CONCEPT DESIGN

Goal: Research and Determine Project Criteria

• Program Architecture + Interiors

• Zoning Review

• As Built Drawings

• Interior Concept Development

• Questionnaire

• Imagery

• Program

• Research

• Know your none negotiable design features and Materials

• List how you live

• Think about furniture plan in advance

• Working to figure out project requirements

• Programming: Establishing and documenting for projects:

  • Design Objectives

  • Deserved Rooms/Spaces

  • Room Sizes

  • Relationships

• Site Analysis

• Budget Analysis

  • Hard & Soft Costs (none construction, consultants, bank fees and insurance)

  • Material, labor, contractor overhead and profit

• Schedule

  • Owner schedule

  • Owner Decision ability

  • Architect schedule

  • Complexity

  • Contractor availability

• Site Analysis

  • Survey, Geo technical, financial, etc…

  • If we are dealing with an existing building: asbestos testing, lead testing, or other hazardous materials investigation.

• Zoning Analysis / Code analysis

  • Establish what you can build, as for use and size.

  • Specific Code Issues that may affect the project.

• Project Scope

  • Client must identify to the best of their ability the project scope of work.

• Project Goals

• Building Program

  • A Building Program is a list of the proposed uses.

• Project Budgeting

• Project Schedule

  • Sometimes this may be too preliminary to establish.

• Selection Of Project team

Steps when interviewing your team

Subcontractors (list of them..)

• Check References

• Are they bonded

• Are they licensed

• Guarantee their work (what does that mean)

• If so, how long?

• Liability Insurance

• Workman’s Comp

• Who do better builders use

• Get Written Estimate

• Check low bidders quality and references extensively

• Is this when you get your construction loan?

• Questions for Contractors

  • Cost per/sq ft

  • How did last 4 jobs come in at budget and timeline/ Over/Under

  • How long have you been in business?

  • Has it always been in this area?

  • What other designers/vendors do they recommend you work with?

  • List of References 3 TO 4

  • Make sure you can go to the sites

  • (ALL OF THIS NEED TO BE ADDED, QUESTIONS FROM SIMPLE GUIDE TO BUILDING OUR HOME)

• List of Questions for Architects

  • How do you charge for preliminary Plans

  • What is the fee structure?

  • What drawings are included with your Construction Document

  • How you do charge for changes of plans

  • How many times are you willing to update plans

  • Do they work with a specific engineer?

  • Have they worked with your builder?

  • What is the timeline for their process?

  • How often do they intend to meet?

  • Will they work on interior elevations?

  • Decorative Lighting plans?

  • Draw in furniture

  • Reference (3 to 4)

  • Could you be allowed to go to the site of past projects

Budget

• Ask yourself how much you want to invest in the space? Vs How much do you want to spend (NY Schook iD Home 30)

• What percentage of the home’s cost should be allocated to ID.

• Make your choices wisely. The items that are harder to change should be the priorities, easy to switch out a light fixture, not so much the floors

• Flooring

• Plumbing fixtures that require valves in the wall, you can swap them only if they are compatible with the valves in the wall

• Backsplash

• Appliances

• Wall Texture

• Ceiling

Built Ins

Trim (crown, windwo casing and door casing)

Countertops (including undercount sink)

Doors (hinges are no fun to swap)

Light Fixtures