Why should I hire a residential designer?
Residential designers play a crucial role in every building project – whether it’s designing a modest house, an extensive renovation, or a luxury estate home. A residential designer is responsible for creating a custom design and ensuring the proposed plans are both practical and cost-efficient. The exterior designs must be cohesive and well balanced. The construction documents must be detailed and meticulous to ensure a smooth building process.
What’s my role in the design process?
The property owner should be heavily involved in the design process to ensure that the final design meets their criteria and overall expectations. Our goal is to provide the best design solutions to suit your family life. It’s important that we deliver a design that encompasses your ideas. However, as your chosen designer, it is important that we provide design solutions based on our expertise. We will review and exhaust all options until you are satisfied. The homeowner is the captain of the ship, and we are here to support them in achieving their dream design.
How can I find a qualified residential designer?
While word-of-mouth referrals are the most common way to find a designer you can trust, searching online, or getting referrals from other contractors is always a good option too. When looking for a qualified designer, it’s essential to have an idea of the style you are hoping to achieve and the scope of your building project. We recommend trying to view the previous work of potential candidates before booking a meeting. If you are in Canada or the United States and seeking a qualified residential designer, Custom CADD Inc. would love to hear from you.
How much does a custom home design cost?
Since each project is different in scope and complexity, the cost will vary. Factors that will affect the cost of your design are size, complexity, site conditions and restrictions. We provide basic fees with a-la-carte add-ons based on the client’s needs as well. Our fee structure has been designed to provide complete transparency, providing our clients with potential savings when possible. Upon conducting your complimentary consultation, we will provide you with a fee proposal tailored to your requested design experience.
What are the first steps?
The first steps before approaching a design firm are as follows:
- 1. Own the property: Without the property, we cannot begin the design process. Too many factors can affect the size and shape of a home.
- 2. Gather your wishes: Have your inspiration photos and room requirements clearly defined prior to approaching a designer.
- 3. Obtain a topographic survey: A topographic survey will display the contours of your land, as well as the boundaries and site features of the lot.
At what point should I hire a residential designer?
When you start to seriously consider an upcoming building project, we recommend hiring a qualified residential designer right away. Designers can help with much more than just design. They can let you know if your project is feasible, provide you with advice and assess your budget. They will review your property, research municipal and environmental requirements to ensure the project is properly planned. As the project progresses, they will develop the design, suggest reputable contractors for the job, collect necessary permits, and so much more.
What will happen during the initial consultation?
During the initial consultation, a residential designer’s goal is to get to know your proposed project in detail. We will learn where you hope to build your structure, the overall style you’re hoping to achieve, the scale of the build, the materials you are interested in using, your budget, your timeline, etc.
Conducting a consultation is crucial to completing a successful build, and we won’t overlook any details.
What is involved in the design process?
While the process can be broken down into more significant detail, there are essentially five steps involved in architectural design:
- 1. Zoning research and site planning.
- 2. Schematic design
- 3. Design development
- 4. Construction documents
- 5. Permit coordination
How long does it take from design start to permit approval?
Upon receiving your fee proposal, you will have been given a start date guarantee. This is your official start date, and it will be honored. Based on the scope and complexity, the design process will take from 3 to 6 weeks to complete. Once the design is approved, we begin the development on the construction drawings. This process can take 3 to 4 weeks. At this point, a pricing set will be issued. This pricing set will be issued to the various consultants required to finalize the permit set of drawings. The consultant timelines can vary from 3 to 6 weeks depending on workload. The final step will be to prepare the completed package and submit for permit. This process also can take from 3 to 6 weeks. In summary, the process can take from 3 to 6 months. When environmental agencies are involved, the timeline can be increased as well.
Will we need any other professionals for the project?
Yes. Any construction project requires the collaboration of consultants, which will be necessary in providing a complete construction set of drawings. While finding the right people for the job can be daunting, residential experts, like our own, can help you choose the perfect team throughout the development of your design project.
Are you involved from the design through the completion of the project?
While the work of a residential designer is to take charge of construction planning at the beginning, our team will always be available to answer questions and ensure your vision comes to fruition without a hitch.
Are you an architect firm?
No, we are not. We are a residential design firm that specializes in single dwellings. There’s a common misconception that only architects can design large homes. We, as architectural designers, are equally capable and skilled at designing your custom home. We have a strong technical building background and are schooled in the science of construction. We are experienced in various building types and construction practices, allowing us to excel in residential design. There are no legal requirements in Canada and the United States for an architect to design your house. We are knowledgeable in building codes, and we have in-depth knowledge of how to navigate through them. See our work for reference of what we can achieve.