Common questions
What people often ask.
20 honest answers across pricing, delivery, Vastu, customisation, architects, and after-sales. If something isn't covered, drop us a line.
Pricing · 5 questions
Does the design price include construction?
No. The design price is for the design package only — Floor Plan + Studio Renders + Budget breakdown. Actual construction cost is shown as a separate estimate in your Budget deliverable. You hire your own builder to construct; we deliver the design they need to start.
Is the L1 customisation really free?
Yes. Changing the exterior colour, interior scheme, room arrangement, or facing rotation does NOT change your price. These are L1 cosmetic flex options — your base price is locked the moment you pick a model.
When do L2 accessories add to the price?
Whenever you add an actual feature — extra bedroom, pool, terrace garden, premium finish upgrade. Each accessory shows its ₹ delta inline; the running total recomputes as you toggle. No surprise costs at checkout.
Why do prices vary so much across models?
Bigger homes cost more to design, and premium finishes take more design work. Pricing reflects sqft × complexity × finish tier. The catalogue ranges from ₹399 (compact studio) to ₹15,999 (estate villa).
Do I pay upfront or in instalments?
Upfront via Razorpay (UPI / card / netbanking). The design package is a one-time purchase. Architect Hour, Stamped Papers, and DBYO Concierge are separate add-ons billed individually when you book them.
Delivery · 3 questions
How long does the design take?
Self-service DBYO: instant — generation happens as you progress through the wizard. DBYO Concierge add-on (we run the wizard for you): 48 hours. Stamped Papers add-on (architect-signed permit drawings): 14-day SLA.
How do I receive my deliverables?
Email + WhatsApp delivery to the number you registered. Downloadable PDF + image bundle. You can re-download from your account anytime — they don't expire.
Can I edit my design after delivery?
L1 cosmetic flex (colour, room arrangement, facing) is editable up to 1 round free. L2 changes (add a bedroom, change finish tier) require re-running the BoQ and may incur a small revision fee.
Vastu · 4 questions
Who certifies the Vastu compliance?
AstroSpeaks — our partner. AstroSpeaks is India's Vedic Jyotisha and Vastu authority. Their pundits codified the ruleset that every DBYO Vastu home is reviewed against. Visit /aho/vastu for the full explanation.
What's the Vastu Score on each design?
A 0-100 score reflecting how closely the design adheres to the AstroSpeaks-codified ruleset. 90-100 Exemplary, 80-89 Strong, 70-79 Compliant. Designs below 70 are not in the Vastu-certified pool.
Can I have a Vastu-certified home if my plot is SW-facing?
Yes — we have designs specifically optimised for non-traditional facings (SW, W, NW). The Vastu ruleset accommodates plot constraints; the score will reflect the genuine compliance trade-offs honestly.
I don't care about Vastu — do I still need to pick a Vastu-compliant design?
No. AHO has both DBYO Vastu (Vastu-certified) and DBYO (architecture-first, no Vastu constraints) pools. You can browse exclusively the non-Vastu designs if site / view / aesthetic drives your decision.
Customisation · 3 questions
Can I see the renders update as I make changes?
Phase 1 (today): we ship studio-quality pre-rendered images per L1 combination (Imagen 4.0). The exterior preview reflects your colour + facing selection. The configurator shows price changes inline. Phase 2.5 (on the roadmap): real-time interactive 3D viewer (Babylon.js scene-graph) where you rotate, change colour, and rearrange rooms live — we'll announce when this lands.
Can I rearrange rooms?
Yes — swap-pairs within the same footprint (swap bedroom positions, flip kitchen-utility) are free L1 flex. Adding a NEW room is an L2 accessory with a price delta.
How many L1 variants does each model have?
Approximately 600 visualisable combinations per model — 8 exterior palettes × 6 interior schemes × 8 facings × multiple roof styles. With 57 base models, the catalogue effectively delivers ~34,000 unique homes at 57 distinct price points.
Architects · 3 questions
Who designs my home?
CoA-licensed B.Arch professionals on AHO's design team. AHO is the contracting party — we assign the architect after purchase. The architect's name appears at order-detail level for operational coordination.
Can I pick a specific architect?
For productized SKUs (DBYO Vastu / DBYO / Stamped Papers via AHO) — no, AHO assigns. For consultation SKUs (Architect Hour ₹5k/60-min, Stamped Papers walk-in ₹25/sqft) — yes, browse the directory and pick.
Are AHO architects Vastu-trained?
Some are. There's an OPTIONAL Vastu cohort run by AstroSpeaks pundits. Architects who complete it get the "AstroSpeaks-paired" badge — they're eligible for DBYO Vastu assignments. Architects without the badge serve DBYO (vanilla) and direct consultation customers.
Support · 2 questions
What if I have questions during the design?
Architect Q&A: ₹99 per question, AI-drafted + architect-reviewed answer in 48 hours. Or book an Architect Hour (₹5,000 / 60-min) for live consultation.
What's your refund policy?
Within 7 days of purchase, before architect assignment: 100% refund. After assignment: 50% refund minus architect-time-spent. Post-delivery: case-by-case. We're a small team; we resolve fairly.
Question not covered? We'll answer it.
Drop a line at hello@architects-house.com or use Architect Q&A (₹99 per question, 48-hour SLA).