Straight answers about what house plans cost, what your permit office needs, how long drawings take and what you get. Don't see your question? Call (505) 582-7787 or send us a note.
Custom home plans from Desert Sage Drafting start at $2.00 per heated square foot for a complete permit-ready set with unlimited revisions. Kitchen designs start at $500 and bathrooms at $250. Remodels and additions begin with a $750 retainer that is applied toward your project. You always receive a firm written number before work starts.
For most single-family homes, additions and remodels in New Mexico, permit offices accept construction drawings prepared by a residential designer or drafting service — a licensed architect is not required. Desert Sage Drafting has produced permit-ready residential drawings since 1998. When a jurisdiction requires stamped structural calculations, that engineering is provided by an independent licensed engineer, which we coordinate and flag up front.
Yes. Casitas and accessory dwelling units are one of our most common projects in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Corrales, Placitas and Santa Fe. We design to your lot's setbacks and local ADU rules and deliver a permit-ready set.
We meet in person across New Mexico and Arizona, and we design remotely for homeowners and builders nationwide through our online client portal, where you upload documents, mark up your plans, leave notes and pay online.
A complete construction drawing set: floor plans, dimension plans, exterior elevations, roof and foundation plans, electrical plans and the notes and details your permit office requires, delivered as PDF. See the example custom home drawing set in our gallery.
Yes. Many of our clients are builders, remodeling contractors and homeowners who already have a contractor. For kitchen and bath projects we also offer an optional pre-written contractor agreement and itemized estimate so you and your contractor start from the same scope.
Create a free account in the client portal or call (505) 582-7787. Tell us about your project, upload any sketches, survey or photos you have, and we will reply with a quote and next steps.
Heated square footage is calculated by tracing the perimeter outline of the structure — wall thickness included — and computing the total conditioned floor area. On two-story homes, any double-volume spaces (vaulted entries, open-to-below areas, etc.) are counted once, not twice. Garages, porches, and patios are included in the price. We'll give you a firm number once we know the approximate size and scope.
Yes. We revise until you're happy with the layout and every detail — we'd rather get it right on paper than discover problems during construction. That said, we'll always strive to make meaningful progress in every meeting. If progress slows or becomes stagnant, additional steps may be required to keep the project moving toward completion.
Absolutely. Many clients find a plan they love online and have us adapt it to their lot, local code, and lifestyle. It's often a faster, more affordable starting point.
Every project is different and timelines vary, but you can plan to receive your first design within 2 weeks. Once the initial design is complete, changes and updates generally happen every 2 to 3 days depending on the size and complexity of the project.
Kitchens start at $500 and bathrooms at $250. The final price depends on the size of the space and the level of detail involved.
It's a professionally written contractor agreement plus an itemized estimate of materials and labor. It protects you, clarifies scope, and helps prevent surprise change orders.
Accurate measurements help us start fast. We provide simple measure guides in the client portal, or we can advise on getting field measurements.
Every remodel and addition is different. The $750 retainer lets us assess your existing home and scope before quoting the full project accurately — it's applied toward your project.
We document structural intent within our drawings. When a project requires stamped calculations, that engineering is provided by independent licensed engineers for an additional fee (by others), which we'll coordinate and flag up front based on what your jurisdiction needs.
Yes — matching rooflines, materials, and proportions so an addition looks original to the home is exactly what we do.
Create a free client account, tell us about your project, and we'll send you a quote.