Planning on a New Home

At Studio Ballard, we have been working with home builders and their clients for over 20 years. Brooks Ballard started designing home plans for a local Atlanta affordable housing corporation while still a grad student at Georgia Tech. These were pretty straight forward bungalows for infill lots in a struggling neighborhood. But the homes there still had character and so did the residents. They wanted to make sure that the new homes being built would fit in and uplift, not detract, from their neighborhood.

Our business has grown similarly to these neighborhoods. What were once just up and coming neighborhoods are now some of the most desirable places to live. Like our home plans, these neighborhoods have all the modern comforts and are dynamic, convenient and accessible. Our clients are typically couples who have bought into a neighborhood because they love its charm and convenience. They’ve bought that “fixer upper” on a nice street, but now realize that the bones of that structure are just too small or brittle to make right. They want to upgrade their home but not lose the character. That’s where we come in. We take the lessons from our “affordable days” and apply those principles to our plans to achieve a comfortable home on a small lot without losing the character of the neighborhood.

At Studio Ballard, we think that everyone deserves great design. We are providing a new way to buy residential floor plans online. Our approach makes fresh, refined designs more accessible to all.

The Missing Middle

In the area of home design, there is a major missing component in the American architectural landscape. When looking for new home designs, people usually end up on one of the major aggregator websites, looking through thousands of home plans.  Most of those plans would work perfectly fine in any basic suburban neighborhood. But what if you’re looking for something with a little more character or even have to find a plan that will fit into an historic neighborhood? You will more than likely have some trouble finding the right plan online as most of those “historic styles” are just the same plans with a few stuck-on period details. What about employing an architect? There are amazing homes designed everyday by these talented artisans. But the additional costs can add up to 10-15% of the overall home value. It can be well worth it, but the additional cost can be distressing when purchasing your dream home. Most architects are either working with very wealthy individuals or perhaps on parcels that require a little more design know how like narrow or steep lots. In short, they are providing unique design solutions. At Studio Ballard, we realize that customers are torn between making their home individually suited for them but are also chasing the latest Pinterest fads while still worrying about resale value. There’s the homeowner paradox: how to get great design suited to you at a good price. Well, like they say, even if you’re one in a million, there are thousands like you out in the world.

At Studio Ballard, we can help you discern the fads from good design and make a beautifully classic home suited just for you.

The 3 Ways To Work With Us

Option 1: Choose one of our pre-designed plans (with the possibility to tweak it)
We’ve put what we consider some of our best plans here. These have evolved over time, re-worked with builders and individuals to make the most of every space.
Read more about our plan packages here >
Generally, around $1.00 per square foot

Option 2: Modify an existing plan
The plans here are not our only plans, but maybe we have just the right plan already. Let’s talk about your needs and then we can present you with a few ideas that we can work from. This is a tried and true method that allows you to get a uniquely suited solution.
Learn more about this process >
Generally, around $1.50 per square foot

Option3: Start on a new plan
Sometimes we don’t have a good ready made solution to your design problem. That’s good, or it might get a little boring around here. We love to tackle new design problems, styles, and types of residential projects. And you’ll love your unique home.
Learn more >
Generally, around $2.00 + per square foot

For new home plans, final price based on square footage, base price @ $2.00 psf
Final SF is determined by heated square feet (to exterior of framing) for indoor spaces.
Additional SF price will include exterior covered porches and garages at $1.00 psf
Site planning is usually included. This will reflect hard surfaces, paths, views, etc.
Note, local engineering is encouraged and may be required by your local building department.