Information on the process of designing, building, or remodeling.
A commercial building project is complex. It often involves a large team of people with different skills, time pressures and communication styles. When you add the worries any entrepreneur has when building a new business or revamping an old one – local competition, market changes, permitting issues and environmental requirements, to name just a few
A major remodeling project brings with it lots of different emotions. Excitement. Frustration. Anger. Elation. If you’re doing a major building or remodeling project, chances are you’ll experience all these emotions – and more – during the process. As an architect, I’ve seen it time and again, and each time I’m right there with the
Hiring an architect for your project is like choosing a doctor – you want an ideal mix of expertise, experience, ethics and bedside manner. So what are the most important things to look for when hiring an architect? Look for a Licensed Architect The architect you select should be licensed in your state. A license
As an architect, I like to think of remodeling and building projects as a symphony. All the sections of the orchestra – the strings, the brass, the percussion – use their unique skills to work on their separate bits of music, yet somehow, everything comes together to create something beautiful. But without a conductor to
As an architect, several times a month, I find myself in some variation of a phone or email conversation with a prospective client that starts like this: Client: Hi. My contractor suggested I contact you. Me: How can I help you? Client: We’re doing a [describes project] and we thought it would be simple and
Any building or remodeling project involves a team of professionals. Depending on the size and complexity of the project, the team can range from a single architect and contractor to a host of architects, engineers and construction project managers, but the basic requirements are the same: properly trained and experienced professionals working in concert via
Starting a large building or remodeling project can seem intimidating, especially if you’ve never worked with an architect before. You’ll probably have lots of questions about timing, process and cost, and a host of others are bound to come up as your project progresses. To take some of the mystery – and, hopefully, some of
Getting a building permit is among the top things people complain about when planning a building or remodeling project. It’s understandable: permits are sometimes a pain to get, they cost money, and they slow things down just when you’re eager to start on your project. It can be tempting to sidestep the whole permitting process,
On the bright side, they will ease... The supply chain issues that began in earnest due to the pandemic will continue into 2023. That is according to a recent article in the Harvard Business Review, "Today’s Supply-Chain Fluctuations Require Systemic Solutions," (10/24/22). They approach the problem from a global perspective and suggest ways of improving
This post first ran in 2018. In my 30-plus years as an architect, I’ve dealt with almost every kind of building project mistake. There are a few that come up over and over, delaying projects, frustrating clients and costing them additional money. These problems tend to arise from a few basic misconceptions. Here are seven
