DESIGN PROCESS
The process of designing and constructing a new project follows several steps over a period of time. Our process follows three core steps after our initial consultation, which can be personalized or added to, to suit each project and individual client: Schematic Design, Design Development and Construction Documents.
CONSULTATION
Consultation: We offer all potential clients a one on one meeting to discuss your vision and project expectations where we can provide some immediate input and feedback. This includes investigating certain site characteristics and design strategies. If a site has already been selected, then we would make a site visit to get a feel for the land and the community. During the initial consultation we also enjoy learning more about you and you about us.
Pre-Design – (Optional): This additional service is meant to bridge the gap between the initial consultation to a more formal Design Agreement if there are a set of unknowns that need to be explored before beginning Schematic Design. This service is based on an hourly rate that is reimbursable in the contracted price, if you choose to work with us. Spending a few hours can be beneficial in selecting a site or to troubleshoot a challenging site, or in the case of a renovation or an upfit, an opportunity to explore design options before agreeing to a scope of work.
SCHEMATIC DESIGN (SD)
This is the initial stage of the Core design process and it lays the foundation for everything we would like to achieve through design and construction. We gather as much information from you as possible to define the program, square footage, unique features, site-related opportunities and constraints, target budget, and time frame. This helps us define the overall fit and finish of the home as well as the style of home you have in mind in order to explore design opportunities found within your proposed program and building site.
Some things we will ask you to prepare are:
To complete our questionnaire
To have a topographic and boundary survey prepared
To gather supporting documents such as design guidelines, covenants & restrictions and local zoning requirements relevant to your project.
To develop a Pinterest board or Houzz Ideabook to visually represent certain ideas or design characteristics that you gravitate towards.
We will then begin presenting sketches, floor plans and elevations. We start with initial studies of room arrangements and organizational strategies, working up to a wider scope of material to review that will culminate in a working set of floor plans and elevation renderings, and depending on the level of service, an early computer study model of your home that will help you visualize the general design and placement of the home to the site. You will approve the design direction before proceeding to the next phase.
At this point we might also choose to pause and discuss whether to begin engaging with a builder who can be a valuable team member to help us determine whether we’re within your target budget and offer a valuable outside perspective. If a builder is not selected at this time, then we can proceed through the next phase with the goal of entering into a competitive bidding process among a selection of builders.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT (DD)
Design Development (DD): At this phase, we should expect to have a firm set of plans that define the room arrangement, characteristics of the exterior and a general siting of the house. However, we will continue to refine the design by focusing on the details and specifying materials and finishes on the interior and exterior of the project.
Documentation will also begin to shift to more technical drawings that detail assemblies and dimensions as well as complimentary drawings that show secondary aspects of the project. The final set of documents will contain enough information for a builder to accurately price the project.
We may also begin engaging with consultants who can provide detailed drawings of complementary yet required documents to construct the project. These services may include a Landscape Architect, Engineer, Interior Designer, or another specialty, depending on the needs of your project.
Before proceeding to the Construction Document phase the client will need to approve the final design, and budget provided by a contractor. If a Design Review Board (DRB) is involved, we would also need a final approval from the board to proceed. In certain situations, minor changes may need to be made to address budgetary limitations, or design changes recommended by a client, contractor, review board or consultant and will need to be completed before starting the next phase.
Contractor Procurement (DD) – Optional: If the client decides to enter into a competitive bid process, then we will assist in selecting a short list of contractors to interview and request bids from. (Please note that contractors may require fees for producing line-item budgets.)
We will assist the contractors by answering questions and providing time to meet and discuss the complexities and desired finishes of the project. We are also available to negotiate the builder’s contract, but the final selection is made by the client.
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS (CD)
Upon approval of the final design, and an agreement with a contractor, a final set of drawings will be compiled to submit for permitting and to be used for building the project. These drawings will go into even greater detail providing information on building systems, specifications, and details necessary to communicate all design intent to the contractor and their sub-contractors. A full set of drawings may also include the documents provided by the additional consultants for additional budgetary information and scope of work for the contractor.
There may be very little client involvement at this point since most architectural related decisions will have been made, although minor adjustments may continue to be made up through the early stages of framing.
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION (CA)
Once the project has been permitted and the project site is prepped for work by the contractor, the architect’s primary scope of work has been completed and the contractor becomes the primary responsible party for the project’s completion.
At a minimum, we are readily available during construction to answer questions and clarify details with the owner and contractor. We always welcome a discussion to clarify our intent before a decision is made and work commences that can’t be undone. We will have a discussion once the permit has been issued as to whether we will remain involved throughout construction, and at what level, to ensure that the contractor is following the construction documents accordingly.