Which comes first: The architect or the contractor? – I’ve never done this before! How do I go about starting my project? Who do I talk to first: an architect or a contractor?
That’s okay! We have done this before, so talk to us first! Although early conversations with a contractor can be generally informative, without a design and the drawings to go along with it, a contractor is limited in what they can tell you because they need the details in those drawings to provide real cost and schedule estimates. Most contractors are not designers or engineers, and they are not prepared to take you through the design and regulatory approval processes that come before you start your build. We can explain the whole process to you and give you the same sort of rough construction cost and construction length information that you would get from talking with a contractor so talk to an architect first.
Will I get design solutions during the first site visit?
Our first visit to the site is usually before a contract has been signed and any work has begun; it is a ‘getting acquainted’ meeting. We get to know each other and talk more about the feasibility and goals of the project more than any actual design solution.
Design is a process, and brainstorming is integral to it. As Architects, we can bring value to your project; we are professionals bringing years of expertise and design training to the table. We investigate your specific building and site, together with your goals and budget, to be able to present viable design solutions.
What we talk about at that first meeting is our design process, the phases of architectural design and what is involved in each, our approach to collaboration and our work history. We also spend a lot of time listening. We are trying to learn your motivations for your construction project and want to hear your ideas for how your family or business will gain from this project so that we can design the best response to accomplish those goals.
Do you work exclusively with one contractor? And is there an advantage to doing that?
No, we don’t work exclusively with one contractor. No one contractor is right for every project or every client. Also, as your architect, we are your advocate and are here to help get your project built as designed. If your designer and your contractor are one-and-the-same or they have an exclusive relationship, it is not always in that designer’s interest to put their clients’ needs first. This would also preclude the possibility of getting the project competitively bid. We feel that each Contractor should be selected based on each project based upon price, personality, location, scope, availability, etc.
Yes and yes! Because we do not have an exclusive relationship with any single contractor, it means that we have worked with many different ones. We can provide you with a list of contractors that would be a good fit for your project. We are also happy to work with any contractor of your choosing.
Do you have contractors that you work with or can we use our own?
How much does construction cost?
The cost of a project really varies based on location, market forces and the size, complexity and finish level of your project. Forces that affect construction have been through a lot during the last decade, making estimating difficult. Having said that, in the metro areas we work - Los Angeles, CA and Portland, OR - most construction pricing for custom single-family residences starts at the lowest at $350/sf. A more realistic planning number is likely about $400-500/sf for most projects. Please keep in mind that these are only rough planning numbers and each project is unique.
How much do your services cost?
As every project is unique, this is not a question that we can answer without first having a consultation with you and learning your site, program and which of our services you’ll need. After an initial meeting, we can put together a custom proposal for you. Our proposals give you a lot of information as they contain a description of your scope of work, a break-down of our fee by architectural phase, the outline of a project budget which breaks out construction costs and other soft costs, and a basic schedule. In most situations, we prefer to work for a fixed fee with a known scope of work so that everyone is clear about expectations. We don’t charge for our proposals
What am I allowed to build on my property?
Maybe you’d like to add on to your existing house or maybe you’d like to add an ADU, but will you be allowed to do so? What you are allowed to build on your property is determined by many factors, but the biggest of them is location. Most of the restrictions will come from your local zoning code, but others can come from things such as state laws, HOA requirements, design review boards, or if you are in a hillside, fire hazard or coastal zone. We are happy to help you figure out what you are allowed to build on your property. We can do this for you either as part of the design process, in the early phase as part of our ‘due diligence’, or we offer it as a stand-alone service called a Feasibility Study.
Why Inchoate? What does that mean and how is it pronounced?
in.cho.ate \ in-koh-it \
Inchoate comes from a Latin word for beginning. When something is inchoate, although you don’t yet understand fully what it is, you have a strong sense that it is indeed coming. It’s stronger than the wisp of an idea that never turns into anything. But it’s hard to really find the language to describe an inchoate idea. That’s the whole point: you don’t have the words for it yet! For us, inchoate means just beginning to form. You can have an inchoate feeling, like those first butterflies when meet someone new. Or you can have an inchoate idea, like the earliest flickers of images for your masterpiece.
What locations do you work in?
We are licensed to work in both California and Oregon, and our offices are located in Santa Monica, CA and Portland, OR. We mostly concentrate on those areas, but also have several projects in Northern California. We are happy to work anywhere on the West Coast.