What is the value in having a well documented set of architectural design drawings and specifications prior to starting construction?

a. If you provide the General Contractor with a well documented design, then the builder will be able to :

• i. Offer you a realistic cost estimate of your project prior to construction starting. This cost estimate will enable you to evaluate the costs prior to starting the expensive phase of building.
• ii. Deliver a construction schedule prior to construction starting. This project schedule will enable you to evaluate the time constraints you will need to plan for with regard to alternate housing, relocating your family or preparing for a summer trip to your new weekend home.

b. Also, if you would like to obtain multiple bids for the construction of your project, having a complete set of drawings and specifications will enable you to obtain more than one bid and evaluate the costs and time estimates.

c. On the other hand, if you don’t have a well documented set of drawings and specifications, the contractor will not have enough information to price your project prior to construction or estimate the time needed to complete the project. Therefore, not being prepared for the construction phase will most likely result in higher prices thru change orders, delays in the project schedule and a stressful & unsatisfying experience. These three consequences alone could easily pay for your architectural fees.

How much time will it take to design a new house, a building renovation or an addition?

a. To begin every project is unique. Your project size, it's complexity, the physical site conditions and your aesthetic preferences are just a few of the elements that make your project unique and therefore the time required to design your project can vary. In many cases a building addition and renovation will take anywhere from six months to a year to complete the design and working drawings required for a building permit. On the other hand, a small project such as a kitchen, dormer addition, or master bedroom suite renovation would take much less time.  

How do you structure and charge your fees?

a. Our professional design fees will be estimated in our proposal for architectural design services document or estimated as a percentage of your preferred construction cost.  If your project is:

• i. Small in scale and clearly defined, we provide you with a customized scope of services documenting the type of work required to complete your specific project.  This scope of work document serves three purposes: First, it provides a reference for the type of professional design work that will be completed including the estimated time required for each task. Second, it attempts to give you a total cost of services so that you can budget our fees into your total project cost.  And third, it services as a letter of agreement to begin work on your project.
• ii. A larger project that is not completely defined, we work with you on an hourly fee keeping in mind that our estimated total professional service fee will typically be a percentage of the total construction cost.  For initial planning purposes architectural service fees usually range between 10% and 18% of a project’s construction cost for new construction and 15% - 18% for renovations.

b. Once you have obtained your building permit and before construction begins, we supplement our agreement with an AIA professional contract suitable for your project and will reevaluate the service fees for you.  

What if I have questions that are not answered here?

a. Feel free to e-mail us your question on our Contact page.

Are all architects the same?

a. No. It would be impossible to have two architects with the same education, knowledge, skills, and values even though all architects go through the same licensing process here in Washington State.  Because of this difference, it is recommended that you take the time to interview at least three architectural firms and determine who is a good fit for your project based on their knowledge, values, business process, and personality.  

How can hiring an architect help me?

a. Employing an architect to provide you with professional design services can help you in numerous ways. First and foremost, custom design and construction projects are complex problems to solve due to the level of personal attention & creativity that goes into each job. Let’s review a few areas of design expertise that architects provide:

• i. Your architect will analyze the zoning and land use codes where your project is located and determine if the project you envision is permissible by code.  By identifying limits early in the game, you are able to move forward with creative ideas that respect boundaries and efficiently utilize the knowledge that your architect is providing.
• ii. Your architect will be able to work with you on creative solutions that address such topics as style, proportion, light, balance and rhythm so that your new design is pleasing to the eye and unified with regard to the overall composition. If you are renovating an existing structure, there might be elements in place that will impact the design. And, if you are building new, you’ll have the site to inform you of guiding principles for your design. One example of how the site is directly linked to the design is taking advantage of the view, whether it be to the water, a beautiful landscape or towards a significant landmark.
• iii. Your architect should have the knowledge to synthesize the functional needs of your project into the overall design in a pleasing style and efficient arrangement.
• iv. Your architect will have the technical knowledge required to document and submit your building design to the building department in order to obtain your building permit.
• v. Your architect will have access to consultants such as geotechnical engineers, structural engineers, and interior designers who will provide specific services that may be needed on your particular project.
• vi. During construction, your architect will be able to visit the site and observe if the building is progressing according to the design on your behalf and provide any answers to the General Contractor as the structure is being built.

Are kitchen and bathroom renovation projects too small?

No. We are trained to solve problems in all shapes and sizes. Just because your project is limited in scope, don’t think we are not the right person for the job.

What is a strategy for keeping my project on budget during construction?

a. Understand how the construction estimate is calculated. Before you start your home renovation, addition or new building, make sure you read and reread your construction budget on your own and with your contractor and/or architect to see if the overall project is documented to reflect all the work show in the drawings and specifications.

b. Avoid making drastic changes during construction. Once the general contractor begins building, resist the impulse to make changes to your project or be prepared for the implications. A simple request to move a wall one foot further might require revised structural engineering, new unforeseen consequences to other spaces, permit revisions, additional construction time and more fees to your architect and general contractor.

c. Be involved in your project. By staying on track with decisions and participating in the site meetings, you will make meetings more efficient and productive.  When outstanding decisions are on the table, someone on the team is not moving and that could result in unanticipated delays to another player on the team.

d. Managing unforeseen costs. When new costs are added to a project, make sure your general contractor has a system in place for quantifying these added costs and obtaining your approval prior to implementation so that you will not be faced with cost overruns at the end of the job.  

How are your services different from the services provided by a general contractor?

a. We work with you to define your design problem and document the solution in the form of models, sketches, architectural design drawings and specifications. We will coordinate the design work of the various consultants such as the structural engineer and civil engineer. The design documents will be provided to the general contractor who will build your home. And, during the building process, depending on the size of your project, we will be available as needed to answer questions and to observe the construction weekly or bi-weekly to verify compliance with our working drawings.

Do you specialize in green architecture?

a. We do not design exclusively green architecture; however, we can work with you to site your building to take advantage of the environment, explore energy efficient building envelopes, mechanical systems and other green strategies to reduce your home’s environmental impact and operating needs. If your goal is to create a design that is beautiful, healthy and respectful of the environment, our team has the knowledge to help you meet your goal.