Houseplans, Inc. Launches 'Cost-to-Build' Service

Houseplans, Inc. Launches 'Cost-to-Build' Service

New On-Line Service Provides Fast and Accurate Cost Estimates for New Home Construction

NOVATO, Calif., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- IMSI(R) (BULLETIN BOARD: IMSI) -- Houseplans, Inc., a leading supplier of ready-to-build house plans on-line, announced today it has launched its Houseplans Cost-to-Build(TM) service on its flagship website Houseplans.com. The new cost-to-build service can quickly provide a detailed cost estimate for construction of each of the 19,000 plans in its online collection for every zip and postal code in the US and Canada. In addition, customers can specify the quality of the home they intend to build in order to achieve a higher degree of accuracy for the construction cost estimate.

"Our online cost-to-build service eliminates most of the guess work and helps consumers get a handle on their new home construction budget," said Jeff Spring, Sr. Vice President of Houseplans, Inc. "We are pleased to offer this new service so our customers can evaluate which plans they can afford to build and help prevent downstream cost surprises. It also helps to prepare them for important contractor meetings and to understand their loan needs."

Houseplans Cost-to-Build estimates are generated using over 440 region-specific material and labor cost databases and not general, nationalized averages. The data is supplied by an industry leader in building cost information and is the same data used by most of the nation's leading insurance companies.

About Houseplans, Inc.

Houseplans, Inc. (www.Houseplans.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of IMSI(R), is focused on expanding its network of web properties to serve the rapidly growing market for the sale on-line of stock house plans and related home building services. The company's mission is to help customers find and acquire the perfect house plan for their dream home by offering the largest selection of quality house plans and providing an experience that exceeds customer expectations. More information about Houseplans.com can be found at www.houseplans.com, www.homeplanfinder.com and www.houseplanguys.com.

About IMSI

Founded in 1982, IMSI has established a tradition of providing the professional and home user with innovative technology and easy-to-use, high-quality software products at affordable prices. The company maintains two business divisions. The Precision Design division, anchored by IMSI's flagship product, TurboCAD(R) and the DesignCAD(TM) line, also develops and markets other visual content and design software such as FloorPlan(R) 3D and TurboCADCAM. The division also includes several online properties focused on the sale of content and services to the architectural, engineering and construction market thru its stock house plans site at Houseplans.com, and the online CAD symbol site, CADsymbols.com. The Consumer Software Solutions division, which is anchored by Allume Systems, Inc. (formerly Aladdin Systems, Inc.), provides small businesses and consumers with software solutions through its popular products such as StuffIt(R), Internet Cleanup(R), SpamCatcher(R), TurboProject(R), FormTool(R), FlowCharts&More(TM), HiJaak(R) and TurboTyping(TM). More information about IMSI can be found at www.imsisoft.com and www.allume.com.

NOTE: IMSI is a registered trademarks of International Microcomputer Software, Inc respectively. All other products are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.


Source: Houseplans, Inc.

CONTACT: Danielle Garbarino of Houseplans, Inc., +1-415-878-4266, or
danielle@houseplans.com

Web site: http://www.imsisoft.com/

Web site: http://www.houseplans.com/


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