1. So often today, especially in larger communities, extensive detailed information is required to be submitted to the local community (plan commission) for initial plan review. This review often includes submittal of landscaping plans, site plan, grading plans, exterior electrical plans, floor plans and elevations. This submittal can be crucial to plan approval and, therefore, often personal contact with the authorities is necessary to both obtain the necessary requirements and also to understand their rationale.
   
   Sometimes it’s required that the design professional attend all plan commission meetings, however, when it’s optional, we would prefer to be there to represent the owner.
   
2. Personal site visits are absolutely essential. Design professionals cannot do a project justice if they don’t experience the site's strengths and weaknesses. In today’s world with site costs based on square footage, one needs to maximize a site’s potential. This can only be done with a thorough understanding of its unique characteristics.

Depending on the client’s needs, feasibility studies can be performed for different reasons. Most often, feasibility studies are used to evaluate the cost differences between addition/remodel vs. new.

Again, depending on the project and client, it may be necessary to perform a user group space-needs assessment.

Often a feasibility study will address issues such as International Building Code (IBC) compliance, accessibility compliance, mechanical evaluations and aesthetics, along with associated costs.

Initial Consultation

An introduction of our capabilities and services.

1. Define client’s program prior to beginning preliminary plan layout.
2. Provide preliminary cost estimates based on similar completed projects in current database.
3. Assist in determining the construction delivery system to be used -
   a) Competitive Bid;
   b) Negotiated with Cost-Plus Method; or
   c) Design/Build.
4. Review architectural style and site considerations that may influence layout.

1. Develop state approved working drawings and specifications.
2. Facilitate and coordinate proven structural and mechanical consultants that understand specialized building types.
3. Develop all interior casework (cabinetry) drawings and incorporate them into the architectural drawings.
4. Coordinate all specialized equipment drawings.

1. Facilitate weekly or bi-weekly jobsite meetings between the owner, contractor and architect. (At these meetings, the architect will be the owner’s agent to assure owner that plans and specifications are followed.)
2. Architectural project coordinator shall review and approve all pay requests submitted by the general contract or to assure the owner that they aren’t getting overcharged.
3. Validate and approve all necessary change orders. (Note: By utilizing our recommended delivery system and our supervisor services, the average percentage of change orders on our projects are 1% to 2%. This percentage is considerably below the norm.)
4. Conduct walk-through and provide final punchlist items to be finished to architect’s and owner’s satisfaction prior to approving final pay request.