By Les Ong on February 13, 2026
Imagine being able to walk through your future home or business space before a single nail is hammered or brick is laid. Not through a small screen or a virtual reality headset, but at true one-to-one scale, where every dimension matches exactly what will be built. This is the revolutionary experience that Randy and Tracy Flood are bringing to the Chicago Southland area through their innovative company, Walk Your Plans Chicago Southland.
Since opening their doors in September 2025, the husband-and-wife team has been transforming how architects, contractors, builders, and homeowners approach the construction process, saving their clients thousands of dollars and countless headaches along the way.
Walk Your Plans originated in Cleveland in 2023, born from a simple yet frustrating experience. The founder built a house but discovered too late that what was designed as a “great room” fell short of expectations. If only he could have walked through the space before construction, he could have caught and fixed these issues early. This insight led to the creation of a unique projection studio technology that allows clients to experience their blueprints at full scale before breaking ground.
Randy and Tracy Flood discovered this innovative concept while searching for a contractor at a build show in Kalamazoo. Although they did not find the contractor they were looking for, they found something even more valuable. “We thought that the concept of walking your plans was extremely innovative and useful,” Randy explains. “And as luck would have it, they were looking for a Chicago area licensee.” The couple purchased the license and brought this cutting-edge technology to Tinley Park, Illinois.
Walking into the Walk Your Plans studio is unlike anything most people have experienced. The space features a large projection floor and wall system that displays blueprints and architectural renderings at true one-to-one scale. “The universal reaction is people walk in and they’re just amazed,” Randy shares. “They can’t believe how good it looks to see their floor plans at one-to-one scale, and the renderings on the wall are high resolution, so they really get the feel of where they’re walking.”
The studio itself was designed to be inviting and comfortable, with a club-like atmosphere where clients do not want to leave. This attention to the client experience extends beyond just the technology. It creates an environment where creativity and practical problem-solving can flourish.
During a typical session, clients literally walk through their projected floor plans, experiencing the space as it will exist. On the wall, they can view cabinetry options, design elements, and exterior renderings, all while making notes on an interactive whiteboard. This immersive approach reveals issues that simply cannot be caught by looking at blueprints on a laptop, phone, or even a large television screen.
The value of seeing plans at true scale becomes immediately apparent through the real-world problems the Floods have helped their clients solve. One particularly striking example involved an accessible home design. The master closet looked adequately sized on the blueprints, but when projected at one-to-one scale with a large island included, it became clear that a person in a wheelchair would not be able to navigate the space. “If you looked at it at even a 75-inch board projecting it, you couldn’t really tell how difficult it would be to get a wheelchair into that closet,” Randy notes. This discovery, made during the planning phase, saved the client from a costly and disappointing mistake.
Another memorable project involved a small restaurant and cigar lounge. When the designers simulated table placements on the blueprint, they scaled down a standard four-top table, which also scaled the chairs down. The chairs got scaled down to about 12 inches in width, too small to be functional. By using the studio’s software to place actual-sized chairs around the tables, they discovered they needed to remove two tables from the layout. This revelation came before the furniture was purchased, saving money and allowing the business owners to recalibrate their entire business model.
Perhaps the most impactful project Randy recalls is a 20,000-square-foot pet rescue facility. During their walkthrough of the kennels, reception area, and medical treatment facilities, the nonprofit organization discovered unnecessary features and oversized elements. By moving things around, they were able to create two entirely new kennel areas, increasing their rescue capacity. With 16 total changes identified, and each change order typically costing over $2,000, the organization saved more than $30,000. “For a nonprofit to save over $30,000 and improve their capacity, that to me was a very special walk,” Randy reflects.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Walk Your Plans is how it creates value for every stakeholder in the construction process. Architects can make real-time notations on the interactive whiteboard during the experience, collaborating more effectively with their clients. Contractors save valuable time by implementing changes before ground is broken, and in the construction industry, time is money. Designers can visualize their concepts in the actual space, ensuring their vision translates properly to reality.
For homeowners and business owners, the benefits are equally significant. Many people cannot fully visualize a space just by looking at blueprints. While contractors and architects have the training and experience to interpret two-dimensional plans, their clients often struggle with this skill. Seeing everything at one-to-one scale bridges this gap, allowing clients to make confident decisions about their most significant investments. The financial savings from avoiding change orders can be substantial. Clients average 10 to 15 changes per session, with each change representing a potential change order that could cost $2,000 or more once construction has begun.
Even in the few months since opening, Walk Your Plans Chicago Southland has seen significant technological advances. When they first opened in September, they could project blueprints at scale. Since then, they have added the ability to overlay furniture onto the blueprints in real-time and in two dimensions, which is extremely beneficial for determining room and window spacing. Most recently, they have incorporated an augmented reality feature that can simulate 3D renderings of furniture onto the plan while clients walk around the space.
Randy, who holds a degree in computer science, finds the technology aspect particularly intriguing. The system requires an intricate interlacing of several high-resolution projectors, making it technologically demanding. Meanwhile, Tracy brings her passion for home improvements and blueprint design to the business. Together, they have created a service that seamlessly blends cutting-edge technology with practical construction expertise.
Looking ahead, Randy envisions Walk Your Plans becoming a standard part of the construction process within three to five years. “I think it’s just going to become as much a part of the construction process as picking out your cabinets and your flooring,” he predicts. “I think everyone is going to use the service at some point, just because of how much it benefits everybody involved.”
Timing is crucial when utilizing Walk Your Plans services. Clients should come after initial blueprint designs have been created but before final blueprints are locked in. “When blueprints have been finalized, then you don’t even move light switches,” Randy explains. The goal is to identify necessary changes while modifications are still easy and cost-effective to implement. The service is designed for the planning phase, after concepts have taken shape on paper but before construction crews arrive on site.
For contractors and developers, Walk Your Plans offers bulk time packages with discounted hourly rates. The more hours they purchase, the more they save, making it an economical choice for professionals who work on multiple projects. Individual homeowners and business owners can also book sessions to ensure their dream spaces become reality without costly surprises.
What truly sets Walk Your Plans Chicago Southland apart is the genuine care and enthusiasm Randy and Tracy bring to their work. The reward comes from seeing clients excited about what they are experiencing and knowing they are providing meaningful value. “It’s a good feeling,” Randy shares, reflecting on the pet rescue project. “They were excited with what we were offering them, and the fact that we were able to provide them so much benefit was really rewarding.”
Every client who makes improvements through their session is getting that much closer to being 100% happy with their home or business space. In an industry where mistakes can be incredibly expensive and disappointments can last a lifetime, having the opportunity to perfect plans before construction begins is invaluable.
The company’s tagline, “Immersive walkthroughs designed to move you,” captures the essence of what they offer. “Immersive” refers to being completely surrounded by the experience in an all-encompassing environment. “Walkthrough” emphasizes that clients are actually walking through their plans, not just viewing them. “Designed” incorporates the construction and creative aspects of the process.
But it is the phrase “to move you” where the magic happens. Randy explains that it means “you’re seeing your future and designs coming to life in real time. So we’re moving you to inspiration.” This emotional connection, the moment when abstract plans transform into tangible reality, is what makes the Walk Your Plans experience so powerful.
In a world where construction costs continue to rise and the stakes of building decisions have never been higher, Walk Your Plans Chicago Southland offers something truly unique: confidence. The confidence to know that your investment will result in exactly what you envision. The confidence to catch problems before they become expensive mistakes. The confidence to move forward with your construction project knowing you have seen and approved every detail at true scale.
Whether you are building your dream home, expanding your business, or managing a construction project, Randy and Tracy Flood invite you to experience the future of construction planning. Walk through your space before it exists. Make changes while they are still easy. Save money, time, and stress.
Because in construction, as in life, it is always better to walk through your plans before you build them.
Contact Walk Your Plans Chicago Southland today to schedule your immersive walkthrough experience.
Location: 8150 185th St Ste L, Tinley Park, IL 60487
Website: walkyourplanschicagosouthland.com
Phone: 708-904-4731
Email: Info@walkyourplanschicagosouthland.com
Follow them on Instagram (@walkyourplanscsl) and LinkedIn for updates and project showcases.
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