EXPERTAdvice RESIDENTIAL DESIGN PROCESS
Step 2. Initial design meeting
By Krista Martens Architectural Technologist A. Sc. T. LEED Green Associate Beyond Measure Design Inc. 306.974.3955 info@beyondmeasuredesign.ca www.beyondmeasuredesign.ca
The Residential Design process is straight forward once you understand the steps you need to follow that combines both the practical & creative elements of a home. Step 1. Hire a professional home designer Look for a person who has at least a diploma in Architectural Technology. This background combines structural & architectural education and provides an excellent base for residential design. Ask the person or firm how many years experience in the industry they have & if they can provide letters of reference. Always do your research before hiring anyone.
This is the meeting where your home designer will take the time to create a design brief with you(see previous article). This usually consists of a meeting about an hour in length to compile this information. From here they will start compiling a preliminary plan to meet your requirements.
Step 3. Preliminary plans What are preliminary plans? Well preliminary plans are just that, a prelimor start, towards a overall home design. They are used for the purpose of decision making as well as pricing out the cost of the home. Typically preliminary plans include all relevant floor plans, exterior elevations & site plan. You’ll see items like room sizes, bathroom fixtures, exterior finishes, rooflines and overall general items.
Step 4. Review preliminary plans This is where, you as the client, needs to spend some time to ensure that the plans are what you had in mind. If you’ve taken the time to create a comprehensive design brief outlining your desires for the home chances are there will only be minor changes needed to make that plan perfect. Once your happy with all the preliminary designs you will need to approve the plans prior to proceed to the construction drawings.
Step 5. Construction drawings completed What are construction drawings? Construction drawings are known by many names, blueprints or working drawings are most common. These are the documents used to construct your home & obtain final quotes on materials and services. These plans include more detailed information than the preliminary plans. They include fully dimensions plans, building sections, construction details, foundation designs & electrical plans. This is also the point where all drawings required to be sealed by a Professional Engineer will be sent for review. Consult your designer on items that require an Engineers involvement.
Step 6. Review construction drawings The industry standard is that a “check set” or final set of plans are issued for review prior to plans being printed. This is always an important step as it is likely the last chance you have to make large changes to your home before the project gets under way. Again, you will need to take time to review & approve the final plans before your designer will get you printed copies to begin construction from. These steps can vary from project to project depending on the scope but this list will help you understand what you can expect of the design process. FHS
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