Our new clients often come to us unsure who they should engage first? Contractor? Interior Designer? Engineer? If you are reading this, you have arrived at the right place. The Architect is both the composer and conductor of a construction orchestra with a number of construction related players - here being the interior designer, engineer(s), and contractor. Without the Architect’s composition (i.e. design), the engineer does not have a design to engineer, an interior designer does not have a space to apply beautiful finishes & fixtures, and the Contractor doesn’t know what to build. The Architect conductor’s task is to cue in each of these “instruments” at the appropriate time to create what will hopefully be a beautiful song.
Given the significant financial investment and time commitment, a remodel, addition, or new construction project can feel like an intimidating undertaking. Here, we pull back the curtain to share what we do to give you the confidence to start your project.
While each project can be unique - requiring more or less, our work process is typically divided into nine phases:
1 | PRE-DESIGN [PD]
Pre-Design kicks off the design process and is a general term for what we do before we start any actual design work. Typically this phase is a two pronged information gathering exercise that will be the foundation for the design phases to follow.
The first part is research to understand the local zoning and land-use restrictions that may impact the project. For project scopes requiring entitlements, we will also confirm current review timelines. This analysis culminates in a “Code Report” which summarizes what can be built. We also provide pre-design services which can help both homeowners and developers decide if they should purchase a property.
If your scope of work is purely interiors in nature, for example a kitchen or bath remodel, then this first part would not be required.
The second analysis is of the existing home, itself. All jurisdictions require a complete floor plan of the entire home - even where the scope might just be a single bathroom. Here, we will be at your property documenting every room of the house. Depending on the scope of work, this documentation may include the crawl space, attic, ceiling heights, size and placement of existing doors and windows, location of all utilities, etc. Where the scope includes exterior changes, we would also need to document the exterior.
By the end of this half to whole day survey, we will know your home better than you!
PD Deliverables: Code Report, Existing Condition drawing(s)
PD Duration: typically 1-2 weeks
2 | Schematic Design [SD]
This is the first phase of actual design where we begin the process of composing the homeowner’s program into a floor plan. Here is when we start exploring design concepts which will typically culminate into three floor plan options which we call “Minimal”, “Moderate”, and “Extensive”. Each option tiers up in construction scope and cost. The “Minimal” option may require some comprises to the homeowner’s program, but these compromises typically result in cost savings. The “Moderate” option typically satisfies all of the homeowner’s wants and shows alternative relationships for the spaces shown in the “Minimal” option. Our “Extensive” option shows yet another possible spatial relationship for consideration and often will go beyond the homeowner’s program to share other improvements to the home that maximizes the potential of the home.
All options will have suggested furniture layouts so you have every confidence that each room can serve your needs.
When all options are ready, there will be an in-person presentation to share these floor plan options. We will listen, observe your reactions, take your feedback, and can even measure out live what is shown on the floor plans when merited. With your comments, we then rework/merge the floor plans with the goal of arriving at a final plan which will lock the spatial relationships. The specifics about materials and details will come later.
SD Deliverables: Floor Plans Options
SD Duration: typically 3-4 weeks | dependent on project scope
Sign-off: Client signs off on a floor plan option.
3 | Preliminary Pricing [PP]
After confirming the floor plan direction, our projects will more often than not undergo preliminary pricing with a contractor (who typically has worked with us) to give the homeowner the confidence that their construction budget is adequate for the scope of work. As the contractor will have essentially two sheets of paper, i.e. existing and proposed plans, they will have to rely on their experience (and experience working with us to know our expectations) to provide a budgetary rough order of magnitude (ROM) range to guide the homeowner. As the design is not yet complete, the contractor will not be doing any material or labor analysis at this time, but rather will be making assumptions about the design, materials, and structural requirements (where required).
In parallel, to the contractor’s ROM, we will provide a ROM for finish materials & fixtures to help round out the total ROM project cost.
If the ROM is acceptable, we are ready to advance to the next design phase.
If the ROM is higher than expected, we then need to either reduce the scope or increase the budget. We affectionately call schedule & budget as the twin elephants in the room, but we here to embrace them… simple because we have to. We embrace the budget conversation very seriously & there are always different alternative avenues we can explore. What no one wants is for the homeowner to fall in love with a design, have a permit approved to construct it - only to find out too late that there is a budget shortfall!!
PP Deliverables: Contractor ROM Budget & Material ROM Budgets
PP Duration: typically 2-4 weeks | largely dependent on contractor availability
Sign-off: Client signs off on a budget
4 | Look & Feel [L&F]
This visual phase is a dialogue with ourselves and the homeowner on how they want their home to look & feel. Prior to this phase which can be in parallel to or after Preliminary Pricing, we ask the homeowner to collect photos on Pinterest that show their desired style for each room of their program. We will then review these photos together and have a conversation on likes, dislikes, compromises between partners, etc. After our digesting your comments and images, we will look for additional images to generate a comprehensive “Look & Feel” board which summarizes what we believe is your style. You may agree to what is shown or may offer feedback. Our goal is to receive a “Look & Feel” board sign-off.
L&F Deliverables: Look & Feel Board
L&F Duration: typically 2-3 weeks
Sign-off: Client signs off on L&F Board
5 | Design Development Phase [DD]
In the Design Development Phase, we add more details and add more specificity to the plans than what was shown in Schematic Design. This phase is usually when you feel the project coming to life and it becomes possible to see themselves in their new space.
Based on the approved Look & Feel direction, we start to source materials, light fixtures, accessories, etc. We are looking for design elements that work together in color, tone, scale, and budget.
When our design palette is complete, the physical material finishes for the project will be presented for you to review, touch, and feel.
While we have no doubt that our homeowners can identify a beautiful tile or light fixture, we are presenting a design palette where all elements work together in color, tone, scale (always difficult to evaluate without the proper tools), & budget.
This phase includes our lighting proposals - from recessed lighting to decorative lighting which again would be consistent with the established Look & Feel. Light switch and outlet locations will now also be overlayed onto the floor plans.
3D visuals will be provided for the exterior and interior spaces to show how the spaces, materials, and light fixtures work together. This is all to ensure that there are no surprises for you.
This phase concludes when the interior and exterior design of the building is locked in by the owner and architect.
DD Deliverables: Drawing Set and Outline Specification document
DD Duration: typically 4-6 weeks | dependent on project scope
Sign-off: Client signs off on progress and makes any changes known prior to moving forward
6 | Construction Documents [CD]
In this phase we develop the Design Drawings into typically two sets of detailed drawings.
The first set is called the “permit set”. Where required, the permit set will include the engineers’ drawings. We will solicit engineers’ proposals on your behalf. While you will contract directly with the selected engineer, we will coordinate all their work.
We will use the permit set to file for permit. A full design set is not required by the Building Department. For example, the Building Department does not care what type of flooring or cabinets you are going to use.
The other set is called the construction document (CD) set, and will be what the contractor will build off of. The homeowner will also be able to solicit contractor bids from this same set. The CDs will have all of the details, dimensions, and notes necessary to communicate the design intent to the builder.
Having thorough CDs is critical for not only construction, but will allow you to secure accurate bids and will insulate you from contractor change order claims that something is not included.
CD Deliverables: Drawings and Specification for Construction
CD Duration: typically 4-5 weeks | dependent on project scope
7 | PERMIT EXPEDITING [PE]
Upon completion of the two sets, we will submit the permit set along with the various forms to the local jurisdiction and monitor the progress during the review period.
You should expect to submit an “initial plan check fee” at permit submission to your jurisdiction and a “permit issuance fee” when the permit is approved.
Some jurisdictions will review their projects in-house, while others will enlist the services of third parties. Unfortunately, there is often unequal scrutiny across and even within jurisdictions.
Inevitably, the reviewing parties for a project, i.e. Planning Department, Building Department, Engineering Department, Fire Department, etc., will have comments on the project. We, along with the engineer(s), will respond to the comments and resubmit. We have had very good fortune with securing an approved permit after one round of comments.
Permitting can be one of the slowest parts of the construction process. Simple construction projects can be approved the same day “over-the-counter”- where jurisdictions offer this. Where entitlements to expand a home is required, the review process can take months or even years and may require the project to be presented to neighbors and go before a public Planning Commission meeting.
PE Deliverables: Drawings and Forms for Building Permit Application
PE Duration: Varies widely | within (1) week for over-the-counter reviews to (2)-(3) months for internal reviews
8| Bidding & Negotiations (Optional)
Contractor bidding is self explanatory. At this time the owner prepares to select a contractor for the job. This phase ideally starts after the permit is approved - when every scope item is known. Where an aggressive timeline is required, this phase can start in parallel with permit expediting. If the Building Department then issues a comment which impacts costs, the selected contractor would then provide a “change order” for the cost of that additional work.
We see three tiers of contractors. Our homeowners historically engage the moderate and top tier builders. The lower tier is akin to handymen and have limited skills and/or lack the ability to execute larger projects. We are happy to introduce our clients to our stable of contractor contacts who we work with and trust.
When the homeowner has a contractor, no bidding is required. Otherwise, we always recommend a competitive bid where homeowner can receive a minimum of three bids. The motivation for the three bids is for comparison. If one bid is high & the other is low, who is “right”? The third bid serves as a tie breaker of sorts.
To support the homeowner, we can meet with the contractors and review bids for completeness. We will answer contractors’ questions, and will provide any additional documentation if requested by the contractor.
For remodels, we always also suggest our homeowners have a minimum 10-15% contingency budget for construction cost overruns and surprises.
Prior to the homeowner signing with a contracto, we always suggest that a contractor’s references are checked and viewing of the contractor’s past projects, if possible.
Generally, contractors are great at building, but lack the bandwidth and/or administrative support to order finish materials and in a timely fashion. As an example, too often, a contractor will go to order a material only to realize that a selected material has a six week lead time. As the project started twelve weeks ago, the material would not have created any schedule issues if it had only been ordered in a timely fashion. Given the contractor’s scheduling challenges, the homeowner is now asked to either elongate their construction schedule by an additional six weeks or to give up on the design that they had approved and to go down to Home Depot to select a readily available suboptimal alternative.
Therefore out of need, we expanded our services to include “procurement”which is the purchase and delivery of select finish materials to come on site to be installed by the contractor. Again this is for only select finish materials such as tile, plumbing fixtures, cabinets, countertops, etc. We do not purchase wood studs, drywall, electrical wiring, or paint.
At the time of Bidding, we provide our “Responsibility Matrix” to clearly show these Procurement items and responsibilities to the contractor. As the contractor(s) prepare their bids, we will prepare our Material Budget.
Most residential contractors set up their bids to include labor and materials to the “face of the drywall”. Together, the contractor bid plus our Material Budget will allow you to know the total cost for the project. Note, depending on the contractor, labor for the finish materials will be included but the material, itself, will be a reimbursement for the homeowner to the contractor.
BP Deliverables: Drawings and Specifications for Bidding
BP Duration: usually 3-4 weeks
9 | Construction Administration [CA]
After the permit is approved, our role shifts from creative design to project management. While we don’t physically manage the job site or supervise construction, we will make periodic site visits to ensure that the project is being executed according to our plans.
Inevitably, some decisions must be made or modified in the field, and our involvement and ability to work quickly with your contractor to solve problems is essential for helping you avoid costly delays and change orders.
Beyond the periodic visits, we have identified milestones where we will need to be on the job site.
Kick-off meeting with the contractor to make sure the project starts off on the right foot. This is a forum to discuss any concerns the contractor might have, for us to highlight critical plan areas to the contractor, to discuss long lead time times, etc.
At completion of “rough” framing, mechanical, & electrical. At this time, with walls still open - without drywall - we can double check wall locations, review electrical box locations, heights of in-wall plumbing valves, location of supply & return heating/cooling registers. If adjustments and/or additions need to be made, this is the most efficient time to do it with little to no cost due to all the components being readily exposed. While changes can still be made after the drywall is adhered to the wall framing, there will certainly be a cost then.
Prior to the installation of finish materials- from tile to paint to cabinets to counters, we have critical conversations to ensure the contractor knows where a tile starts, how materials transition with each other, etc.
At the end of the project, we help you develop your final Punch List which identifies any work which needs to be corrected by the contractor prior to your final payment & you moving back into the house to enjoy your new home.
CA Deliverables: Field Observation Reports
CA Duration: concurrent with construction timeframe