1) Phase I – The design/build Contractor visits your home to meet with you and discuss what it is you would like to achieve in your remodel. This allows the Contractor an opportunity to view the property and take some general notes on its present condition, current floor plan, the neighborhood, and any ideas you might have regarding your remodel. It also allows you to ask all the questions you like about the process. During this meeting, the Contractor will discuss the most important part of the process… Design. Design has 3 parts. The first two are as follows:
a. Part I represents the Design Elements and this has 2 parts. Part A is a very detailed list of questions that will be asked concerning your project. This allows your design/build Contractor to determine what you’re looking for, how you would like your remodel developed and built, and the products you would like to see in your remodel. Before starting the next critical step (Part B), you will be provided with the cost to begin and develop the written Design Elements. After receiving your approval and payment, Part A is completed.
b. Part B is your personal written Design Elements. permis de construire en ligne This unique document represents in bullet point fashion the details of what it is you would like to achieve in your remodel. Consider Design Elements a “wish list”. They’re incredibly powerful and extremely useful. Prior to anyone performing drawings, Design Elements allow you to clarify and focus on the entire scope of the project by area. Design Elements list by level (floor) each room and area that will be worked and what will be performed in these areas. Design Elements also typically include suggested products, manufacturers, and other important items you should consider. After reviewing and making any changes, we move on to part II.
c. Part II occurs after you have had an opportunity to review and finalize your written Design Elements. In this next phase of the journey, you will meet with the Contractor and his Architect together at the project location. The Architect will ask additional questions to better understand what style, character, functionality, and personality you want your home improvement to reflect. He will also likely take some preliminary pictures and measurements. When the meeting is over, the Contractor and the Architect meet over the next several days to develop a game plan on how best to produce a set of schematic drawings, “as-builts” (drawings of the existing floor plan), and elevations. With this information, the Design Elements will be further refined and the cost for architectural drawings will be added. Architectural drawings are the detailed “blue prints” (pictures) with dimensions (illustrates size in feet and inches) of your build out/remodel design. The Contractor will then contact you to discuss the cost for these drawings and the time frame to produce them. After the Contractor receives your approval to produce these drawings, he reconvenes with you to obtain a signature and first payment of the fees authorizing him to legally commence work on your drawings.
Phase II – Drawings (AKA – Plans and Specifications)
2) Phase II – This represents part 3 of design. The Contractor and the architect really get busy. If you have never seen a full set of professional architectural drawings, you’re in for a delightful educational experience. They are very involved, detailed, and have lots of numbers, pictures, and symbols on them. There are generally between 3 to 4 sets for you to review. With each review, more and more illustrations and information are added. The benefit of performing various progress sets is that it allows you to see and review the project from basic to complete. It’s much easier for you to make changes and see the additions with each of these sets as you understand the progression from earlier sets. It’s a bottom-up/building block process… and it works extremely well.