Custom Design is a many steps process:

 

Acquaintance:

  1. In-person or on-line to review your needs, wants, desires, dreams.
  2. Bring your ideas, pictures, and list of particulars.
  3. Bring a copy of your lot survey, deed restriction, et cetera.
  4. Discuss budget, square footage, designs, etc.
  5. If in suitable, a Design Agreement is signed and a retaining check is issued to begin Schematic Design.

Site Visit: (to the lot)

  1. Can be done on first acquaintance or another time, yet always before schematic drawings.
  2. Slope of land, location, best views, potential location, sun’s path, trees, driveway, and other features common or unique will be considered.
  3. Questions of well, septic tank, availability of water, sewer, and gas line hook-ups will be considered.
  4. Setback lines and easements will be reviewed.

The site will be evaluated for overall lay or slope of the land, the location and direction of the best views and objectionable ones, potential home location, direction of the sun’s path across the property, sunny/shady/windy areas, trees to be saved, any special natural features noted and the logical entrance to property for the driveway.

Schematic Design:

  1. Thumbnail concept are drawn on the site plan to illustrate house size and shape on the lot.
  2. Larger drawings will illustrated potentialities of floor plan and elevation alternatives—looks and shapes of the house from which more detailed drawings will be created.

Review Meeting:

  1. To discuss first concepts, make edits and amendments, changes and developments.

Homework:

  1. A brief space of time (seven to ten days) to digest, to study, to discuss the the drawings, to consider edits and amendments and whatever else might occur, before advancing to particulars of finished designs.

Another Review Meeting:

  1. A brief discussion of the homework, the refined ideas of plan, elevation, and use.

Final Schematic Design: (FSD)

  1. Requested edits and amendments are made to plan and elevation … from this, square footage is calculated.
  2. Copies of the FSD drawings are used to obtain preliminary pricing from builders (three builders, most often).
  3. This the opportunity to make be certain of budget, of expansion or contraction of a project; to get a feel of the builder so that the process might move easily, comfortably to completion.
  4. This phase last some 30 days, usually. will generally take 3-5 weeks.

Design Development & Construction Documents:

  1. When the FSD is approved, construction documents are begun and a fee in down-payment is made.
  2. Drawings necessary to construction and permitting are created.
  3. A Structural Engineer reviews drawings, suggests amendments if necessary, stamps (seals) the documents for permits, et cetera.
  4. Prints are made for the owners, the builder and contractors (usually five sets).
  5. The balance of the Construction Drawing Fee and Engineer’s Fee is due upon delivery of the plan sets.