Our Design Process
Our practices to engage and work with our clients are tailored to client's preferences, yet there is a typical process to progress with any kind of projects toward your ultimate house.
Phase 1: Conceptual Design
At this phase, we gather information from you (requirement, desires, budget plan, timeline, etc.), information from the city and through a property survey. We use all those inputs to prepare a conceptual design for you including plans, 3D model and images to visualize the design, exterior and interior.
At this point we also get rough estimate of the project budget from one or two potential contractors in order to assess the budget that the proposed concept requires. We consider cost/design tradeoffs iteratively, until our client is satisfied with the overall concept.
Phase 2: Design Development
The selected conceptual design might be revised and modified per client requests and we will continue to detailed design.
We will meet few times with you to finalize the details of the design before moving to the next phase.
We exit this phase with decisions about the best design option and details that suits your needs and budget.
Phase 3: Construction Documents
The final design will be developed and prepared for City reviews until our design approved and a signed Permit will be granted at the end of this phase.
We are preparing drawings for a Planning Review and per City approval which is required by most of the cities before Building. We are also updating the design visualization model and starting to work on the Interior Design in details. We create a set of realistic images to visualize the exterior in the neighborhood and the interior to make the final choices on design options.
Once we obtained Planning approval, we are preparing the set of Construction Documents with plans, notes, and technical specifications for a Building review. Structural plans, Energy report and CAL Green checklist will be included at the set for the Building review. Your potential contractors will use those documents, set of drawing and specifications to prepare their bids and once its approved, to build your house.
Phase 4: Bidding your project for construction
We propose qualified contractors for the bid and submitting bid packages for all bidders that you select. We help contractors understand the plans so they will provide you an accurate bid.
We review with you the submitted bids and help you compare cost figures that you receive from bidders, determine difference between their proposals and hidden cost items.
Phase 5: Construction Administration
Once you selected contractor and the construction is under way, we help with the following:
1) Material selection and the necessary fixtures for the house.
2) Rigorous construction oversight and close involvement with the contractor before and during construction for fewer costly fields changes and more precisely constructed building. both your aesthetic preferences and budget