Working with an
Architect
THE DESIGN PHASE
The first step in the design process is an initial
meeting This is usually at the owner's home or
site to discuss the scope of the project, its
timetable and budget. This short meeting is
followed up in a day or two with an Architectural
Proposal outlining the services requested and fees.
If the proposal is accepted, the homeowner will
sign a copy of the contract and return it with a
down payment (usually 25% of the fee) to the
architect. The architect then sets up a second
meeting with the owner to measure, photograph and
review in more detail the requirements of the
project. The owner meanwhile is asked to organize
his thoughts and put together a file of
information to bring to the meeting which may
include sketches, drawings, photographs or just a
written outline.
In a few weeks,depending on the complexity of the
project, a third meeting is arranged.The architect
will have floor plans and concept sketches using a
sophisticated computer imaging program in order to
give the owner a very clear and visual
understanding inside and outside of what the
architect sees as a solution to the project based
on the owner's needs. These drawing may represent
one or more design possibilities.
The following weeks are spend selecting, refining
and sometimes reworking the proposed design
solutions. The architect and owner work together
as advisor and decision- maker to develope and
finalize the design.
At this point the owner has a good idea of what
the project will look like and how it fits on to
the site.
The owner also now has enough information to
solicit "ball park" bids. These drawings may also
be used for zoning requests, variances or other
approvals required by the city or county.
The owner may at this point because of the budget
or city approval issues, choose not proceed with
the Construction Document Phase and is under no
abligation to continue.
PHASE TWO: CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS
This is the nuts and bolts of the procees of
building a structure. "Blueprints" or Construction
Drawings along with the Specifications are called
The Construction Documents. These legal documents
as provided by the architect will give you a
detailed and comprehensive set of instructions to
the city officials, the builder and the tradesmen
for bidding purposes, permits and construction.
The "bluprints" tell the builder the location of
floors, roofs, walls, cabinets, fixtures etc.and
their dimensions and assembly details. The
Specifications outline the scope and
responsibilities of the contractors work, along
with the workmanship, material specifications and
selections such as fixtures and finishes.
A well prepared set of Construction Documents will
foster more accurate and competitive bidding,
better quality control and allow the project to
proceed smoothly with a minimum of undefined
issues.
The architect if requested will review the
contractor's bids and submit his recommendation to
the owner
The architect may also be hired by the owner to
visit the site to review and inspect the
construction progress. This is usually an added
hourly fee to the original contract. Issues that
arise during construction that are the
responsibility of the architect and requires
meetings or site visits is however included in the
original fee.
CONCLUSION
The architect as the owners agent is working for
the owner in providing guidance and expertise in
both the Architectural Design and the Construction
Phase of a project.
With the complexity and cost of building today we
believe the architect is a very valuable and in
many cases a necessary part of the whole building
process.
Background
RDC ARCHITECTS was originally founded in 1981 as a
design/build firm. Since 1991 the firm has focused
exclusively on the design aspect of projects and
is a well respected member of the American
Institute of Architects in the Twin Cities
community. Our portfolio of more than 400 projects
spans over two decades and represents every size
and type of residential construction.
Recent work has inluded many cabin and lake homes,
entire home remodeling, handicapped accessible
housing, indoor pools, media and recreation rooms
to name a few. Project sizes vary from small
porches and kitchen remodeling to luxury homes and
large scale renovations. Most of our projects have
been statewide in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Design Philosophy
Our design philosophy is to solve each design
challenge both functionally and aesthetically in
an efficient, creative and harmonious way to
reflect the character and wishes of the owner.
Method
RDC ARCHITECTS uses state of the art computer
imagry in all phases of design so our clients have
a clear picture of how the design will look and
feel.The computer images on this web page are actual design
sketches. Our Construction Drawings are CAD
generated for precision and clarity.
References
Our clients are our best resource and we have
achived their unsolicited comments over the past
18 years. Most of our business is word of mouth or
from former clients, however we have maintained a
booth for the last ten years at both the
Minneapolis and St.Paul spring home shows.
Fees
Our fees are fixed as long as the scope of the
project does not change. We do not use a
percentage to determine these fees, but they
average out to about 4%-6% of the construction
costs. An hourly rate of $110 per hour is used when
the scope of the project is not clearly defined or
for consultation and inspections. Engineering if
required is billed separately.
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS
LICENSED ENGINEERING
INTERIOR DESIGN
PLANNING
CONSULTATION
RDC ARCHITECTS INC
3303 EMMERT ST.
SHOREVIEW, MN 55126
PHONE: 651-483-1090
FAX: 651-482-8892
E-MAIL:rdcarch@comcast.net
CONTACT: TIM SULLIVAN
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