Frequently Asked Questions

An architect is typically portrayed as someone that just provides handsketches, plans and  occasionally rendered images of projects before they are constructed. While we do those things, they are just a small portion of what we really do! In a nutshell, an architect is your visionary strategist, technical problem solver, and project advocate from concept to the end of construction. We manage the complex realities of building so you don’t have to.

It is highly beneficial to involve an architect early to provide a feasibility study, often before land purchase or final budget commitment. Bringing us in early allows us to coordinate with surveyors and municipal officials to identify potential opportunities and administrative hurdles before you commit significant capital to a property.

Our initial consultation meetings are complementary.  You do not need formal drawings, floor plans, or sketches. Compile a list of your spatial requirements, your project goals, your target budget range, and any existing documents such as a survey or existing floor plans if you have any.  Concept images evoking architectural styles or elements are helpful as well!  

Understanding how you intend to utilize the space, establish project goals and identifying the design problem is the most useful starting point for our team to develop an accurate proposal.  

Any new subdivisions, new construction projects or additions close to potential setbacks will require a current property survey for planning approvals and to determine if any additional approvals will be required.  We highly recommend in these situations that the clients engage directly with a land surveyor or civil engineering firm as currently it is averaging 2-3 months for a completed survey that we would need prior to starting the design process.  If you’re unsure if a survey is needed, schedule an initial consultation and our team will be able to help you determine if one will be necessary.   

Fees are established based on project complexity, overall scope, and your specific timeline requirements. They are typically calculated as a fixed rate, an hourly fee, or a percentage of construction costs. For most standard scopes, we prefer a structured, fixed-fee arrangement tied to clear project milestones to provide complete price predictability.

Basic services cover standard architectural design, basic code compliance coordination, and the generation of permit-ready construction documents based on the scope of work outlined. Additional services then  cover anything beyond the basic services.  Such as in the event the scope of work is expanded due to unforeseen conditions or clients needs additional support beyond the basic services.  These boundaries are clearly defined in our proposal so you understand what is included in the scope of work from day one.

Identifying site constraints requires a coordinated effort. A licensed land surveyor must establish exact property boundaries, and additional environmental setback requirements.  The architect analyzes the local zoning code, municipal setbacks, and height limitations, incorporating the civil and survey data into the physical building design.

No, specialized engineering fees are not typically included in the baseline architectural design fee. As the architect, we coordinate these engineering disciplines to ensure their work integrates seamlessly with our design. These consultants are typically engaged once the schematic design is approved as many will need that portion to be completed before providing an accurate price for their services.  

While architects cannot guarantee market-driven material costs or contractor labor rates, we manage budget alignment through cost-modeling based on historical pricing data. We also recommend sending out the final schematic design drawings to a contractor for initial budget pricing to also make sure the project is in alignment with your budget or needs value engineering before progressing into design development.  

The duration of the design and permitting phases vary based on project complexity, our current project workload, consultant schedules, and required approvals.  While standard design production can take several months, municipal reviews are dictated entirely by local government schedules and cannot be expedited by the design team.  Our team can provide an estimated project timeline with your project proposal upon request at your initial consultation meeting.