House plans / A researched buying guide
A set of drawings.Not yet a building permit.
Truoba, which calls its designs modern and contemporary, sells 64 plans, 63 houses and one detached garage, from 285 to 2,981 sq ft, as construction drawing sets. Before you buy, see what a set covers, what the editable CAD files and changes cost, and what a local engineer and your builder still add.
The main Truoba buttons are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you buy through them. Independent research, not a hands-on test.
See if it fits you
The short answer
A design you can see
before you pay for it.
Truoba says it designs its own plans and sells each as a downloadable set of construction drawings. You can see the design, the size and the price before you pay anyone, which makes it a reasonable place to start if you own a lot. What you are buying is a design, not a permit.
Budget for what the headline price leaves out. The editable CAD files cost $500 more on 62 of the 64 plans. Changes you ask Truoba to make are priced in bands starting at $100, though it lists some updates as free. A local structural engineer's review is a separate cost, and Truoba says most building departments require it. Then add your builder's own quote.
14PDF plan sets $400 to $2,500 across the catalog, or $800 to $3,000 with the editable CAD files for a house ($650 for the detached garage). Checked 17 October 2026.
The CAD files, most changes, your engineer and your builder are extra.
The catalog at a glance
A catalog from one studio
Truoba describes itself as an online home designer that creates contemporary house designs. Its catalog has 64 listings, from a 285 sq ft one-bedroom plan to a 2,981 sq ft four-bedroom house. One listing is a detached garage.
Every plan sells in the same two tiers, with optional add-ons on top, so the main choice is the tier, not a bundle of extras. A plan's size is its house area, not its footprint: the plan pages we read each list a width and a depth, and those are the numbers to hold against your lot. Truoba 122, at 2,000 sq ft, lists 78 ft by 63 ft 2 in.
317- 64plans in the catalog
- 285 to 2,981sq ft, smallest to largest
- $400 to $2,500for the PDF set
- +$500for CAD, on 62 of 64 plans
01 / Find a plan
Start from your situation.
Then pick a plan.
Choose the starting point closest to yours. Pick a plan to carry it into the worksheet below.
Start with the footprint.
- Compare the plan's published width and depth with your lot and its setbacks.
- Ask Truoba for its free site plan. Truoba says that if you send a topography photo, it returns the floor plan placed on your property, and its plan pages ask for a drawing or image that shows the scale or boundary dimensions.
- Add the $100 plot plan if your county requires one for a permit.
Keep in mind Truoba describes the free site plan as a way to see how the house sits on your lot. The plot plan is the one it says some counties require for a permit.
Truoba Mini 121
285 sq ft, 1 bed, 1 bath
PDF $400PDF + CAD $800
The smallest plan in the catalog. Truoba titles its page an accessory dwelling unit plan.
Truoba Mini 525
915 sq ft, 2 bed, 1 bath
PDF $900PDF + CAD $1,400
A compact two-bedroom with a covered porch.
Truoba 126
1,680 sq ft, 2-3 bed, 2-3 bath
PDF $1,500PDF + CAD $2,000
Offers two or three bedrooms, and its page shows a plan for an optional finished or unfinished basement.
Truoba 122
2,000 sq ft, 3 bed, 2 bath
PDF $1,800PDF + CAD $2,300
The plan we read in the most detail for this guide.
Truoba Class 520
2,981 sq ft, 4 bed, 3.5 bath
PDF $2,500PDF + CAD $3,000
The largest plan, with four bedrooms across two floors.
Or search all 64 plans
64 of 64 plans, showing 6
Sizes, bedrooms and prices as listed by Truoba, checked 17 October 2026. Truoba can change them at any time.
What a size looks like
Look at the rooms
before you pick a size.
Truoba's coloured plan images, such as this first floor of Truoba 126, show room names and sizes. Check the images on the plan you like.
Hold each room against your own furniture and routines before you settle on a size.
02 / What a set covers
What the set covers, and what it leaves to you
A purchased set still needs local review, detailing and permits.
The FAQ lists fourteen items in a set, including construction notes and general specifications. The terms describe the plans as indicating design intent and basic construction detailing, and say they are not intended to be complete in all respects and details. The terms also call the electrical, plumbing and HVAC drawings schematic, and the foundation plan a basic guide for a typical spread footing or poured concrete foundation.
Truoba says a licensed structural engineer in your jurisdiction must review and stamp the set, and will specify the beams, headers, rafters or trusses, columns and footings for your soil, snow, wind and seismic conditions. If the engineer needs changes, Truoba says it updates the drawings for free and issues a revised set. It also says it works with structural engineering companies in all 50 states that can quote your project.
Truoba's terms say one purchase covers building a single home, the plans cannot be transferred, and sales are not refundable. Only a first order can be exchanged, within 30 days and for a fee.
41- What you buy
- A set of construction drawings for one design. The FAQ lists fourteen items, including the foundation, floor and roof plans, sections, elevations, electrical, plumbing and HVAC plans, a door and window schedule, construction notes and general specifications2
- Two tiers
- A PDF set, which Truoba says is for copying, sending and printing, and a PDF + CAD (.dwg) set, which Truoba says lets your architect, designer or builder change the drawings1
- Catalog range
- 64 plans from 285 to 2,981 sq ft, one of them a detached garage. A PDF set runs from $400 to $2,5003
- Design intent
- Truoba's terms describe the plans as indicating design intent and basic construction detailing, and as not intended to be complete in all respects and details4
- Electrical, plumbing, HVAC
- Truoba's terms call the electrical, plumbing and HVAC (heating and cooling) drawings schematic and say a local engineer or builder should provide the detailed versions required for permits and construction4
- Engineer's review
- Truoba says the set must be reviewed and stamped by a licensed structural engineer in your jurisdiction, and that most building departments require the stamp1
- Licence
- Truoba's terms say one purchase licenses the plans to build a single home, that they cannot be transferred and that sales are not refundable, though a first order can be exchanged within 30 days for a 30 percent fee4
- 01
Pick a plan
You
Compare size, footprint and tier. Ask about Truoba's free site plan if you own a lot.
- 02
Decide on changes
Truoba or your architect
Truoba says it quotes changes within 48 hours, with no upfront payment. If your own architect will make them, ask for the CAD set: Truoba says it allows changes with your architect, designer or builder.
- 03
Buy the set
You
You download the files. One purchase licenses one home.
- 04
Engineer reviews and stamps
Local structural engineer
Truoba says the engineer specifies the beams and footings for your site, and that it updates its drawings for free if changes are needed.
- 05
Detail the electrical, plumbing and HVAC
Local engineer or builder
Truoba's terms say your local engineer or builder should provide detailed versions of the schematic electrical, plumbing and HVAC drawings, as permits and construction may require.
- 06
Permit and build
Your builder
Truoba's terms assign inspections and permits to the builder, and code compliance of the plan set to you.
The published prices
What changing a plan costs
Every price here is Truoba's own, as read on 17 October 2026. The counts and differences are our arithmetic on those prices.
Truoba publishes bands for changes and says the cost is calculated for your specific request. Its FAQ gives $100 to $700 for minor changes, $700 to $1,500 for medium changes and $1,500 or more for major ones, whose examples are redesigning over 40 percent of the floor plan, adding significant square footage and adding a floor. The plan pages publish different bands: $700 to $2,000 for medium and from $2,000 for major, with over 30 percent as the first example.
Truoba says a quote is free and arrives within 48 hours. There is, it says, no revision limit and no upfront payment: you pay the final price once you approve the final design. After you buy, it says, you can still change a plan and pay only the customization fee, and it updates the electrical plan for free.
12What it costs, including the parts that are not the plan
| What you are paying for | What it covers | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Plan set, PDF | The fourteen items on the FAQ list. Truoba says the PDF is for copying, sending and printing | $400 to $2,500 |
| CAD upgrade | The editable .dwg files. Truoba says they let your own architect, designer or builder change the drawings | $500 more on 62 of 64 plans |
| Plot plan | Places the house on your lot. Truoba says some counties require one to obtain a permit | +$100 |
| Reversed plan | The design mirrored, as an add-on on the plan page. Truoba's change lists also name a reverse plan as a minor change | +$150 |
| Minor changes | Room layout tweaks, exterior materials, doors and windows, roof pitch | $100 to $700 |
| Medium changes | Rearranging rooms, changing roof type, expanding the house | $700 to $1,500, or $700 to $2,000 |
| Major changes | Redesigning over 30 or 40 percent of the floor plan, adding significant square footage or a floor | From $1,500, or from $2,000 |
| Detailed electrical, plumbing and HVAC drawings | Truoba's terms call its drawings for these schematic and say your local engineer or builder should provide the detailed versions required for permits and construction | Local quote |
| Structural engineer review and stamp | Truoba says the set must be reviewed and stamped by a licensed structural engineer, that most building departments require the stamp, and that the engineering companies it works with can quote | Quoted by an engineering company |
| Site-specific foundation design | Truoba's terms call its foundation plan a basic guide for a typical spread footing or poured concrete foundation, and say a local architect or engineer should provide a site-specific design if found necessary | Local quote |
| Permits and local fees | Usually set by your local building department. Truoba's terms assign securing permits to the builder | Local quote |
| Electrical plan layout changes | Where lighting, switches and outlets go, if you send your changes after you buy | Free, per Truoba |
Figures checked 17 October 2026 on Truoba's catalog, plan pages, FAQ and Terms. The CAD upgrade is $400 on Mini 121 and $250 on the detached garage, and $500 on the other 62 plans.
03 / Know the whole number
Price the
whole project.
Truoba's prices are filled in. Add the quotes you collect. A blank line stays unknown and is never counted as free.
Your quotes stay when you change plan. Update any that were for a different house.
Your entries stay in this tab and are not sent to us. No email needed. Truoba's prices checked 17 October 2026.
04 / Take the next step
A brief you can
take to your builder.
Five checks to settle before you pay. Check them off, then take your plan, your worksheet and these notes to Truoba, your engineer and your builder.
A text file with your plan, worksheet and checklist, saved to your device. Some app browsers block saving. Copying works there.
0 of 5 checks marked complete
05 / What reviewers say
What reviewers say, and what the record cannot show
Trustpilot shows a TrustScore of 4.9 out of 5 from 131 reviews for Truoba. Its star breakdown shows 100 percent five-star. Some reviewers name the people they dealt with at the studio. Trustpilot labels Truoba as a company that invites its customers to review, but it does not say what share of the 131 came that way.
On the first page of reviews, the one criticism we found concerns the cost of changes: in 2023 a reviewer wrote that the plans are a little pricey when making modifications, and still thought them worth the price. A record with no review below five stars cannot tell you how the studio treats an unhappy buyer.
8A stock plan is one route
Choose the right kind of start.
A local architect's design
Consider it when your lot, budget or needs do not suit any stock plan.
Design fees can start before you have a price for the whole house.
Truoba's custom design service
Truoba says it designs custom homes from scratch and always offers more than one option.
We did not review its pricing or process for this guide.
A different plan catalog
Compare another seller's drawing list, tier prices and engineer wording against this guide's checklist.
Other sellers' licence and refund terms may differ, so read them before you buy.
Research, with its limits visible
What we checked.
What we cannot promise.
- Read Truoba's catalog, FAQ, About page and Terms and Conditions, and noted what Truoba says a set contains and leaves out.
- Read the price of both tiers for all 64 plans from Truoba's public catalog feed, and checked six plan pages against it.
- Read the modification pricing published in the FAQ and again on the plan pages, and compared the two.
- Checked the independent Trustpilot profile, including its star breakdown and how reviews are collected.
The questions worth asking
Before you
buy a set.
Can my builder work from these plans?
That is your builder's call, so ask before you buy. Truoba's terms leave dimension checks, inspections and permits to the builder, and make you responsible for checking that the plan set meets your local codes. Show your builder the drawing list and a sample plan page, and ask what they would add.
What happens if my engineer wants changes?
Truoba says that if changes are needed based on the engineer's specifications, it updates the drawings for free and issues a revised set. It says it also updates the electrical plan for free if you send changes after you buy. Truoba says other changes are priced as modifications.
Is a purchased plan enough to get a building permit?
Not on its own. Truoba states that the set must be reviewed and stamped by a licensed structural engineer in your local jurisdiction, and that most building departments require the stamp to obtain a permit.
Do I need the CAD version?
Probably, if anyone other than Truoba will change the drawings. Truoba says the CAD set allows changes with your local architect, designer or builder, while the PDF set is for copying, sending and printing, so ask your architect which format they need. The upgrade is $500 on 62 of the 64 plans, $400 on Mini 121 and $250 on the detached garage.
Will a plan fit my lot?
Compare the width and depth on the plan page with your lot and its setbacks. Truoba says it will place your chosen floor plan on your property for free if you send a topography photo, and its plan pages ask for a drawing or image showing the scale or boundary dimensions. It lists a plot plan at $100 and says some counties require one for a permit.
How long does it take?
Truoba says a quote and a first draft of changes arrive within 48 hours, customization can take one to four weeks depending on your requirements, and final drawings generally take up to a week more. We could not find a delivery time for a plan bought as it is.
Can I get my money back?
Not as a refund. Truoba's terms say plan sales, modifications and custom designs are not refundable, but a first plan order can be exchanged within 30 days for a fee of 30 percent of the original order, plus the difference in cost if the new plan is priced higher.
Your next conversation
Bring these questions to your engineer and your builder.
- Choose the tier: if anyone other than Truoba will change the drawings, that probably means the CAD set
- Check the plan's width and depth against your lot and its setbacks, and ask about Truoba's free site plan first
- Get any modification quote in writing before you buy, and ask which of Truoba's two bands applies
- Price the engineer, foundation design, permits and your builder's quote now, not after you buy
Opens Truoba's home page.
Prices and terms on Truoba's site are the ones that count.
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission if you buy through it.
Prices checked 17 October 2026.
After you click
- 01
You open Truoba's website
- 02
The plan pages we read show the floor plan, elevations, the list of what the set contains and a tier menu
- 03
The tier menu is where the CAD decision is made. On the house plans we checked, the plot plan and reversed plan add-ons sit beside it
- 04
Modification requests are quoted individually after you submit a change list, and the company says the quote and a first draft arrive within 48 hours
- 05
Next you need a local structural engineer to review and stamp the set. That is a separate engagement, and Truoba says the engineering companies it works with can quote it
Sources & research notes 12 documents checked
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05Truoba Mini 121 plan page: the smallest plan, with its own CAD upgrade price
Checked 17 October 2026
- 06Truoba Class 520 plan page: the largest plan, tied with Class 422 for the highest price
Checked 17 October 2026
- 07Truoba, About: how the studio describes its designs
Checked 17 October 2026
- 08Trustpilot, Truoba LLC: score, review count, star breakdown and how reviews are collected
Checked 17 October 2026
- 09Truoba, public catalog feed: sizes, bedrooms, bathrooms and both tier prices for all 64 plans
Checked 17 October 2026
- 010Truoba 126 plan page: bedrooms, the basement plan image and the add-ons
Checked 17 October 2026
- 011Truoba Mini 419 plan page: a plan that lists more add-ons
Checked 17 October 2026
- 012
Independent editorial research. Confirm current prices, terms and local requirements with Truoba and a licensed professional in your jurisdiction. Nothing here is legal, engineering or financial advice. Images are Truoba's own renders and drawings, credited to Truoba, resized for this page and not edited.