How to Prepare For Your First Meeting With an Architect

It all begins with your vision. The more clearly you can define what that is, the faster we can begin to work together. To make the most of that first meeting come prepared with examples of homes that you like and that make you feel good. Be ready to point out what you like about each picture, and be as specific as you can. You may make a list of features that you would like to have in the new home.

What Does an Architect Do?

An Architect wears a variety of hats depending on what part of the process a design may currently be in. They maintain roles as the conductor of the design team, partner and advocate to their clients, and collaborator with the Contractor. They will listen, and incorporate your many hopes and dreams into your new home as part of the design process, and will also present new ideas to you to ensure that no opportunities are missed.

How Much Does it Cost to Build a Home?

This depends on many factors such as: location and site conditions, finish material choices, home features (think bathrooms, elevators, wine rooms, motorized windows or roller shades, etc.), size of home and complexity of design, number of required consultants and contractor trades, etc. In a more general sense; it is possible to build a home for as low as $150/SF, or as high as $1,500/SF depending on all of these factors and more.

The best way to control cost on a project is to have a clear idea of the budget before we begin, then check in on that budget regularly. A cost estimator (either a consultant or the contractor) can provide an estimate that will increase in accuracy the further through design we go. In early Schematic design a cost estimate may be based on comparables and $/SF cost. In Design Development they can give a more accurate idea based on chosen materials, assemblies, and equipment. At the end of Construction Documents when the plans are fully detailed will be the most accurate cost estimate. At each of these stages there is opportunity to adjust the design if the budget comes in too high. Keep in mind that changes are easiest and most powerful during Programming, and Schematic Design as the team size is small, and no detail has yet been created. Making changes late in the process can cause significant delay, so ensure that you thoroughly review the documents at each milestone. The Architect will provide more than one way to do so to make sure you can visualize the spaces and can include: PDF Plans and Elevations, VR, and Screenshare walkthroughs, and Renderings.

What Does the Design Process Look Like?

The typical design process consists of a series of steps. Each step zooms in closer and in finer detail until Construction Documents that can be used for Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) approval are complete. The basic steps are:

-Pre-Design Consultation Review

-Programming

In this step we determine the list of rooms to include in your home, their sizes, features, and dependencies. This results in a bubble diagram showing how the floor plan will layout

-Schematic Design

In this step the Architect will draw up the design of the home from everything that you have talked about. There will be back and forth on the floor plan, what the home looks like from the outside, and moving things around until you are happy. There will also be discussions on all of the features that the home will provide to ensure that are accounted for

-Design Development

This is the stage of decision making. There will be many questions about very specific items. Which Elevator, which fireplace, what windows, etc. We will discuss all of these and make a list called a Design Narrative that lays it all out. Also in this stage the engineer and consultant team will begin their work. Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing for the basics, but additional consultants such as Interiors, Lighting, Acoustics, Waterproofing may also be involved. All of them will be doing work on their portions and will have their own questions to ask. At the end of this stage the working drawings will include a draft set from all members of the design team to show what the intent is for all materials, assemblies, equipment, etc. At this point, all decisions have been made.

-Construction Documents

The major portion of your work is now done. This phase is about executing all of the decisions in the prior phase and detailing/calculating them out fully to ensure a smooth build process. This phase typically takes the longest, but the pace of meetings for the client will slow down. There will still be questions, and any changes should be few and far between.

-Permitting

Typically the Owner will submit the set of Construction Documents to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), however the Architect or the contractor can assist with this process. There will be a permit fee that must be paid directly to the AHJ. Receiving approval can take from days to weeks to months depending on how busty the department is, how organized they are, and whether they have any comments back to the design team that need clarification. Check in with your AHJ to see what their processing time looks like as you begin the design process.

How Long Does The Design Process Typically Take?

Like the cost of the home this depends on many factors. A higher level of service will take more time and the more people that are involved (like an Acoustic consultant) will also take additional time. The number of deliverables that are required at different stages of design all take time as well. It may be better to consider the design process as a number of stages rather than looking at it in terms of time as the specifics of a project will dictate how long it will take. However, be prepared for this process to take a number of months on a custom built home as many conversations between yourself and the Architect will be required over many weeks to discuss various parts of the design from the vision all the way down to exactly which fireplace model you want to include.

How Long Will it Take to Build My Home?

Like the length of the design process, this is determined by the complexity of the home, availability of labor and materials, site location, and the permitting process. You can expect the construction to develop in the following stages: Permitting, Site Prep, Excavation, Foundation, Framing, Roofing and Exteriors, Mechanical/Plumbing/Electrical/Lighting Rough-in, Drywall, Paint, Finish Carpentry, Finishes, and finally Move-in! The contractor will provide a construction schedule that breaks down these major tasks into many smaller tasks. Some items may happen concurrently, and delays are possible due to weather, unforeseen circumstances (such as archeological finds while digging (common in London, but less so in Utah)), logistical issues, among others. You can expect a custom home to take anywhere from ~8-24 months once the permit is obtained.