Custom Homes

Initial Interview / Design Consultation

For new construction clients, we offer, free of charge, a one hour initial interview at our office. At this interview, issues concerning personal needs, programming, qualifications and concerns about the project or our firm may be addressed. (For clients considering an addition or renovation to an existing or new home, a Design Consultation is offered.)

1 PHASE I Document Existing Conditions

Prior to beginning Phase I, we require the signing of a standard AIA contract between Owner and Architect, as well as a deposit. At this time, clients are also presented with their Client Construction Notebook. We designed this binder to guide the homeowner through the design and construction process. For new construction projects, documenting existing conditions means acquiring neighborhood restrictions and an accurate survey if one is not already available. Along with the above, addition and renovation projects require an investigation of existing conditions, details and dimensions. The entire house must be photographed, measured and recorded by our staff. The information gathered will be used to prepare accurate CAD drawings depicting physical conditions in plan and elevation. These drawings will serve as a foundation for future explorations and detailed work on your home. The charges for recording existing conditions are on an hourly basis plus expenses, and average $1 per square foot of living area. If you are able to provide us with accurate measured drawings of the subject area, theses charges may be reduced.

2 PHASE II Schematic Design

Preliminary plans depicting proposed home, additions or renovations are prepared considering the context of your entire house or neighborhood. We believe that a successful “extension” of an existing home should blend seamlessly with the original. The entire ebb and flow of existing functions will be considered during planning of additions and renovations. The schematic design drawings prepared during this phase will depict proposed changes in sufficient detail to both confirm your approval as well as to obtain a detailed preliminary estimate from a selected contractor. If required, by the budget, adjustments to the scope of work can be addressed at that time. The revised scope of work will be used as a guide for preparing the detailed construction drawings of Phase III. This schematic drawings are sufficient to obtain an appraisal. Generally, charges for this phase are billed hourly and the price varies with the size and complexity of the work anticipated. Time charges for schematic design services are in addition to the reimbursable expenses for measuring and recording existing conditions.

3 PHASE III Construction Documents

Commonly referred to as working drawings, the construction documents phase build your project on paper as designed in Phase II. Client directed changes during this phase should be limited to material selections and not shifts in the floor plan or elevations. Coordinating changes through all of the drawings may add considerable time and increase project costs. Details from this set of drawings will guide the contractor and suppliers in preparing a competitive proposal, as well as lead the workers through the construction process. We will clearly define and draw what is expected from the contractor in terms of materials, quality of workmanship and proportion. Included in the drawings will be descriptions of the foundations, framing, floor plans, elevations (interior and exterior), door and window schedules, finishes and specifications. After final drawings are prepared, your selected contractor will be asked to prepare a fixed price proposal. We will assist you in negotiating the final price as well as preparing a standard AIA Contract between Owner and Contractor for the construction. This contract will incorporate all details and changes to date. Fees for this phase are preliminarily based on the anticipated cost of construction as set by the Schematic Design. For projects with construction budgets below $100,000, the investment may be slightly higher.

4 PHASE IV Construction Contract Administration

Our role during the construction phase is to monitor the construction contract and enables the contractor to deliver the project in a timely and cost efficient manner with the quality anticipated. We review and process the contractor’s requests for payment. We will periodically visit the project site to assure that construction is progressing in accordance with our plans. We are also available to the contractor, his/her suppliers and subcontractors during the project to explain or address questions that arise during construction. The typical site visit schedule includes:

• Pre-construction: to review on-site the work and staging areas with both the contractor and our client
• Prior to demolition of interior elements: to confirm zoning-off of dust and debris from occupied living areas, as well as confirming structural integrity of contractor’s proposed removal procedures
• Prior to pouring of concrete – with steel set in the footings: we will be present during the concrete pour itself to confirm proper mix and placement
• Prior to framing black-in – with framing otherwise complete
• Prior to sheet rock installation – with electrical and plumbing in place
• Prior to recommending approval and payment of the monthly Contractor’s Application for Payments: we will review the amounts requested with the actual work performed, recommend adjustments and withholdings where appropriate
• Prior to issuance of a Certificate of Substantial Completion: for development of punch list
• For final inspection and issuance of final Certificate for Payment

Each site visit is followed with a Field Report covering work in progress, observations and recommendations. The duration and complexity of the construction will affect the fees required for this phase. These services are based on a percentage of construction. Additional site representation, if requested and authorized, is billed on an hourly basis.