. But if you're like, I like that car, but I'd like it in blue and with a spoiler and a sunroof, and I want a manual. Well, okay, now we have to go back to the drawing board, you have to order custom parts, and everything gets more expensive, and there's a lot of steps to that, right? So that's how you can think about builder ready plans. It's essentially like our lot of cars. You could pick the one that's there and we can make that happen very quickly, expeditious. That's why we've set this plan up. So if you want to start customizing things, well, obviously it's gonna add a lot of time and effort to that, which there's there's cost to this. But also with that, it's like time is money. And so if you could build something faster, because we have so many people that come to us and it's like, oh I want to build it yesterday, it's like, yeah, of course you do. Everyone wanted it yesterday. If you really wanted to build it yesterday, then buy a builder ready plan. You have the documents, here they are, they're in your inbox. You send us the money, we send you the drawings. Now we just need to find out what the permitting requirements are for your municipality. We'll check those boxes, we're off to the races. So if if expediency is the name of the game, if you are going for budget and timeline over anything, then this is the path for you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, especially if you still want a really cool design along with that, because they do look pretty sharp, if I do say so myself. But Breck, do you mind sharing with everyone just just to make it super clear what's all included when you purchase our builder ready plans?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, definitely. So uh so probably the follow-up question. It's like how much does it cost, and then what's included, as it should be, which is good. So builder ready plans are essentially everything that a builder needs to know in order to quote your building. So that is we have to describe how the building is constructed. That's you know, construction documentation is essentially what it is. So you're gonna have your architectural plans, that's floor plans and your elevations. Um, we will also engage with a structural engineer, and so that's the framing layout, the roofing design, which in 99 out of 100 cases is gonna be pretty consistent because we have the international building code that allows us to design these things for conditions. Now, what's not included in that structural engineering is that you actually have to put a foundation underneath this building. And it is impossible to know exactly what the foundation is gonna be until we know where your building's going. So that's where our support plan kind of kicks into place. So, in addition to the actual drawings that we provide to you through the Build Are Ready Plans, we have a plan of action to carry that forward. So, yes, you can generally have some safe assumptions into, you know, approximately what your foundations are gonna look like. I mean, we do a ton of projects in the Midwest. We know what a project in Minnesota versus like Michigan, we kind of have a good idea of that. But if you're building off a cliffside, um, you know, in the mountains of Colorado, well, it's gonna be a different foundation. So I can't give you the same set of drawings, obviously. So structural engineering comes with an asterisk because we can give you the general like layout, framing, roofing, the you know, structural calculations that were put into place. But we do need to go back and make sure that it's appropriate for your general locale. In addition to that, we have our door and window schedule. Uh, so you can go out and immediately start getting quotes for doors and windows to put into your building. Uh, it comes with an electrical and lighting diagram. So that's like where the switches go, where the general uh you know electrical wiring goes and how you're gonna light the place. Um, and then your insulation details, your floor plan details, like all the details that truly describe the project to a general contractor. So you can bid this project out and find out how much the actual build is going to cost. And so the added option that three squared provides for this plan is that you take this to the next level. So once you get your builder ready plans, you could start getting ideas for quotes for this. So you can start uh reaching out to general contractors and finding out what their timeline is and how much certain things are going to cost. But we have additional support not only for the structural engineering of foundations, but also for a stamp and seal so that you can actually get the building permits in order to build this project. And so our team would jump back in and we would actually have conversations with your local municipality. We would find out what the rules of engagement are. Because uh, if you have ever listened to this podcast before, you know that every single city in the United States of America has their own little set of rules. And I learned something new every single day in this job. And so sometimes you got to jump through some hoops. And if you just buy a straight up set of plans on the internet, it's not gonna come with that support. And that's why it took us so long to actually roll out this plan, is because we didn't want to do this just to sell plans on the internet. We want to do this so that we can ensure that we're actually making real buildings for real people. And so if you buy our plans, it comes with that added option that we could support you through the entire process and make sure that this thing can truly happen. Now, who builds these plans? Is Three Squared a general contracting firm? Leslie, I'm gonna hand it over to you.
SPEAKER_03Oh my goodness, absolutely not. We are an architectural and design firm, period. And, you know, we've dabbled, right? We've dabbled and we've done fabrication way, way in the past. We've we we we're in our lane now. We are in the best lane for us. We're providing great architectural services and project management in order to get these buildings built. We do have a small uh group of very talented general contractors that we can refer you to. Uh, once, you know, we don't mind doing that. And certainly uh if there is a general contractor in your neighborhood, we're happy to have conversations with them. You know, it's all part of making sure that if they don't understand the plans, really spending some time with them to answer any questions that come up. You know, we have fabrication partners that we can also some people prefer to fabricate themselves, but we can we can certainly give you referrals unless it's part of our scope of work, if you choose to add continue to keep us on so that the building does get built. But we're here to help and share our resources with you every step of the way. We are not not not general contractors, but we will offer construction administration as a service to make sure the building gets done completely.
SPEAKER_00Very well said. Yes. And uh I know that the follow-up question to how much are the plans, how much do they cost? But of course, the thing needs to get built. So, Breck, please answer the question how much will these plans cost to build?
SPEAKER_01Oh, you know I love these questions. We don't have multiple episodes of me responding to this question for multiple reasons.
SPEAKER_02Um we don't know. We can give you a really good idea just based on our experience and where we're working. But again, you know, if you're building this thing in Antarctica, it's gonna be a little bit different. So, like, I can't tell you how readily available materials and general contractors are. Uh, but it might be another fair question to ask how long is it gonna take to build? Which again is dependent on who you can find. Like, we are here to support as architects and engineers and designers to get you all the approvals that you need and make sure that it's built to the design intentions and the quality of our standards, but you actually need somebody there, boots on the ground, to dig the holes and swing the hammers, right? So consistently, we're seeing anywhere from 185 to $225 a square foot for builds of this nature. Um, you know, that's a range of numbers that's pretty consistent through the continental United States. So for these designs, you know, the small version can cost you a buck 20, where the bigger version can run you, you know, around 360,000. Now, if you're in the real estate market and you're looking for like, you know, a one-bedroom, one bath, uh new construction, 120,000 is actually kind of a sweet deal. Honestly, like 120 to 150,000 for a unit to call your own is pretty amazing. And for a single family house that is everything that you want it to be, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms and a big kitchen and an upper deck and a huge porch on the front and the back, $360,000, you put that thing wherever you want. Now you got to buy the land, of course, but like for $360,000 to have yourself a custom starter home that you worked with three squared ink to develop, and it just so happens to be built out of the very trendy material of shipping containers, uh, is is kind of a good deal. So I I mean that's that's just a range to kind of set expectations and start the conversation. Now, part of our support package is that we're gonna work with your builders once you've established who's gonna actually build your project to work on those numbers and to make sure that everything's dialed in and that they have all of the tools and resources that they need to actually provide you with a cost estimate for this building. But if you've been falling around the economy for you know the last couple of years, uh you know, these prices fluctuate pretty consistently. Like it's there's there's never like you know a cost that's always set in stone. It's like this week concrete might cost a little bit more, and next week wood might cost a little bit more. So we're always got a finger on the pulse. So it just depends on where you're building, what the site parameters and access to your location are, and what the availability of materials and builders are in your area. But again, working with us provides you with that support net that just buying plans on the internet does not allow. Like we're not just sending you a set of documents and you're never gonna talk to us again. It's we're gonna send you a set of documents and follow up with a phone call to see what your next steps are because we are always more interested in making real buildings than to just send something out in cyberspace where it sits for the rest of time.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. That's very well said, Breck. Super so so true. What I like about how we've rolled this out, team, is that we've been able to really relate this to our core values, our company core values, being good stewards, staying one step ahead. I mean, it's just all about really doing what we can to make those real buildings. And it's really important to us. Uh, we don't want to just sell something just for the sake of making a sale. It's not who we are. We really want to see it done to its completion. Well done, Breck. Well done, Claire. This is really fun. Can you guys think of any other questions we might want to ask?
SPEAKER_00No, I think that about covers it, unless Breck's got anything. I'm good.
SPEAKER_02I think we covered the FAQ from the people we've been talking to about it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I know it's been great because these questions just have naturally come up. And so these are the real questions people are asking. And I'm grateful to each of you for your time for covering these in such great depth. And if you are listening to this episode, of course, go ahead and check out the description of this podcast. You'll find all those links down below. And if you do want to connect with our team, just fill out a little bit of information about what you're looking for, whether you've decided you want to go with a build already plan or a custom design, then just put a little bit of that information in that contact form so we can connect you with the right member of our team for a call. So with that, we'll send you off and we will see you next time. Yes, we will. All right, guys. Thank you. We hope you enjoyed this episode. And if you found it so valuable, you want to connect with us one-on-one, click the link in the description to tell us all about your project so we can help you get started.