Our promise is to make the design process as efficient and positive as possible.
Our design process is one that incorporates both your needs and your lifestyle.
Understanding how you live helps us to personalize the project to your needs. The
following is how our design process works from the initial meeting to the final
drawings that are ready for your builder or contractor to use for construction.
Our design process varies depending on the project. For most custom homes, additions,
and remodels, the following design process is a guide to how the project will proceed.
For other projects, a specific design process will be laid out with you. Call us
today and let us know what project you would like to get started.
Initial Meeting
This is a no charge, fact-gathering meeting to:
- Determine type and scope of project.
- Style of design
- Site information
- Conceptual home price range
- Conceptual design price range
- Other design information
If an additional meeting is needed to visit the site prior to going on to the 2nd
step, it will be set at this meeting.
Agreement For Service
An Agreement for Service will be given to you spelling out the scope of work for
your project’s design, the number of design meetings needed to review the drawings, and the cost
for the design work with a payment schedule. Once the Agreement is signed and the
deposit is received, then design work will begin.
¼” Scale Drawings
At the first design meeting, we will discuss the preliminary design. Usually we will be
reviewing plans and elevations along with various design concepts for your project
based on the initial meeting. Changes made during this meeting will be noted and
sent back for revisions.
Additional Design Meetings
If additional design meetings are necessary for this project as spelled out in the Agreement
for Service, we will discuss the design further, making changes to the plans to bring
the plans to a final design.
Pricing
Depending on the project details, once the design is completed at the final design
meeting, it will be ready for your contractor or builder to determine pricing for
your project.
Final Design
Depending on the project details, once the design is completed at the final meeting,
it will go for pricing by either the contractor/builder in which we are working
with or a Bid Set will be supplied for you to take to various contractors/builders
to give you pricing.
Construction Documents
Once you have worked out pricing with your contractor/builder, we will finish the
plans for construction documents as spelled out in the Agreement for Service. In
some cases, the contractor/builder will cover the cost for these drawings and the engineering. Otherwise, the cost of the construction documents will be the responsibility
of the client.
Additional Steps
There are optional steps that can be added to the design process. One of which is obtaining
permits. The builder/contractor usually obtains building permits after the construction
documents have been completed. However, we can provide that service as well. In
most cases, this is a fee charged to the contractor/builder unless set up otherwise.
Another optional step that can be added at any time, is having a 3D rendering created
of your project. 3D Renderings are a great way to better understand your project
and what it will look like. It can help you make design decisions and can help convey
design ideas to others. It is also great for showing family and friends what your
project will look like.
This option can be done either as part of the design process upfront and the cost
will be on the Agreement for Service, or this can be done later in the process to
give a visual representation of your project. An estimate will be provided for the
additional cost of this service.