My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

On Feb 13, 9:03*pm, "SteveBell" wrote:
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

Unless there is a "notable" design in there, the current house owners
are the only ones that would really be interested. Displaying/storage
and inventorying the drawings all have costs, whether it's monetary
costs or not. Not many would take on the chore unless there was a
readily visible upside to the situation.

I'd certainly like to have the original drawings to any house I worked
on - they'd be most handy. Contacting the current owners would cost
you in time and effort as well. The costs in simply mailing the
drawings, gratis, would be substantial. If you wanted to invest even
more time, you could try selling them for a flat fee to cover postage
and handling. Fifteen or twenty bucks...? It's worth it to anyone
that works on the house, but I have no idea how many takers you'd
have.

Short of going to all of that trouble...recycle the paper.

R

On Feb 13, 9:03*pm, "SteveBell" wrote:
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

It's hard to throw out all that paper that represents a life's work.
On the other hand, it has little value.
Few folks stay in the same house for more than a few years.
Codes and life styles have changed.
Paper isn't the easiest thing to move around.

I think the best one could do is sell the library to another house
designer.
Alternatively, if you want to take the time and money, the drawings
could be scanned and sold.
T

"SteveBell" wrote in message
a.org...
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

Maybe your local library , town archive or Historical Society??? I wouldn't
throw them out either...Let us know how you make out....

On Feb 13, 9:03*pm, "SteveBell" wrote:

What should I do with all these old plans?

I'd give $200 for the plans to this place.

If they're plans for 1200sf tract homes, maybe not so marketable.

Still, I wouldn't trash the evidence of my dad's life work, they'd be
worth keeping to me.
-----

- gpsman

On 2/13/2009 6:03 PM SteveBell spake thus:

My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

How about contacting them and offering to mail them? It would take a
little time and cost a little in postage (mailing tubes, etc.), but
probably few of the customers would want their plans. It would be a nice
courtesy.


--
Personally, I like Vista, but I probably won't use it. I like it
because it generates considerable business for me in consulting and
upgrades. As long as there is hardware and software out there that
doesn't work, I stay in business. Incidentally, my company motto is
"If this stuff worked, you wouldn't need me".

- lifted from sci.electronics.repair

"SteveBell" wrote in news:gn58ol$cen$1
@newlifehomeimprovement.motzarella.org:

My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?


Sorry to hear about your dad Steve.

If you do decide to contact the owners, just tell them you ask only for
the cost to get them to them - any packing, cartons, tubes, postage, etc.
and mention you are not adding in anything for your time (if that's what
you choose).

If they are not willing to cover costs then they really don't want them.
For those who accept it, for your effort you get the satisfaction of
knowing your dads work remains and has value to someone.

"SteveBell" wrote in message
a.org...
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

Hi Steve,
Been there, done that. After the Oakland, CA fire (early '90's) I
accumulated about 150 sets of architectural drawings for some rather
expensive homes. These new homes were being appraised and sold in the $ 6
to 8 hundred thousand range. I was doing Civil Engineering and Land
Surveying and architects were supplying me with full drawing sets so we
could do grading plans and building layouts.

Anyway, in early 2001 I mailed every single home owner notifying them that I
have plans for their residence and I would deliver them if they signed an
enclosed 'hold harmless' agreement. For my efforts I got several blasts
from ***hole attorneys telling me that if I don't give them the drawings
without the 'hold harmless' they will sue me. Naturally, some of the
drawings got 'misplaced' and never delivered.

All-in-all, it was not worth the effort. I thought I was doing a good deed
but learned otherwise.

Ivan Vegvary

On Feb 13, 8:03*pm, "SteveBell" wrote:
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

I would pay a few hundred for plans for our house, contacting present
owners could be profitable for you.

SteveBell wrote:
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

A school (his alma mater) or professional organization might be
interested. Or an historical society in the area where he worked. An
art museum. If he did design work for an organization, such as
municipal, educational or notable commercial facilities, they might be
interested in preserving the work or helping to find interested parties.
A small ad in the local paper, to homeowners, could bring purchasers if
you charge for shipping.

What kind of volume is involved for storage? Could a professional
friend take on the job of scanning them so at least digital copies are
preserved? My city has digital versions of all the building plans, at
least as old as our condo (40 years).

"SteveBell" wrote in message
a.org...
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

After 15 years I still have the original 10 copies of the prints for my
home. Someday a new owner might appreciate them.

On Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:23:04 -0800 (PST), RicodJour
wrote:

On Feb 13, 9:03*pm, "SteveBell" wrote:
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

Unless there is a "notable" design in there, the current house owners
are the only ones that would really be interested. Displaying/storage
and inventorying the drawings all have costs, whether it's monetary
costs or not. Not many would take on the chore unless there was a
readily visible upside to the situation.

I'd certainly like to have the original drawings to any house I worked
on - they'd be most handy. Contacting the current owners would cost
you in time and effort as well. The costs in simply mailing the
drawings, gratis, would be substantial. If you wanted to invest even
more time, you could try selling them for a flat fee to cover postage
and handling. Fifteen or twenty bucks...? It's worth it to anyone
that works on the house, but I have no idea how many takers you'd
have.

Short of going to all of that trouble...recycle the paper.

R

I think I would send a post card out to the current residents
of the homes offering to send them the drawing for a price you would
find it profitable to send it to them and make the offer for a limited
time.

"SteveBell" wrote in message
a.org...

My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

Try the libraries of any schools of architecture that catch
your eye. You can probably inquire by email . Some may
welcome donation of hand-drawn plans etc.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

SteveBell wrote:
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?


Clever and novel wallpaper for a den?

HeyBub wrote:
SteveBell wrote:
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?


Clever and novel wallpaper for a den?

Sounds like the decision my moniker might make. Not the right one I think.

On Feb 14, 9:42�pm, "Clot" wrote:
HeyBub wrote:
SteveBell wrote:
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

Clever and novel wallpaper for a den?

Sounds like the decision my moniker might make. Not the right one I think..

Did he belong to any professional organizations? they may have some
ideas

Open the phone book in his city of resdence, and look for
architects and designers. Maybe one of them. Or, call
everyone in the personal phone directory he left behind.
Perhaps one of his colleagues.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"SteveBell" wrote in message
a.org...
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently.
He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years,
and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them,
but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a
seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I
could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

I exepct your Dad must have charged money for the designs. I
think it's appropriate that his son would offer them the
prints for some small sum of money, twenty to fifty bucks
sounds in the right range.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


wrote in message
news
I think I would send a post card out to the current
residents
of the homes offering to send them the drawing for a price
you would
find it profitable to send it to them and make the offer for
a limited
time.

My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners and ask if they want them, but that
kind of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a
seven-hour drive from mine. I could trash them, but that's just
wrong. I could donate them somewhere, but who would want them?

Thanks, everybody, for all the suggestions. I especially appreciate the
suggestions from experience.

These are the original pencil-on-vellum drawings. My dad had a small
income stream from reprinting blueprints. Two thirds of the drawings
are custom homes, with the rest spread among commercial buildings, city
parks, oilfield equipment, patent drawings, and other stuff I haven't
figured out yet.

At this point, I plan to contact, in this order
* City library
* Historical society
* Local architect or two
* Customers
Getting rid of them all at one go is easiest.

He lived in Hobbs, NM, a small city within sight of the end of the
world, so if I wind up giving them to the customers, I'll just deliver
them. I could deliver all of them by car for $20.00 in gas and a couple
of day's time. I'd spend _way_ more than that mailing them. Since I'll
be back there to shut down the house and move my Mom to Dallas, it'd be
a nice hobby for the evenings.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

SteveBell wrote:
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?

I could contact all the owners


Instead try contacting some, not all, of them.


and ask if they want them, but that kind
of effort isn't my first choice--my parents' home is a seven-hour drive
from mine. I could trash them, but that's just *wrong*. I could donate
them somewhere, but who would want them?


Could maybe sell them to interior designers in the locale where your Dad
worked, for use as wallpaper.

SteveBell wrote:

I could contact all the owners

Instead try contacting some, not all, of them.

I had that thought at supper tonight. Great minds think alike.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

Matt wrote in news:654ml.6356$2h5.3923
@newsfe11.iad:

SteveBell wrote:
My Dad, a residential designer and draftsman, died recently. He had a
one-man design and drafting firm for more than thirty years, and his
archive of old blueprints is large.

What should I do with all these old plans?


Steve,

As a former CADD teacher, you might contact the local high school or
vocational school as they typically need real examples of buildings to
repro in CADD.

Just think, you may be able to claim being the root cause of many levels
of teenage frustration as they claim that your father failed to place
the correct or enough dimensions to build the building they are trying
to model.

Too much fun.