Our office has noted an uptick in house plans purchased from various American companies that essentially mass-produce house plans.
Do be cautious: there are a number of issues that can arise as a result of either differences between U.S. codes and the National Building Code, or as a result of climactic differences. In many cases, plans designed to U.S. codes will be rejected outright.
Examples include:
- Insufficient foundation sizing
- Incorrect post (column) sizing
- Insufficient rafter strength
- Missing earthquake bracing panels
- Missing energy efficiency calculatons.
New Brunswick does not require a professional designer to create house plans, but if you are seeking aid of a designer, make sure the designer is familiar with - and able to design to - Canadian codes.