1. Start:          

Here are a few things we consider at this phase:

• How many floor levels
• Basement?
• Unique site details
• Basic outside design
• Range for square footage of house
• Garage
• Anything else that might be unique

For a more complete list and printable list  – custom design checklist

2.  Floor plan:    

At this stage, we work on laying out a floor plan for the house/building you have in mind.    We spend time moving everything around to make it fit to your desires and needs. There are a couple of ways that we can do this.  One is for you to come sit down with us and have us design what you describe to us. The other way is for the client to draw/sketch out what they are thinking (not to scale, rough is fine).   We have found this option to work very well.  This allows us to interpret what you want and then draw it up.   If a client is set up with email, we can save the clients time, by emailing back and forth each days changes.  With the capability of the walk through feature we use, some clients have opted to save time and do only email proofing of their plans.   The goal at this point is to get the floor plan exactly the way you want it to be.  Details we look at here:

• Window details
• Door details
• Cabinet details

3.  Elevation view:      

At this phase we are trying to get the exterior view to look the way you would like it to.  We begin developing the roof design you want to use on your house. You choose whether it is to be a gable, hip, shed, a mix of several designs or something totally different.   If you have color, flooring, trim and trim choices we can add them to the plan. This will help your house look more exactly like it will when it’s finished as we use the 3D views.  Items to be considered at this stage:

• Roof designs
• Roof pitches
• Porches
• Window & Door placement

4.   Designing of the plans:            

Here is where we take all the information that you have given us so far and make it come together to produce your set of plans.  Before we can complete this phase we need to be sure that all the other phases are complete, because after this phase is completed, it is much harder to make changes.   

5.   Review:   

At this time, a preliminary set of plans is completed and a copy is emailed to you for you to look over.  Any last minute changes are made and the plans are prepared for printing.  

6.   Detailing:     

We can do some extensive detailing to your 3D plan to help you get a better view of your house.  Adding furniture, wall hangings, mirrors, detailed trim (interior and exterior), exterior landscaping and more is available.  A lot of these details take time to do, so we figure this as an extra.