If you’ve ever (or never) undertaken a building project, the process can feel intimidating. Do you start by finding a builder? Do you need to call an architect? What are the zoning and code enforcement regulations in your town? How do you confidently embark on this journey with a clear plan and vision? While each project we do has vast differences, there are many key similarities, and the process can be presented in a straightforward way. So where to start?

Check out the sequence below and then shoot us an email to setup a discovery phone call. Whether you work with us or not, we’re happy to advise and guide you in the right direction.

Where To Start?

01 Clarify Your Goals

Goal setting is an important first step for any project because it forms the basis for making all of the rest of the decisions. When you think through your objectives, and articulate them clearly, you’re establishing the guiding principles for your team to follow (and reminding yourself). At a high level your goal might be something like:

Our goal is to build ________ which will provide _________ for a cost of under __________ by the date of __________.

Of course some projects are quite straightforward and obvious, while others are full of complexity. At this point, focus on the second part of the template above - what will completing this project provide for you? Maybe it’s extra storage, a place for guests to stay, a space to do art, saving money on utilities, peace of mind, or simply more room for a growing family. There’s no wrong answer, and likely more than one answer. This exercise is crucial in order to describe your goals to your team, and also revealing in that you may find you already have what you need. Here are some useful questions to ponder as you work through the goal setting process:

  • What prompted us to start thinking about this project?

  • Who in our lives will this project affect?

  • What timescale are we considering?

  • What does it look like if we don’t do the project?

  • What would the best project outcome look like?

  • When do we want to start and complete this project?

  • What are key functions we’re looking for?

  • What are the absolutely required items versus “nice-to-have” aspects?

02 Understand Your Budget

The total cost of a building project can include land acquisition, construction, design and engineering, permits and regulatory fees, utilities and infrastructure, landscaping installation, and financing costs. If you plan on working with a General Contractor, he or she should include a contingency fund to cover unforeseen expenses, and most lenders will require this for construction loan products. So the total dollar figure you have in mind needs to cover all the relevant costs, as well as a percentage of construction costs set aside just in case.

General Contractors employ various forms of contract administration, the most common being:
Traditional Lump Sum - A set amount of money is charged for a specific scope of work.
Cost Plus Fee - The GC provides an “open book” estimate of their actual costs, as well as an agreed upon markup for overhead and profit. As the project moves along, the owner and GC can make decisions together taking into consideration the actual cost of completed work.
Not-To-Exceed or Guaranteed Maximum Price - The GC agrees to complete the project for a maximum price, but could be lower.
Time-And-Materials - Similar to “Cost Plus” but overhead and profit are rolled into hourly rates and material pricing.

Preparing to carry a contingency fund and thinking about the type of contract you are comfortable with will help you understand your budget as more than just the amount of money you have set aside, or are ready to borrow to build your idea.

03 Recognize Limitations

Limitations can be viewed negatively as restrictions on your ability to achieve your dream, or positively as uncontrollable facts that, when understood, make many decisions easier and provide a safe path towards feasibility and success. In other words, without limits you’d be stuck with too many options - and it’s better to get to know them now rather than later.

From our experience there are three major types of limitations when contemplating building projects.

  1. Budget - you already covered that in point #2.

  2. Non-Budget related items you know now, or can research, such as zoning regulations, easements, right-of-ways, covenants, access to utilities, interpersonal matters, and scheduling deadlines.

  3. Items that are impossible to know beforehand, such as the presence of rock or ledge in the ground, the required depth of a well, the cost fluctuation of specific materials, or the way your neighbor may react.

Brainstorming the potential project limitations and planning for them is the only way to set accurate expectations, and set up the design process with all the pertinent information required to look at the best options available.

04 Start With Broad Strokes

Now that you have a hold on your goals, budget and limitations, it’s time to start designing! A good way to begin is by gathering reference images - photos of houses you like on Houzz or Pintrest, and photos of houses you like in your area. It’s helpful to think about houses you’ve lived in and what you loved about them. And even if you don’t consider yourself an artist, it’s a great exercise to put a pencil to paper and sketch out your ideas - floor plans (looking down at a cross cut of the house) and elevations (looking at a side of the house from the outside) are a great way to start conceptualizing interior and exterior aspects of the project.

We call this the Discovery Phase where we establish patterns and intentions from the reference images and sketch low detail 3D mass models that convey a few options. Typically at this point we’re concerned with the footprint of the building, what type of roof it will have, where the stairs might go if they are needed, the overall height, and how it will conform to local zoning regulations. We know we need an overall and reasonably accurate “envelope” to start with, then we’ll focus on the functions you’re looking for as set forth in your goals. We’ll review various options for a floor plan layout that works within the footprint we’ve determined. This is often called Schematic Design, where the programming (functional needs and spatial relationships) and concept (rough sketches) form the foundation for the rest of the phases.

05 Work Through Details

With the concept roughed out, it’s time to start dialing in the details - and this can be done quite effectively with a balance between creativity and logic through an iterative process. This is like putting together a puzzle by trying all the logical combinations of the puzzle pieces, and getting creative by rotating the puzzle every once in awhile to get a completely different perspective.

We call this the Design Development Phase - where we go from feet mattering, to inches mattering - combing through all aspects of the design to work through potential conflicts, and embrace potential opportunities. During this stage we’ll select doors and windows, discuss exterior treatments, envelope considerations like insulation, and interior finishes. We’ll figure out how the toilet drains are going to make it to the sewer main and where the heat pump heads will be mounted.

06 Formalize Your Plan

Once the design is established (for us this would be a completed 3D model) and you’re happy and confident with your decisions, it’s time to translate all this information to a format that can be submitted with the building permit application, and distributed to builders for estimating.

We refer to this as the Documentation Phase where we transform the 3D model we’ve all be examining into a traditional set of primarily 2D drawings that are generally expected by all the stakeholders and participants in the project.

07 Select A Builder

Selecting a builder can be challenging and take some time - so be prepared to take this task seriously, because this person will be largely responsible for your investment. Ideally you have a builder or GC referred from a friend or family member (or they ARE your friend or family member!), but often that is not the case - so ask around for solid suggestions. When interviewing builders, it’s important to get a feel for the chemistry - is this someone you can picture yourself working with? Check in about their availability and capacity - do they have a small crew or multiple crews? Ask about their experience and see if you can speak with a past customer of theirs. What level of insurance do they carry and does it include Worker’s Compensation? Are their subcontractors insured? And of course, what does their pricing look like, what do they include and not include in their scope, and what type of contract will they be providing? The saying “you get what you pay for” comes up time and time again in this industry, so choose wisely.

Reflective Designworks can assist with the builder selection process including local market research, builder interviews and qualification, scope clarification, and bid leveling - making sure the quotes you are getting can be compared apples-to-apples.

08 Obtain Permits

Typically the owner or owner’s representative (designer, architect, engineer, builder, etc) can apply for the Building Permit Application at your town offices. Each town is different, but the requirements should be listed on the application itself or an easily accessible attachment on the town website. Some towns offer online portals, some accept emailed submissions, and others must be turned in by hand. In general most towns will require a Building Permit to begin the project, and the other permits that the subcontractors are responsible for obtaining such as the plumbing permit or wastewater permit. In some instances the Building Permit is contingent on other municipal departments for review and approval such as demolition, zoning, land use, historic districts, planning, public works etc. It’s important to verify that you’ve applied for all the permits required to break ground, and that the General Contractor is on top of ensuring the subcontractors have obtained what is required.

In most cases, Reflective Designworks can assist by submitting your completed Building Permit Application, and in some cases, applying for a variance or exception. In some instances zoning regulations can be quite complex and require the services of an attorney. We can figure this is all out beforehand!

09 Set A Schedule

Now that your design is complete, your drawings are ready for the permit application, and you’ve selected a builder, it’s time to work out a realistic schedule that includes seasonality (summer vs winter), builder capacity, material availability, and your own personal deadlines and move-in date.

It’s useful to organize a check-in plan with your builder at the beginning of the project so that you can get regular updates on costs, materials orders, code enforcement inspections, holdups due to subcontractor availability, etc. By setting a reasonable schedule at the outset of the work, and planning for routine updates, expectations are clear and communication channels are established.

10 Participate In The Project

Embarking on a building project can be stressful, but with a solid design and plan, you’ll be able to focus on the excitement and get involved. Let your builder know you’ll be stopping by the job site (or maybe your kitchen downstairs) throughout the week to snap photos and say hello. Bring your designer along to verify things are being built per plan. Work with your designer and builder to choose finish materials like flooring, countertops and paint colors. Walk around a newly framed space and visualize where your furniture will go. Introduce yourself to the subcontractors and say thank you - they are working hard to build your dream and deserve your appreciation. Show up with coffee and donuts once in a while and take lunch orders when they’re working a long day. This is your project - your team - your investment - by participating in big ways and small ways you’ll make the experience more enjoyable and successful for everyone. While it’s not required in your contract, connecting with the people involved will mark memories and give them positive energy to go above and beyond.

We Are Here To Help!

This is an oversimplified explanation of the building project process to give you an idea of what lies ahead, but it’s also an accurate representation of the major components. When we talk we can dive deeper into the nuances and details of your specific needs and goals. While we can’t set your goals or budget, we can guide you through the rest of the steps to make the experience as seemless as possible. We look forward to it!