“Tom has many good qualities but highest in value to me was his desire to listen to my objectives for the building and connect with my vision and improve that vision to a higher plane of quality and aesthetics. Tom takes your ideas and expands on them and provides enhanced alternatives on your initial thoughts for your decision. He is organized and diligent in meeting deadlines and bringing your dreams to a successful fruition.”
— Charlie Sparks, Developer
Black Mountain Bungalow Company
“We are residents of Florida and Tom was our eyes and ears on the construction of our cabin. He handled many changes and called us about decisions that were to be made, saving us time and expense. When you are residing out of state, it was nice to have this peace of mind Tom provided.”
— Gloria and Joe Gaudet
HOW WE WORK
With a focus on quality design, it’s no surprise we have a comprehensive process that incorporates all the major building elements. We take a close look at your land, noticing the best way your design will fit considering topography and orientation. We look at opportunities for passive solar and natural cooling; we make efficient use of materials and embrace the ‘not-so-big’ house concept. It’s all about designing to fit the site and your needs. It’s a process that works, and the results are exactly what we envision together.
DESIGN STAGES
Pre-design stage:
We begin with pre-design, the first building block. In this step we answer the question, “What are we going to build?”
Clients complete a multi-page questionnaire that delves into lifestyle, what people love, what is important in their lives. The questionnaire also asks about likes and dislikes about current and past homes. This information provides Tom with excellent background and serves as a great way to get to know the clients. Tom requests that when couples are building together, each individual completes their own questionnaire.
Once the questionnaire is complete, we proceed with these steps:
- Site analysis
- Set design goals and requirements
- Schematic design
- Preliminary design/ conceptual design
- Define size, scale, orientation and relationships between spaces and the site
Design development stage:
How do we put your defined design together? That’s the purpose of this step, where we refine the schematic design. We look at many different ideas, trying them on for size, and using 3D modeling to see how things fit together. This sophisticated modeling system allows us to resolve issues, and determine how changes affect energy use. Tom uses a playful approach during this step to help refine the design prior to the actual drawings.
Construction document stage:
During this phase we create construction drawings and materials specifications; we’re now really into the guts of the design. This is where we tell our partners how to build it.
Construction administration stage:
Site visits are key during this stage, and periodic reviews of construction progress are standard. We also meet with you and your contractor(s) to conduct progress reviews and to help with material selections. Each client can check their building progress via a website that shows progress photos.