You have an idea and are ready to start acting on it.

But you need more information, or need to discuss your ideas with a design professional to learn if they’re feasible, or you only need a design to hand off to a another architect or contractor to do the construction documents.

You’re ready to talk to an architectural professional experienced in design and able to articulate in thought and in drawing what you’re struggling to conceptualize.

I’ll work with you to incorporate your desires into a design concept using your ideas and my insights into a home design customized for your life.

This Is How It Works

My architectural practice is based on a collaborative work process that requires mutual respect from both parties.

It will start with an initial face-to-face meeting to discuss your project, ideas and budget. If we find that we can work together, we’ll formalize the relationship with a contract for my services.

I have specific design interests that require my clients to be fully interested in exploring. If we find after a discussion in the beginning that we don’t have common design interests, I’ll try to recommend another architectural design professional that might be better suited for your project.

I always use a contract to establish my deliverable services, the relationship and what I charge to my clients. The project starts when you sign the agreement and you pay a 20% retaining fee. If at any point either party needs to end my services for any reason, my services can be terminated.

If this process is too time consuming for you, or if you’re only interested in someone that will make a set of construction documents, I can recommend another professional to work with you.

I will lead the design process using my design concepts melded with your ideas, needs and desires. I base my work on my years of experience in design, understanding the construction process, and my understanding of the local zoning and state building code.

The Conceptual Design materials I create can be used by you to initiate a Schematic Design set by my self, or another architect or a contractor. It can act as a guide to learn what is possible for a specific property. This is a preliminary design package that is not a construction drawing set and can’t be used to get a building permit. It can, however, be used to determine a general concept which can be used to develop a Schematic Design.

Then we start the design!

This is my Four Phase process for the Conceptual Design Service

1. Exploring and Programming

After an initial meeting to discuss in depth what your ideas and desires are, your budget and the property’s dimensions, Phase 1 will consist of creating a basic program for the project that itemizes the project’s goals, design concepts and the amenities you want to have. It can incorporate images you have found that have helped to form your dreams for your home. This stage can help me to gain an understanding of your dreams and goals which can be made into a short description of the project. The program will create a road map that will help you to focus your project into a clearer idea of what you want.

2. Conceptualizing and Prioritizing

Phase 2 consists of using the ideas and programming that we generate during to conceptualize an organization for the design and prioritizing the spaces you need the most. This would consist of free hand drawings and some simple computer aided design drawings. The process is kept loose and free flowing to make the process open ended and open to the exchange of ideas. This kind of process will help you to prioritize what you want, the organization of the spaces you want on the property, and the exterior look of the house. At this point, the concept could require modifying the program.

3. Organizing and Structuring

Phase 3 will incorporate the information we developed from the previous two phases into a conceptual layout for the home on the property. This would entail me producing conceptual hardline a site plan, plans, elevations and sections to describe the design in its organization and conceptual structure.

4. Documenting the Ideas

Phase Four will consist of organizing all the information that has been generated in the previous three phases into a single, comprehensive package of information. This will provide you a clear, simple method of communicating the design to others for developing the project into a set of construction documents and estimating the cost of construction.