925-575-0629
Vintage Home Design encourages you to participate in the creative process of
designing your new home or addition. You, as the project owner can play an
important role starting from the preliminary design through the completion of
the construction documents (sometimes referred to as Blue Prints).
To help provide a visual text of your preferred style and taste, you may
consider preparing a scrapbook by collecting magazine articles, newspaper
clippings, product brochures, photos, etc. You may also consider a walking or
driving tour with your designer to provide architectural cues of your wishes and
desires.
THE PROCESS
Regardless if you have already selected your building contractor or you wish to
develop your plans before seeking a builder, you will need a complete set of
construction documents before a builder can give an accurate bid on your
project.
During our first phone conversation we will spend some time becoming
acquainted and discussing the overall scope of your desired project. I will ask
you questions about the size of your existing house, property or building lot,
what building authority or jurisdiction you live in, and your expected budget.
If we determine from this conversation that my services will suit your needs,
we will schedule an appointment for us to meet at the project site.
Based on review of the project site and your expressed expectations and
desires for improvement, I then return to my office and prepare a written
design agreement that stipulates the scope of project, what is included in my
services and a payment schedule.
Developing the plans is broken into two distinct phases:
- The preliminary design phase is where we produce floor plans and
elevations. This will take several revisions based on your input until we
have a plan that will meet your needs and desired aesthetic appeal.
During this phase we also identify building restrictions that may either
confirm or deny the issuance of a building permit, and revise plans as
necessary to fit the requirements of zoning and building codes as they
apply to your project.
- After the preliminary plans have been produced, we are ready to
develop the Construction Documents.
Once the construction documents are completed, you are now ready to submit
them to builders for bid. You may also submit the plans to your local building
authority in order to get a head start on the building permit process. This
proves useful if your building department is backlogged and an extended turn
around time would be expected for issuance of a building permit. Unless you
are acting as the general contractor for your project, it is not advisable for
you to obtain the building permit once final approval has been granted from
the building department. Let your builder obtain the building permit in their
own company name which will likely require documentation of their contractor's
license and required insurance and bonding. Otherwise you may be exposing
yourself to unwanted liability during construction.
No matter where you select your contractor from, it is very important to
investigate their background. Make sure they have a list of references that
you can call. Review your contractor's portfolio to make sure their level of
quality meets your expectations, make sure they are insured and bonded for
the appropriate amount and check with the state contractors licensing board
License check link to confirm their contractor's license is valid and applies to
the type of construction for your project.
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