FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
I am a Sole Proprietor Architect. I work personally and individually with my Clients to achieve their project goals. When the need arises, I can bring in specialized Consultants that can work on and design the aspects of a particular project that are outside my scope of services, i.e. Interior Design, Engineering, Landscape Design, etc. Each Project is unique in its scope, etc. and will require different things because of Code requirements. My fees are based on a project by project requirement. Each project is unique and therefore requires fees that are commiserate.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
My Project process typically consists of Three Phases, Preliminary Design, Design Development, and Construction Documentation. The Preliminary Design Phase is the beginning of the project where we get together and figure out what the exact scope of the project wants to be in the form of a Program of Spaces. This Program of Spaces will detail out the number and type of spaces that are to be included in a project. The Program of Spaces is then used to layout the spaces in plan, elevation and on a site plan. The end product for the this Phase will be a set of Conceptual Plans and Elevations that give you an idea of the size and scope of your proposed project in real world scale and dimensions. The Design Development Phase takes the chosen Conceptual Plans and Elevations from the Preliminary Design Phase and further develops them beyond concept into reality with an exact location and site for the project. The exact location and site will inform how the new building(s) relate to the site. How the regulations and codes are enacted on the buildings and site based on the particular jurisdiction that it will reside in. The design as a whole is formalized and becomes real. The end product for the Design Development Phase is a set of drawings that show the building and it's site in real world detail and at the end the design for the project is set. This additional detail can then be used to inform budgeting and pricing of the project going forward. The Construction Documentation Phase is the final phase of the drawing process. The Design Development drawings (with the design set) are used to create more detailed drawings that a Contractor can use to build the project and obtain a Building Permit. The amount and scope of the construction details will be determined by the jurisdiction where the project will be located because of code and zoning regulations in that particular jurisdiction and what they require. If you as the Client engage with a Contractor during the design process, the amount and type of detailing for construction could be affected (usually less) because they are involved in the process. The end product for this Phase is a set of detailed drawings that used to obtain a Building Permit and the Contractor uses the permit and the Construction details provided to build the project.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a Licensed Architect, currently in 5 states (MI, OH, NY, NJ, and FL) I have close to twenty years of experience in the Design and Construction industry and each year I take Continuing Education courses that keep me up to date in the practices and trends in the industry.