Lifestyle Design Service began in 1995 as part of HomeStyles Publishing and Marketing, Inc. based in Minneapolis, MN. Initially, we assisted HomeStyles with the production of software and CD-ROMS with stock home plans. Realizing that many home builders wanted different versions of their favorite plans, we began assisting customers with house plan customization. This remains our core service today, decades later. LifeStyle Design Service was spun off by HomeStyles in 1998 and was acquired by Wayne Ramaker in 2009. In 2025, Derek Miller purchased the company to continue its legacy of excellence while bringing fresh expertise in operations and customer service to help families create their dream homes.
Since 1997, Derek Miller has owned and advised small businesses, including restaurants and schools, overseeing the design and construction of over 50 locations. In 2025, Derek acquired LifeStyle Design Service to help families turn house plans into homes that truly fit their lives. With a commitment to excellence in customer service and efficient processes, Derek leads the LifeStyle team in continually seeking better ways to serve customers. Whether streamlining operations or enhancing your experience, Derek combines decades of expertise with a passion for problem-solving to ensure your space serves its purpose beautifully.
Mrs. Ramaker brings a long history of sales and marketing experience working both the public and private sectors since 1991. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Business from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, MN, graduating in 1990. Tianna has been key to developing the LifeStyle Design Service sales processes and is expert in working with clients, listening to their goals and providing design-oriented solutions.
Experienced residential house plan designer and operations manager with over 25 years of industry experience. Mr. Bartelt graduated with honors from Northwest Technical Institute in 1994 with an Associates of Science Degree in Architectural Drafting and Design Technology. As one of the longest tenured associates of LifeStyle Design Service, Dan excels in training and mentoring new members of the design team. He has been integral in building the systems and processes in creating a professional production and design environment.
Experienced residential house plan designer with over 25 years of industry experience. Cassidy graduated with honors from Northwest Technical Institute in 1994 with an Associates of Science Degree in Architectural Drafting and Design Technology. With her attention to detail and accuracy, she excels at assisting customers achieve their home design dreams through a smooth design process and one on one attention. Cassidy mentors new members of the team so that they can have the same results with their customers. She also helps support Lifestyle Design Services production operations.
Caleb brings over 25 years of construction experience to every project. He holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Architectural Technology from Anoka Technical College and guides clients through the planning process with clarity and confidence. His creativity, rooted in a passion for woodworking and dedication to client satisfaction, results in thoughtful, practical design solutions. Caleb especially enjoys collaborating with his team to help clients achieve their vision, even when that means reimagining initial ideas to make them both feasible and inspiring.
Kristi has worked in the home design industry for over 25 years, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design from Minnesota State University in Mankato, MN (1995) She also has an Associate of Science degree in Architectural Drafting and Design Technology from Northwest Technical Institute (2000). She has worked as a drafter and for home builders. She excels in customer service and specializes in assisting customers to customize pre-drawn plans and to help them create custom designs.
If you have found a pre-drawn house plan you like that is “close” to meeting your needs – but needs changes, the first step is to submit the changes you wish to make to the plan along with any sketches, and other information through our easy-to-use on-line modification request system.
If you wish to call us instead, our knowledgeable staff are available to discuss your plans and capture your changes over the phone. Our phone number is 888-266-3439. Our quotes are FREE!
Typically, we will email you a quote for the project within 24-48 business hours. If you accept the quote and wish to proceed with your project, please forward your billing address and we will create an Agreement (confirmation letter) that details the modifications you wish to make to the original plan and the project cost that was quoted to you. Once you have signed and returned the Agreement back to us, we will charge and order the “original” plans on your behalf (if you haven’t done so already), and charge for the modifications.
Your project will then be forwarded to the Production Queue. When your project reaches the top of the Queue, it will be assigned to a Designer. The designer will review your changes with your and then provide you with a preliminary drawing for you to view and approve. The total Production cycle time varies by time of the year and project volumes. You will be emailed a final modified PDF version when completed.
If your changes are minor to moderate, we charge by the number of hours it will take to update all of the pages in the plan set. If the changes are more extensive or require us to redraw the set entirely, we will also factor in the square footage of the plan.
While we can offer you a free quote for modifications before purchasing the original plans, if you proceed with your project, you are required to purchase a modifiable version of the original plans. The original plans are copyright protected and are intended to be used for one single build unless a multi-use license or additional licenses are purchased.
Yes! Please submit your request through our on-line submittal system or give us a call to discuss at 888-266-3439.
Plans will contain varying amounts of structural information. It is quite possible that you may have to have your plans further engineered locally in order to meet your site conditions and local and state building requirements.
Plan sets will vary in detail based on the original designer. Typically, they will include a foundation plan, floor plan(s), exterior elevations, roof plan, electrical plan, sections, typical details, and construction notes.
Plan content can vary depending on the house plan and may not include all of the structural information that your local authorities require. Consulting with your builder and your local building officials to verify what you will need to submit for your building permit is recommended.
No, the plans are not stamped or sealed. This must be accomplished at the local level.
