Good questions.Straight answers.

Your ideas, a survey if you have one, and a way to pay for your deposit.

Your first appointment is your time to get all of your ideas out. We encourage every client to share their final vision, so we can point them in the most cost-effective direction.

If you're adding square footage to your home, you'll need a boundary survey. You usually get one in your closing documents when you buy a home; if you didn't finance the purchase, you may not have one.

There are exceptions. On more than 5 acres, a survey isn't typically required unless you're building a new home, and in most cases you can hand-sketch the property line with distances to the addition. In a flood zone or anywhere coastal, you'll need a survey with elevations. Bring what you have to the first meeting and we'll tell you if anything else is needed.

Every project is different, so we don't guess on a web page. Call and tell us what you're building, and a project coordinator will walk you through your quote. It's free, with no commitment.

No. We often recommend starting with plans first, so you know how much land the home needs and don't buy a parcel that doesn't fit what you want to build.

Yes. A hand-drawn sketch, a Pinterest board, a photo of a house you like or another designer's rough layout. We'll turn it into a full set of plans.

Each municipality is different; see our county resources for specifics. For additions or new homes, counties generally ask for sealed plans, a site plan or survey, truss engineering and product approval forms, plus anything else your county lists. It's a good starting place, not a complete list.

Holmes Drafting Services is not licensed as an engineer. We work with independent, third-party engineers who review your plans and seal them for permitting, and we try to use engineers who are local to your area or know your building department.

When you pay us, you're paying for the coordination service we provide. The engineer's contact information appears on every plan above their signature and seal, and their license and insurance information is available on request.

With manufactured trusses, the truss manufacturer provides its own truss calculations. On larger projects we review those calculations to make sure the headers on the plans work with the loads in the truss reaction report.

If you're not using pre-manufactured trusses, we complete the roof framing layout on the plans.

We draft to Florida Building Code and your county's requirements. If the building department comes back with comments, we'll help you work through them.

Yes. Architectural review committees want drawings, not descriptions: dimensions, materials and placement on the lot. We draft ARC plans for screen enclosures, lanai conversions, pool additions, sunrooms and full HOA review packages.

We accept all generally used forms of payment: cash, check, money order and credit card. Payments can be made in person at our Spring Hill office by appointment, or by mail. Call the office for the mailing address or the credit card authorization form.

No. Site visit fees cover the time and fuel spent getting to your site, and are typically only charged if you're 90 minutes or more from our office. In most cases a site visit fee is applied as a down payment on your project, but it isn't refundable if you cancel.

Yes. Ideas change, so review is built into the process. We walk you through the set and make changes before anything is submitted.

All the time. Builders, GCs, architects and engineers use us for overflow and ongoing drafting. Send your redlines or files and we'll take it from there.

Yes. Our core is Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Citrus and Sumter, and we draft for projects all over Florida.