Design Process

1.) Initial Contact & Informal Meeting;
This usually occurs by phone or e-mail, at which time we set up a convenient time to meet, either at our office or at your requested location. We can bring a portfolio of our relevant work to show you and discuss your needs and ideas and explain the design process.

2.) Pre-design Phase or Programming Phase;
Our first step in the process is to listen to you the client during a Design Consultation. Once an agreement is signed and an initial payment made we will have meetings and telephone conversations to review your goals for the project, asking questions to establish the scope of the project. From this we will develop an overall approach.

As you may direct we will listen to your desired outcomes, your needs and wants, look at any ideas you may have from sketches to photographs you have collected, and take into consideration any special desires, furnishings or collections to be accommodated. During this programmatic consultation we may visit your home, to understand how you live or we may visit the site of your project to understand conditions such as views, topography, solar angles, water runoff, climate concerns and privacy issues with your neighbors. We can also discuss construction costs and your budget. A typical result of these meetings is a set of notes, often some sketches, which become the basis of the Design Program document that we establish for your project.

We usually also prepare a detailed review of site information, applicable zoning considerations, covenants and code restraints and known environmental constraints on the land. Note that many subdivisions exceed local building requirements with restrictive covenants. These covenants can limit materials, establish mandatory building setbacks and require approval of any designs. These are essential for us to see as they may have substantial influence on your design.

We prepare for future project phases with information needed to succeed in delivering your new home design.

3.) Schematic Design Phase;
Once the Agreement is signed and an initial payment made, we sketch a general layout. It may be drawn freehand and begins as a "bubble diagram", often based on a matrix analysis of your Design Program. This part of the process may take several versions before a design is approved; the number of versions included in the fee will be noted in the Agreement. It is a two-way process between us and you the client, and we seek as much client input as possible. Once a design is approved we move to the working drawings stage.

4.) Design Development Phase;
Once a Schematic Design is approved, we move to the Design Development Phase. In the Design Development Phase, we continue to fine-tune the concept, while incorporating structural and major systems into the project. We work with you to select exterior and interior materials, windows, and other major components of the project. As the work progresses more “hard-lined” drawings are presented to you the client including floor plans, sections, elevations, 3-D Views and a general architectural site layout. Several progress sets of prints may be made for the client to see project development. We usually meet with the client during this process to discuss the drawings and answer any questions that may arise. As the drawings become more complete, a set of prints may be issued to your builder for preliminary pricing.

5.) Construction Documents Phase;
We create Construction Documents from Design Development Documents that we have prepared and you have approved. In this phase a detailed graphic representation of the characteristics and scope of the project is produced for the pricing, permitting and construction process. We and our consultants, if included in our scope, provide an orderly sequence of referenced, detailed, and precise drawings and specifications. These may include, among others: site plans, existing conditions documents, landscape design, dimensioned floor plans, elevations, detailed sections, interior elevations, reflected ceiling plans, power & lighting, mechanical designs and structural designs, window schedule, door schedule, finish schedule, electrical fixture schedule, plumbing and appliance schedules, and various construction details.

A project may be built with less documentation, however, the more complete the set, the more control and fewer problems you will have during construction. We encourage our clients to let us do detailed and thorough construction documents. This empowers the owner with clearly stated standards and facilitates the general contractor by clarifying expectations, and enabling delivery of a quality product. There is less room for error, thus reducing the need for change orders during construction. Construction documents arising from a rigorous design process empower cost savings, error reduction and value!

As the drawings become more complete, a print set is issued for client review. If any changes are to be made, they are completed and the drawings are issued for pricing, permitting and construction.

In some projects, this is the end of the process for small to mid-sized or residential projects, unless additional services have been requested, and a final payment along with any reimbursable expenses is due. Additional services may include more extensive documents, such as trim package, color, finish or light fixture selection, interior design services, and design details. We may also be asked to provide services further in the construction process, such as site visits and reporting.

6.) Bidding Assistance and Negotiation;
This phase begins with presenting the working drawings to a qualified licensed general contractor. We assist the client in obtaining reliable bids or negotiated proposals. We are also available to answer appropriate questions that the parties may have while reviewing our documents.

7.) Construction Contract Administration;
During the construction contract administration we visit the site at appropriate times to make field observations and reports. We review payment applications and change orders for accuracy, and we make sure the quality of the work is proceeding in accordance with the concept shown in our documents. We also issue any additional drawings or specifications that may be needed to clarify construction.