What We Do

We use this phase to really get to know YOU.  Your personality, likes and dislikes, hobbies and lifestyle and what YOU want out of your project.  By getting to know you as a person we can better design certain parts of your project, like how many rooms you may need, what kind of influence you want used in your design or even what kind of materials to use in the design itself.  We also use this phase to look at or have a survey done of your chosen site.  We even look at the surrounding area to determine if climate, people or any City or County building regulations may affect your project.  This is important as your Architect is responsible for speaking with the City or County regarding zoning and other issues on your behalf. 

During this phase you should plan to spend some time with us going over your ideas, getting to know one another and overall just getting a feel for what this project will mean for you.  We may even ask you to commit your ideas to writing to share with us to better understand your vision.

This phase typically lasts for 2-4 weeks and helps us estimate how long your project will take.  Please be patient and keep in touch, as working with City or County planning departments sometimes takes a little waiting, and we don't want to dive into your project before we have a solid plan!

It's time!  We've been having regular meetings for a few weeks and we're ready to start the process of designing your project.  This is the part where we get to talk about the layout of your new home or remodeled space.  We start with a simple outline of the space as seen from above, called a floor plan.  This allows us to sit with you and discuss the rooms you want, how you want them to interact with one another and the overall size of your project.  Over the course of several meetings your project will begin to take shape and evolve from hand sketches, to simple floor plans, more complex floor plans and even to a 3-dimensional model to get a feel for what it may look like as a finished project.  Your feedback is very important to us during this phase, and we will listen carefully to your vision so we can best replicate it with a functional design.  This is the best time to ask any questions you have about the design itself or for clarification about anything you haven't understood so far.  These drawings are for us to use to show you the space and haven't been submitted yet, so if you thought of a new idea or must-have feature, now is the time to let us know so we can work it into your plans.

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This phase often takes 1-2 months.

Now comes the complicated stuff...  Now that we have an idea of what your project will look like, our Architect gets down to the task of how we can make the vision a reality.  Our first step is to get a set of plans ready to show to several Building Contractors.  This is done to get an initial estimate of how much your project is going to cost.  Sometimes there are situations that can change the cost of a project significantly because of the site, zoning requirements or even just the design itself.  We use this estimate and knowledge to make any necessary changes to the design in order to fit the requirements or budget of your project. 

Once we're committed to a specific design and budget, we start to work out the interior and exterior details, as well as a more refined floor plan, adding doors, windows and other features to your project.  By the end of this phase we'll have a finalized floor plan and we'll know where the doors and windows will go, as well as what materials will be used to bring your project to life.  You can expect a much more accurate idea of what it will look like both inside and out.

Now is also the time the Architect will help by selecting the necessary consultants and sub-contractors to complete your project.  Things like the electrical diagrams, heating and air conditioning plans and the outside site around the project will need an expert touch to combine your vision with the Architect's plans.  A new and much more detailed set of plans will be created, with the locations of all these items on them, as well as what every surface in the project will be made of.

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This is a tedious phase that often takes 2-3 months.  We won't be spending as much time together, but rest assured that we're working very hard on your behalf to make your project happen as quickly and smoothly as possible.

It's finally time to make up a set of complete plans.  These new plans will not only have images of your floor plan and the finished look of the project, but will also dive deeply into the smallest detail of how your project will be built, including things like an internal look at how different walls will be constructed, how your windows will be installed into the walls and so on.  The Contractor will use these drawings to physically assemble your project, just like a very large set of highly detailed model instructions.  This is the phase where we also tell the Contractor what materials to use, what it should look like once it's complete and where the smallest items are located in the building itself.  We even tell them which plumbing and light fixtures you want to make sure it's done right.  In the beginning of this phase there are still some choices to be made.  It's our responsibility to educate you on these options and provide choices for you so you can have the product you'd like.

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It may seem like the drawings were already done at the end of the last phase, but the truth is that these detailed drawings are tedious and very time consuming.  This is the longest design phase of your project and will take 2-4 months.

It's time to get a building permit!  The completed Construction Documents are ready to be taken to the City or County for review and approval.  This step is used to ensure that your project complies with all of the legal requirements for your site.  Along with other forms needed to obtain a permit, these plans will be reviewed and if any clarification or corrections need to be made this is the phase the City or County will ask for those clarifications.

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You probably won't hear from us as much during this phase...  Once the plans are out of our hands and with the City or County it's a waiting game.  This phase can take months to complete.  Please be patient!  We'll check in with you whether we've heard back or not, and immediately once we have any news.

The plans are back from the City or County and your building permit has been approved.  Hooray!  Now it's time to pick the General Contractor who will be responsible for actually building your project.  You may already have a Contractor in mind...  That's fine, we don't mind if you have a preference.  However, many clients enjoy the benefit of our extensive experience with multiple Contractors in the area, as we can help find the Contractor that can deliver the best final product at the right price specifically for your project.  If you choose to have us help you choose your builder, then you can expect to spend a few weeks with us talking to various Contractors and looking at their bids.  In construction, the "bid" is the Contractor's completed cost for your project.  Their goal is to offer you their best materials and personnel at your budgeted cost.  Our job is to help you pick the bid that is the best fit for you.

Once you've decided on your builder, it's time to sit back and watch your vision take shape!  We will continue to be in contact with you throughout this process.  Sometimes it's necessary to make clarifications or changes during a project due to unforeseen circumstances, and we're always ready to step in to help educate you or make those decisions.