Gravitas Blog

The following is a list of typical steps that owners go through when building their new home. This is also related to remodel projects. You may be able to skip or combine a step, but we have found these to be fairly standard.

1. What are you going to build

So you have decided that you are going to build or remodel your home. The first step covers what exactly you are going to do. This is often referred to as building programing, and might just be the most important thing you will do. This is the point which you determine the size, and scope of your project. It is easier to control your budget at this stage. Limiting the amount of un needed square footage at the beginning will pay dividends in the end.

Here you will define how many bedrooms/baths your new home will have, what is the relative importance of public/private rooms, what your home is supposed to be (vacation home/primary residence), who/how many people will use it, and how will it be used. This is the point you start creating your wants vs. needs comparison, as well as defining the single most important tool you will use, your budget.

At this point, you are defining your design problem. Don’t solve those problems yet. Be prepared to explore different solutions, and creative ideas. Honesty with yourself, and your design professional is very important. This stage is often carried out by the home owner, but can most successfully be completed by the combined efforts of the owner, and their designer.

We have often seen narratives created by the homeowner. They might describe their typical day in their new home, or their existing home. This helps the designer live through your eyes, and anticipate, and answer questions that might come up later in the design process.

2. Collecting Ideas

A helpful method of communicating  your thoughts and ideas is by starting an idea album.  By going through magazines, and clipping out the design solutions you like, and importantly, don’t like, you will be able to directly show your designer exactly what you want your house to be.  A three ring binder provides you with the flexibility to add pages, and remove old or stale ideas.  Using presentation sleeves allows you to easily slip in new photographs, and add notations.  You should also collect and present to your designer all of the Home Owner’s Association requirements, and other design constraints.  Often times there are many hurdles that must be jumped through before you can submit your plan for building.

Seeing images, and keeping design solutions close at hand will enhance your communication, and get your point across much easier than just descriptions of your preferences.

3. Schematic Design

After defining what needs to be built, the team starts a series of rough sketches, known as schematic designs. This is the beginning of our Schematic Design Phase.  These sketches will define the general arrangement of rooms, and their spatial relationships. These are meant to show possible possible solutions to the design problems identified in step 1. The design team will refine the sketch until both you and they are satisfied with the layout.  This sketch will be driven typically by a unit cost approach to the budget, that is, how many dollars per square foot are you anticipating being available for the construction of the home.  This guideline is used from the outset, and often referred to when making design decisions.  As always, when laying out your budget, you should include an adequate contingency amount.

Often times this sketch will not be what you had envisioned.  Often times, it is the trained interpretation of what your needs are, and sometimes it is shown as a suggestion.  You are the final arbiter on what will be built, so keep an open mind, but make sure you are satisfied with the resolution.  It is always easier to make changes early in the process, instead of waiting until your are under construction.  The designer should always seek approval from you before proceeding onto the next phase of design/construction.

Before we complete this portion of the Schematic Design Phase, the general layout will be transferred into our 3D modeling program, which we will be using exclusively for the rest of the way.  Our office adopted Graphisoft’s Archicad back in 2001, and we have been very pleased with its capabilities.  All of our documentation is carried out in this program.  Our plans/elevations/perspectives, and sections are all directly linked to the model.  We have chosen to do our details in 2D, allowing us easier use of standard drawings.

Step 3 : Design Development

Design development is the next step in the process, and it is when the schematic design is fully detailed, showing sections, and any interior elements that will be articulated in the Construction Documents.

When you are reviewing the design, always place yourself in the home.  How do you use the spaces you currently have, and how do you see yourself using the new ones.  Does the overall flow of the home meet your needs and wants?  Think about the actual use of each room, and how you will be spending time in it, and it’s relations to the rooms around it.  You should always be very satisfied with the design before you invest more of your time and money into the process.

At the end of Design Development, and short of the Construction Documents, you will have enough information on the page to get an adequate cost estimate from your contractor, or enough to go shopping for contractors.  This is also the point at which you should be discussing your plans with your Home Owner’s Association, as you don’t want to waste your efforts in finalizing your plans if they have to be modified to fit other design requirements.

Step 4 : Construction Documents

Construction Documents often take up the single largest block of time in the design phase.  This is when detailed drawings are put together describing in detail what the home will look like, and be made of.  This can be a frustrating time because all of the “fun” design work is complete, and you have to wait for the office to finish all of the detailing to describe the structure.  Our documents are complete and thorough enough that a master builder, or an owner-builder can fulfill the job.

When these drawings are completed, it is time to lock in your contractor.

Step 5 : Contractor

There are as many ways to select a contractor, as there are contractors out there.  Often times, we help our clients find a contractor.  We have worked with many reputable builders both in our area, as well as throughout the country.

We create Adobe Acrobat documents that are easily transmitted by E-mail, or FTP site.  In this way you can economically send out your drawings to as many contractors as you would like.  They then print up the documents if they need them.  While we can recommend contractors, and assist you in finding the best fit, the final decision is always up to you.  Often times, our clients prefer to be their own general contractor.  While this can save you money up front, it can often lead to longer construction times, or an increase in the overall costs due to unforeseen construction issues.  Discuss the relative merits of both situations with your designer, and they can help you determine what is the best course of action.

Step 6 : Construction

Construction can often be the most aggravating, frustrating, anxiety-inducing, fulfilling, rewarding part of the process.  At this point, your project goes from words, and the printed page, to an actual built structure.  Our scope of work often times stops at this point, although we can also provide construction administrative services.  These include helping hire a contractor, site visits, and observations, processing the contractor’s applications for payment, and working as a liaison between you and the builder.

The contractor is the single point of responsibility, when it comes to construction techniques and methods, building schedules, and procedures.  The designer is there as an observer of the process, and to ensure that the design intent is carried out.

The road to a completed home is paved with many challenges, and much uncertainty.  There are so many decisions to be made, and at every point along the way, that it can be overwhelming.  At Gravitas, we help you avoid wrong turns, and guide you on the path to a wonderful house we all design together.  This unique home is created to meet your specific needs and wants, to express your individuality, and provide enjoyment to your family, friends, and all who use it.