Project Development Process

Here at Sageland Design we have made it our mission to provide the highest level of service through our Project Development Process. Our goal is to layout the process of working with us as succinctly as possible. That way you can gain a clear understanding of how we operate from the initial consultation all the way to the moment we hand you your final plans. We’ll work as a team through the entire journey together. Your team consists of your/your family, Sageland, the engineers, and the builder. Each of us plays an integral part in producing the home of your dreams.

The journey begins with a brief discovery call and continues as we discuss your options further during the first meeting. This initial consultation will result in a proposal for our services as well as a breakdown of our fees. We will begin to gather project data to begin the initial phase of the project development process. This is the start of our signature approach that was developed to discover what matters most to you and to honor that throughout the design process. The necessary steps are taken to ensure your Project Development Process leads to the creation of your dream home.

 

Phase 1: Discovery & Planning

The first phase of home design is the Discovery and Planning Phase. During this phase we will identify, discuss and prioritize the different aspects of your new home build project. This phase will be completed in our first meeting which is typically done in-person.

Stage 1.1: Project Evaluation and Feasibility Analysis 

We’ll kick off the Planning meeting by getting your vision for your home. We talk about the project and whether or not your requests/visions can be accomplished. This is where you tell us all about what you want and need in your new home. Show us any pictures, magazines, idea boards, floor plans, and websites that depict what you are looking for. Once we know what your vision and requirements are for your home, we’ll be able to assess whether or not your requests are feasible.

• Site Evaluation – We’ll look at plat map of where you want to build to make sure your house will fit and see where your house layout will be in relation to your property lines. If we are not able to cover this information in our meeting, we will agree who will research the information and discuss via email.
• Project Assessment – We’ll then take your requirements for your home and assess if there will be any areas of constraint or potential opportunities.
• Feasibility Analysis – Lastly, we’ll see if there are any specific regulations required by the local building jurisdiction, and/or CC&R’s (Covenants, Codes & Restrictions), that your home would need to comply with. We may need to consider some changes as we go through the pre-design phase.
• Review – Anything we don’t discuss in our first meeting will be researched and reviewed via email.

Stage 1.2: Project Value Analysis

After we’ve reviewed your vision and requirements for your home, we’ll talk about what the value of the overall project would be, the budget in relation to your expectations and the reality of your project. This step is incredibly important so we can judge if your budget matches what it would take to build the home of your dreams.

• Project Budget Development To figure out the relative cost of the project compared to your budget, we’ll first look at the square footage of the home you want to build, style and complexity, topography of the lot, materials wanted, quality of construction, and more.
• Project Value Analysis Collaboration – At this point in the discussion, you’ll begin to get a better idea of how your budget lines up with your vision and requirements. It’s so important to have a realistic view of what it would take to make your dream house come to fruition. By the end of this discussion, you’ll know if you need to compromise on either your vision or your budget.

Stage 1.3: Project Programming 

Lastly, we’ll put everything we discussed together to develop your project’s overall program.

• Preliminary Program Development – We’ll set clear expectations for your requirements, the design requirements, and go over the project schedule.
• Initial Cost of Work Estimating – Once the project program has been established, we will discuss the cost of the design.
• Project Programming Collaboration – We will finish up the meeting by reviewing the project so everyone is on the same page before moving forward.

 

Phase 2: Pre-Design

Now that we’ve discussed your project vision, requirements, program, and cost of work, it’s time to establish a clearer idea of what your home design will look like. We will take the pictures, ideas, sketches, and anything else you’ve collected and pull them together in a couple “brainstorm” like designs.

Stage 2.1: Preliminary  Design

This phase of design is conceptual in nature and  meant to present different options in the forms of Preliminary Drawings. We’ll walk through a comprehensive New Plan Information Sheet to record all the information about your new house such as: house style, general home size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, kitchen style, garage size, and more. We want to make sure to ask about every part of the house. Once we’ve gone through the form, we’ll often take the visuals you have brought in and sketch on them to start narrowing down your house design. We may go through several concepts during our meeting. Getting all of your ideas on paper and putting them together for the first time is going to give us the perfect starting point for the Design Phase.

Phase 3: Design

Now that you have selected a design option that best suits your needs, we will begin the process of refining the design. The Design Phase is the best time to make changes. It’s exponentially less expensive to make changes during the Design Phase than during the build process so get it all out on the table now.

Stage 3.1: Schematic Design 

The first stage is Schematic Design where we take everything from the Preliminary Drawings and develop the Schematic Drawings. This is the first time you’ll see your home in the form of a blueprint. We’ll send a pdf of your Schematic Drawing via email. You will have the opportunity to review, provide feedback, and request modifications.

Stage 3.2: Design Development 

The Design Development Stage collects the results from the Schematic Design Stage and takes them one step further.  The design team can now focus on continuing to develop the design by adding much greater detail. This stage involves finalizing the design and specifying such items as kitchen and master bath layout, window and door locations, and general structural details. Design Development Drawings usually yield a more detailed floor plan with full dimensions and elevations. Deliverables at the end of this stage are similar to those provided at the end of Schematic Design.

Stage 3.3: Final Drawings

This is where we take everything from the Design Development Drawings and add the final details. You will have the opportunity to review and approve the Design Development Final Drawings before we create the Construction Drawings.

 

Phase 4: Construction Documents

Once settled on a final design, it is time to begin the process of preparing the Construction Documents. This is the phase that many people think of when they picture the work of an architectural designer – the creation of blueprints. These drawings typically include specifications for construction details and will minimize misunderstandings and conflicts, helping assure an orderly process and higher quality construction. During this phase, we’ll get all of the engineering information we need so you’ll have a printable set of plans ready to go to permitting and ultimately construction.

Stage 4.1: Construction Drawings

The Construction Drawings are your set of plans that are ready to go to engineering. The Construction Drawings will include the foundation, schedules, and detailed drawings and specifications.

Stage 4.2: Engineering

Our industry experience combined with the level of detail provided in our plans, can reduce the amount of work for the engineer, minimizing the associated cost. When we submit your plans to engineering, there are several engineers it will go to. Every plan needs Truss, Floor, and Beam engineering. Only some plans need Structural and/or Lateral engineering.  

• Truss engineering – Your plans need to be sent to the truss company first for engineering before moving on to any other engineering. None of the other engineers can provide engineering until they have reviewed the truss engineering.The truss company may ask us to add bearing walls or pads to support the truss design. This is an included service.
• Floor structure engineering and layout – Another is Floor Structure Engineering and Layout. They point out any changes that need to be made to the support the flooring structure they designed. These engineers will develop an engineered floor framing plan that will be added to your house plans. This is an included service.
• Beam and header calculations – Next is the Beam and Header Calculations. This engineering team determines the size of beams and headers needed for structural integrity. This is an included service.
• Structural engineering – If required, your plans can be submitted to Structural Engineering. The structural engineer may make revisions to make the structure more sound. They will also produce their own engineering sheets to be added to your house plans. There is a fee as this is an additional service.
• Lateral engineering – Last is Lateral Engineering (if required). This engineer will assess the wall bracing, shear panels and hold down requirements. This engineer will also produce their own engineering sheets to be added to your house plans. There is a fee as this is an additional service.

Stage 4.3: Printable Set of Plans (Construction Documents)

Once your designs have gone through that entire process, you will have a printable set of plans ready to go to permitting. Once the plans have been submitted for a permit, the Plans Examiner may send the plans back with revisions to meet the current code at which point we would make the required corrections. After all that is completed, you’ll receive your plans and we will wish you all the best in the construction phase.

 

As you can see, the above process is designed to ensure the necessary steps are taken to develop top notch home plans ready to go to construction.  Couple that with working as a team through the process, and the end result will be a beautiful new home.