Before beginning the design process, you should establish a budget, either in dollars or in target size (square footage) for the project. We also will have a tree and topographic survey done depicting the contours of the land, property lines, building setbacks and tree locations.
The design phase is where we decide what the house looks like and where it should sit on the lot. We will discuss the details, which include a list of significant rooms needed, the interrelationships you want the rooms to have, photos and drawings you may have clipped from magazines, and photos of other houses you might have. These clippings serve as good communication tools for the architect, who will develop the floor plans and do sketches of the building, giving you views that provide a realistic view of the house. This process involves a lot of revisions until the house is exactly as you want it.
After the conceptual design of the house is substantially complete, we will refer you to the selected interior designer and the kitchen design architect. They will help to gradually design the details, including cabinetry, floor and wall finishes, bathroom details, etc. This design work often occurs after construction has already begun. Usually we simply establish realistic allowance figures for the undecided items.