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A quiet
moment between subcontractors. |
From
the Ground Up
Third in a Series by Judi Heit
If
you don’t know one, you can get recommendations
from acquaintances who have had a home designed and built
or by contacting the American Institute of Architects
at www.aiaonline.com.
Here you’ll find information on finding and working
with an architect with a list of 20 questions to ask when
interviewing candidates. (When searching their database
of member architects in this area, select Jacksonville,
Washington or Wilmington.)
Once you’ve interviewed several prospects and isolated
those who have won your confidence, you’re left
with two final assessments. First, do you like the architect’s
designs? After all, a new home that pleases you is the
goal of this process. It’s what you’ll be
left with long after the turmoil of construction is complete.
Second, will you be able to work well with the architect?
You’ll see a lot of each other, sometimes under
trying circumstances. Can this person handle the inevitable
misunderstandings and disagreements like a professional?
Now that you’ve made your selection, you’ll
need to draw up a contract. A contract with an architect
should include a set price along with an itemized list
of everything the fee encompasses. Basic architectural
services include designing the house and preparing a complete
set of construction plans. Does the architect expect extra
pay for site visits? How about travel and phone costs,
permit filing fees and any consultant services? Include
everything you want the architect to accomplish and specify
start/completion dates and payment schedules. Last, but
not least, have your attorney review all contracts.
Your next task is to prepare for your first working meeting.
At that time you’ll communicate what you want in
your house and its individual rooms. Go into the meeting
fully prepared and in sync with your partner about your
requirements (here’s where your ring binder
and checklist comes in handy).
After a few meetings, your architect will develop a schematic
plan of a house he thinks fits you. This stage is the
basis for the eventual design and construction, so make
sure you understand what’s presented to you. If
there’s something that isn’t working for you
at this stage, slow things down until it’s right.
In the next step, your architect will translate his schematics
into drawings, also called plans or blueprints. (If you’ve
hired a contractor, make sure he’s communicating
with your architect at this stage. Architects usually
get very little training in frame construction, and your
contractor can fill in the blanks.) Knowing how to read
blueprints will not only help you envision your new home
but may save you thousands of dollars, enable you to win
arguments and eliminate the element of surprise from construction.
Blueprints provide exact information to the builder
and subcontractors on how to build your home. For you
(and the bank), they show what you are buying, usually
from the brand of insulation to the types of appliances.
Blueprints also enable local authorities to determine
in advance whether your design satisfies all the engineering
and safety requirements of municipal building codes. Typically,
they consist of several sections and include specifications
and schedules:
Elevation plans provide a straight-on view of the exterior
walls without a lot of distracting detail. The views are
identified by either compass directions or designations
like "front" or "right-side." These
plans give the placement of windows and doors plus an
identification of which windows will open. Types of roofing,
siding and trim are indicated with ceiling and shelf heights.
Pay close attention to the location of appliances and
light fixtures.
Floor plans diagram each floor of the home and are your
best resource for answering questions about daily traffic
patterns, available storage space, window and door styles
and locations and kitchen efficiency. The scale for most
floor plans is _ inch to equal 1 foot. Note that measurements
include walls, so the actual living space will be a few
inches smaller. Mentally walk through the floor plan to
see how the traffic flows. Switch on lights and open windows
and doors. Do they swing the right way or interfere with
furniture placement? Are built-ins adequate? Do the floor
and wall spaces allow for your furnishings? Where is Grandma’s
hutch? Where is your favorite painting? Do you have to
trek up a lot of stairs, through the house and over your
beautiful carpeting to get your packages from the garage
to the kitchen? You’ve got the idea!
Mechanical/electrical drawings include the heating ducts,
plumbing lines, foundation and roof framing and show where
the electrical outlets, phone jacks and light switches
are located. The scale is often 1/8 inch per foot. Check
to see that they are located where you need them and that
there are enough for your family’s needs. Do you
need a 2nd phone line in the study, cable/phone jacks
behind the TV for your satellite dish or wiring for your
stereo system? Would you like to be able to turn the floodlights
on from your master bedroom? Are there floor outlets where
needed? How about exterior outlets for holiday decorations,
a hose bib on the deck or wiring for future landscape
lighting?
Section drawings give a view of the inside cavity of the
house without the exterior walls and are useful to the
homeowner as assurance that the architect is giving enough
technical information to the builder, who needs it to
obtain construction permits. It provides a close look
at the details of the roofing, framing, insulation and
interior and exterior wall surfaces. Section drawings
provide dimensions, materials specifications and stress
limitations –- sometimes using a different scale
ratio than the floor plan. They sometimes double as elevation
plans by showing windows and cabinetry.
Site plans illustrate how the home and driveway will be
situated on the lot. They give dimensions, directions,
elevations and materials to be used. Before you dig, your
local building and zoning departments will want to look
at these plans. Study the site plans carefully to be sure
the home takes advantage of the best scenery and maintains
privacy. Use these plans to verity distances from sidewalks,
streets and neighboring lot lines.
Detail charts are enlarged portions of complex area of
the house plan. They may explain intricate wiring situations,
a unique window or any other items that need special attention.
The detail chart is usually included near the corresponding
blueprint drawing to show where it fits into the larger
scheme, and is often drawn to a different scale than the
floor plan.
Specifications detail the materials and techniques the
builder and subcontractors are to use. The contents vary
widely, and some may not include actual model numbers.
NOTE: You should know that when it comes
time to build, written specifications take precedence
over blueprints or working drawings (they will either
be on a page attached to the blueprints or a separate
set of written instructions). So be thoroughly familiar
with them and be certain that you approve of them, as
well as the final modifications of the plan, since
the specifications are legally binding.
Schedules are typically used for siding, doors, windows
and fixtures. Architects often include information such
as makes, model numbers and quantities in the schedules.
Contractors need this information to provide accurate
bids, since varying materials carry different price tags.
Schedules also provide the details necessary to prevent
inferior materials from being substituted by the builder.
Check! Double check! Write-a-check! It’s critical
to consider and decide on any changes early on, long before
construction begins. All changes should be put in writing,
noting whether they were made by you or as the result
of your architects’ omission and/or error. As revised
sets of prints are presented to you, check to be sure
nothing was off since the previous set. Double-check from
section to section to assure changes were made throughout
the entire set. Initial and date each set so you’ll
always know which ones are most current. Remember that
your changes may result in added costs and delays, so
watch your checkbook and check your calendar.
The blueprints and specs are now combined to form the
construction documents. If you haven’t hired one
yet, they constitute the bid package and can now be sent
out to the prospects that you are considering. Each piece
of paper in the construction documents should be initialed
and dated. Plans are fluid, constantly evolving, and it’s
imperative that each party knows the status of the documents
at bidding time. Debates can still arise because people’s
perceptions vary, but this is everyone’s best shot.
>>To Judi Heit's first
article in the series
>>To Judi Heit's second
article in the series
>>To Judi Heit's fourth
article in the series
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JUDI
HEIT, GRI, ABR
Broker
P.O. Box 750
(704 Broad Street)
Oriental, NC 28571
Toll Free: 800-347-8246
Office: 252-249-1014
Email: heit@pamlico.net |
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