Hiring a draftsman costs $50 to $150 per hour, and a full set of house plans averages $1,731 to $2,000 depending on the publisher’s project scope.1,2,3 Angi (2026 data) reports a national average project cost of $1,731, with most homeowners paying $815 – $2,710. HomeAdvisor (2025 data) reports the identical $1,731 average and an $815 – $2,710 normal range – the two are corporate siblings, and matching figures alone don’t establish independent corroboration.1,2 Fixr (updated January 2025) reports a $2,000 national average scoped to semi-custom plans for a 2,000 sq. ft. two-story home, an average range of $1,000 – $6,000, a $350 low end (stock plans for a 1,000 sq. ft. home), and a $30,000 high end (fully custom plans for a 3,000 sq. ft. home with complex details).3 Prices below are national averages*.
*National averages, not local quotes. Your price depends on plan type, home size and complexity, customization, number of revisions, and local rates.
$1,731
average project cost (Angi/HomeAdvisor)
$815–$2,710
typical project range (Angi/HomeAdvisor)
$2,000
average – semi-custom, 2,000 sq. ft. (Fixr)
$50–$150
hourly rate span (all three sources)
What the sources say
| Source | Headline figures | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Angi (2026 data, updated Sep 2026) | $1,731 average project; most homeowners $815 – $2,710; $75 – $150 per hour | Corporate sibling of HomeAdvisor; identical headline figures |
| HomeAdvisor (2025 data, updated Jun 2026) | $1,731 average; normal range $815 – $2,710; low $300; high $5,000+; $75 – $125 per hour | Sibling-identical figures; matching figures alone don’t establish independent corroboration |
| Fixr (updated Jan 2025) | $2,000 average scoped to semi-custom plans on a 2,000 sq. ft. home; range $1,000 – $6,000; low $350; high $30,000; $50 – $130 per hour | Average carries a defined project scope |
All three publishers bill drafting three ways – hourly, per square foot, and flat per project – and Fixr additionally reports pricing as a percentage of total build cost. Figures differ across sources; the differences are not explained by the sources.
Hourly rates
Each publisher reports a different hourly span for drafting work:1,2,3
| Rate type | Angi (2026) | HomeAdvisor (2025) | Fixr (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draftsperson hourly rate | $75 – $150 | $75 – $125 | $50 – $130 |
| CAD drafter hourly rate | – | – | $75 – $135 |
HomeAdvisor notes that most residential plans take 10 to 13 hours to draft, and that many freelancers quote a flat average of $1,750 for a standard home.2
Fixr breaks hourly rates down by experience level:3
| Experience level | Hourly rate (Fixr, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Trainee | $30 – $75 |
| Office draftsman | $50 – $100 |
| Senior draftsman | $75 – $150 |
Per-square-foot rates
All three publishers price drafting per square foot, with the rate rising from stock to fully custom plans. Angi and Fixr share the same $0.35 – $1 stock/semi-custom and $1 – $10 custom figures – separately published figures, and the pages state no shared sourcing. HomeAdvisor’s tiers differ; the difference is not explained.1,2,3
| Plan type | Angi (2026) | HomeAdvisor (2025) | Fixr (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock / pre-made | $0.35 – $1 | $0.50 – $3 | $0.35 – $0.75 |
| Modified stock / semi-custom | (same tier as stock) | – | $0.50 – $1 |
| Standard home plans | – | $3 – $5 | – |
| Custom / high-end | $1 – $10 | $6 – $10 | $1 – $10 |
Angi’s billing-method table also lists $1 – $3 per sq. ft. as its general larger-project rate. HomeAdvisor’s overall drafting-fee span is $0.50 – $10 per sq. ft., and Fixr’s is $0.35 – $10 per sq. ft.1,2,3
Cost by plan type and project
Fixr prices plan sets for a 2,000 sq. ft. home by type:3
| Plan type (Fixr, 2025) | Cost |
|---|---|
| Stock | $700 – $1,500 |
| Modified stock / semi-custom | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| Custom | $2,000 – $20,000 |
Angi prices drafting services by service type:1
| Service type (Angi, 2026) | Cost range |
|---|---|
| New construction | $2,000 – $6,000 |
| Commercial | $2,500 – $8,000 |
| Home addition / remodel | $1,000 – $3,500 |
| Interior design plans | $2,100 – $15,250 |
| Permit drawings | $1,000 – $3,000 |
| As-built plans | $700 – $2,000 |
Angi also prices by project size:1
| Project size (Angi, 2026) | Example scope | Average cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single room | Bathroom or kitchen remodel | $500 – $1,200 |
| Multi-room | Basement finish, 2–3 rooms | $1,200 – $2,500 |
| Whole house | Full remodel or new build | $2,500 – $4,000+ |
Fixr prices plans by project:3
| Project (Fixr, 2025) | Cost |
|---|---|
| Small remodel | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| New building | $1,000 – $6,000 |
| Addition (about 1,000 sq. ft.) | $1,200 – $1,500 |
| Complete remodel | $2,000 – $2,500 |
HomeAdvisor puts custom plans for a new build at $5,000 – $20,000+, and plan alterations at $400 – $2,500 (averaging $800).2
Billing methods
Fixr (2025) lists three billing methods: $0.35 – $10 per sq. ft., $50 – $130 per hour, or 0.75% – 10% of the estimated total build cost for semi-custom and custom designs. It estimates 14 to 150+ labor hours depending on whether the plan is stock with minor changes or fully custom.3
Angi (2026) lists hourly billing at $75 – $150 for small projects and consultations, $1 – $3 per sq. ft. for larger or whole-house projects, and flat per-project pricing of $1,000 – $4,000+ for defined scopes.1
Add-ons and related costs
Angi (2026) prices common add-ons:1
| Add-on (Angi, 2026) | Cost |
|---|---|
| Consultation or site assessment | $100 – $300 |
| Coordination with engineers or consultants | $150 – $400 per professional |
| Expedited / rush service | 10%–30% surcharge |
| Additional plan sets or digital copies | $25 – $100 per copy |
| Permit application assistance | $150 – $400 |
| Specialty drawings (cabinetry, landscaping, lighting) | $200 – $1,000 |
| Minor plan updates | $200 – $500 |
| Major revisions | $2,000+ |
| Correction visits or inspector-required changes | $100 – $500 per visit or revision |
Fixr (2025) prices related services and fees:3
| Service (Fixr, 2025) | Cost |
|---|---|
| Blueprint printing | $10 – $60 |
| Plan review services | $200 – $400 |
| Land survey | $400 – $1,000 |
| Permits | $450 – $700 |
| Structural engineer consultation | $500 – $2,000 |
| Soil test | $700 – $1,800 |
| Construction manager | 5%–15% additional |
| CAD drawing changes | $50 – $60 per sheet |
| Rush CAD changes | $100 – $200 per sheet |
| Rush drafting service | 15%–20% rush fee |
HomeAdvisor (2025) prices printing at $0.06 – $20 per sheet, with durable Tyvek sheets at $2 – $20 each.2
Draftsman vs. architect rates
For comparison, HomeAdvisor (2025) puts architect rates at $100 – $200 per hour, while Fixr (2025) reports $90 – $400 per hour – different figures, not explained by the sources. A structural engineer runs $150 – $250 per hour, per HomeAdvisor.2,3 See the full breakdowns in our architect cost and structural engineer cost guides.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a draftsman charge per hour?
Angi reports $75 – $150 per hour, HomeAdvisor $75 – $125, and Fixr $50 – $130 (with CAD drafters at $75 – $135). The differences are not explained by the sources.1,2,3
How much do blueprints cost for a whole house?
Angi and HomeAdvisor – corporate siblings publishing identical figures – put the average at $1,731, with most homeowners in an $815 – $2,710 range. Fixr reports a $2,000 average for semi-custom plans on a 2,000 sq. ft. home, within a $1,000 – $6,000 range.1,2,3
How much do stock plans cost compared to custom plans?
Fixr prices stock plans at $700 – $1,500, semi-custom at $1,000 – $2,000, and fully custom at $2,000 – $20,000 for a 2,000 sq. ft. home. Per square foot, stock plans run $0.35 – $0.75 and custom plans $1 – $10, figures Angi matches for its stock/semi-custom and custom tiers.1,3
Related guides
Building Permit Cost
Architect Cost
Structural Engineer Cost
Home Addition Cost
Kitchen Remodel Cost
All cost guides
Sources
1. Angi — How Much Does a Draftsperson Cost to Hire? (2026 data)
2. HomeAdvisor — How Much Do Blueprints Cost? (2025 data)
3. Fixr — Cost of Drafting House Plans (updated Jan 2025)