Thinking of Building a Luxury Home in Central Virginia? (Part 5 of 5)

by Charles Hendricks | Oct 23, 2026 | architecture, Blacksburg, Bryce Resort, Charlottesville, Custom Home, Green Building, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design, Lake Monticello, Massanutten Resort, Roanoke, Roanoke Architect, Wintergreen Resort

Phase 4, known as construction administration, starts with dirt moving as construction begins. We stay available for questions, advice, and advocacy for our client. We review shop drawings and submittals and provide additional details if needed. Our visits to the job site can be bi-weekly or as needed depending on the complexity of the home and the skill of the contractor.

A key point to remember about the process of designing and building your luxury home is that it takes time. The design process can be fast – 3 or 4 months – or could take a couple of years. It really depends on the speed our client wants to go and the complexity of the design. If we take our time to work through the details, I know it will cost less overall to build the home and there will be less unknowns to figure out during construction. This also speeds up construction, further saving you money. Having the builder involved during design (integrated design process), also benefits the construction costs and speeds up construction.

Finally, a high-performance design solution that facilitates the life you want to live is the best way to build the highest value solution for your luxury dream home.

Thinking about starting the luxury dream home journey in the next few months? Let us set up a time to have a conversation. We can help get you started.

Thinking of Building a Luxury Home in Central Virginia? (Part 4 of 5)

by Charles Hendricks | Oct 22, 2026 | architecture, Blacksburg, Bryce Resort, Charlottesville, Custom Home, Empathy, Green Building, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design, Lake Monticello, Massanutten Resort, Roanoke, Roanoke Architect, Wintergreen Resort

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Phase 3 (2 or more months), also known as construction documents phase, takes all the decisions and testing we have done and converts them into the technical drawings needed for final pricing and permits. This is where the details get detailed and the drawing set grows rapidly. We cut wall sections and building sections through the building to figure out all the unique details in the home.

We work out the site layout to locate the house on your property. We show the locations determined by the soils engineer for the septic field and potential location of the well. The driveway and sidewalks are designed and materials selected. Sometimes we also engage a landscape designer during this phase to create an integrated design that fits the site.

During phase 3 we also do the math to size the joists, beams, and headers. The footings and wall sizes are determined and waterproofing and insulation identified. The level of detail for interiors depends on the job, but typically all the cabinets are detailed, and any unique interior feature is designed. If there is a 3D model, then this phase includes walking through showing furniture and wall art. It allows our clients to experience the home before final approvals and permit drawings are delivered to the builder.

At the conclusion of this phase the builder will send permit drawings to their subcontractors to determine contract price. This process alone can take more than a month.

Once the contract between the builder and you are signed, the permit review process begins in the local jurisdiction. We expect that the local building code official will issue comments during this phase that will require discussion or comments. This review process usually takes between 4 – 8 weeks. Once we satisfy all their concerns a building permit is issued and construction can begin. Navigating specific HOA or ARB requirements early is critical, as they can drastically impact the final design.

Thinking of Building a Luxury Home in Central Virginia? (Part 3 of 5)

by Charles Hendricks | Oct 21, 2026 | architecture, Blacksburg, Bryce Resort, Charlottesville, Custom Home, Green Building, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design, Lake Monticello, Roanoke, Roanoke Architect, Wintergreen Resort

Phase 2 (2 or more months), also known as design development, takes these high-level concepts and starts creating detailed architectural decisions. We start thinking through high-performance elements including building envelope, HVAC, window locations (types and styles), and adaptability of spaces. We evaluate the spaces against the initial requirements and budget. We will draw in either 2D or 3d the massing of the house, interior walls, and start selecting interior finishes. The questions move to more detailed items such as storage of plates in the kitchen, where furniture sits in the bedroom, and how big is the tv. If we are adding a safe room or finished basement, all these elements that require space need to be included.

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This phase also brings consultants to discuss HVAC layout, our structural team does initial planning and sizing, and we know what the house will look like when completed. We also bring in our interior design team that works to select cabinetry, millwork, lighting, and plumbing fixtures. We find the right options for stone, siding, roofing, and decking. The Contractor is in specific meetings to verify cost and timing of construction.

Designing in this area requires knowledge of the land from slopes to rocks to clay. We know how the mixed humid climate impacts building science and can work through those challenges in this phase. This reduces surprises during construction, saving you time and money. We know what systems are available and what products are in stock in the local lumber yards, adding value to your design experience.

This is also a phase where the indoor / outdoor living spaces come to life. We detail the roof terraces, figure out the no step entries, and plan for patios and decks. If there is a pool, we will connect with the companies that will do the install to locate the pump equipment and understand the space needed for sunbathing and playing. From outdoor kitchens to screen porches to four season rooms, we plan out the spaces and how to make sure they work in our climate.

Thinking of Building a Luxury Home in Central Virginia? (Part 2 of 5)

by Charles Hendricks | Oct 20, 2026 | architecture, Blacksburg, Building Science, Charlottesville, Custom Home, Green Building, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design, Roanoke, Roanoke Architect

Phase 1 (1 or more months) of the design process, known as schematic design, is a discovery period for us and you. We look at the site, topography, sun orientation, views, septic field locations, well access, adjacent properties, and zoning / building codes. We are determining the rules for your dream home. If there are specific HOA or ARB requirements that we will need to follow it can drastically change the final outcome of the design. We want to make sure we know as much as possible about where your house will be located and what opportunities that affords us in the design process. Prior to and during this phase of analysis we need you to give us inspirational photos of what you like and even more importantly what you do not like.

We are going to ask you dozens of questions in this phase to figure out how you want to live in this new space. Who will get up first, who is messy, is there a large collection, antique furniture, things that take large amounts of space, meaningful heirlooms, artwork, patterns around daily life, special occasions, and even how and where you want to eat, sleep, play, work, read, and watch tv. It all plays into the design we will develop for you.

During this phase we will develop floor plans and exterior elevation sketches. We will explore massing, rooflines, and spatial flow specific to your building lot and house layout. We will get feedback on room sizes, circulation, and views of the Blue Ridge mountains, Massanutten peak, or Shenandoah River. We will talk about holidays and cooking and reading and resting. This work is done in 2D or 3D as needed for our clients. Most clients like the ability to see the building taking shape in a 3D model. The contractor that will most likely build the home should also be engaged in a design phase contract by the completion of this phase. They can offer preliminary high-level pricing to make sure we are hitting the budget target.

Thinking of Building a Luxury Home in Central Virginia? (Part 1 of 5)

by Charles Hendricks | Oct 19, 2026 | Accessibility, architecture, Building Science, Charlottesville, Custom Home, Green Building, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg Architect, Indoor Air Quality, Interior Design, Massanutten Resort, Roanoke, Roanoke Architect

Introduction (Part 1 of 5)

Are you thinking about building a luxury home in Central Virginia? We have more than 38 years of experience designing for steep slopes, mountaintops, valleys, and more. We understand how to frame the views and deliver large glass walls while also thinking through the sun’s path and interior comfort. The hardest challenge we face right now is pricing uncertainty. We know where the market is now for a new home and will help you walk through the process to get the highest value solution by designing in efficient solutions that are architecturally astounding.

Deciding to build a custom luxury home in Central Virginia or the Shenandoah Valley is an exciting milestone. From capturing iconic Blue Ridge sunsets to designing a generational retreat in Albemarle or Rockingham County, the journey begins with thoughtful design planning. Our goal is simple: translate how you want to live into an enduring, high-performance architectural design while protecting your construction budget.

Proper design planning takes time to figure out the right path forward. To deliver the best designs we start by asking dozens of questions. We want to know more about the site, how you want to live in this new place, your regular routines and special occasions, and your budget. We want to know your construction budget before we start our work. We want your home to look amazing without having to pay a premium for design solutions that lose value day one. We fully document the design and goals, which also minimizes change orders and scope creep during construction further saving you money.

Invisible Luxury: High-Performance Architecture is Redefining Modern Luxury Homes

by Charles Hendricks | Oct 15, 2026 | architecture, Blacksburg, Charlottesville, Custom Home, green term defined, Harrisonburg, Indoor Air Quality, LEED, Massanutten Resort

When I started in the architectural industry in 1999 the luxury homes we worked on mostly focused on looks, feel, and wow factor. That has changed dramatically over the last decade. Now our high-performance luxury home clients are focused on how the house will enhance their lives, bring family together, and deliver a space that is healthy, energy-efficient, and durable. Architecturally compelling is still in the conversation, but not at the expense of creating a space that facilitates the life our clients want to live. Our luxury home clients want human-centered, health-focused spaces to live, work, and play.

We noticed the shift from an open floor plan and vaulted ceilings to how will the kitchen flow and can family gather while making meals. The spaces we are designing now think through not only “wow” factor, but also how the space makes you feel warm and comfortable. These spaces have healthy indoor air quality, temperatures are evenly maintained, and they are safe. Not all of these homes are considered to be custom green home design, but that is certainly where it started when we designed the first EarthCraft Certified home in Virginia and followed up with the first LEED for Homes certified home in the Southeastern United States. Now the concepts we incorporate in our net-zero and carbon neutral homes are integrated into almost every home, even if they are not planning solar pv from the start, they want solar-ready design.

We have worked extensively to understand building envelopes and even provide air leakage tests on existing homes to make sure we are addressing the air leaks. Today’s luxury homes feature resilient design, lifetime home strategies, continuous insulation, encapsulated crawl spaces, triple-pane windows, ERVs, high performance HVAC systems, air tight construction, and robust thermal envelopes. When designing in a mixed humid climate specifically in IECC Zone 4A (which includes Charlottesville, Waynesboro, Staunton, Harrisonburg, Winchester, Lexington, Salem, and Roanoke) you have to get the thermal envelope of a luxury home exactly right. The details need to be worked out on paper before construction ever starts. You also need trusted building partners that understand the little details are the hardest.

wide exterior of Casa Cielo during blue hour. The sky rumbles blue with clouds and a golden orange glows from within the window walls.

The conversations around the heating and cooling units include filtration and fresh air. This is not new, but now it is a priority for our clients to the point where we almost always pull in the HVAC company during early design phases. We want to make sure that our HVAC systems are planned into the design and exceed basic ACCA manual J load calculations. We make sure there are not drafty rooms or big temperature changes from space to space. Our local insulator knows our work, we actively talk with the contractors doing the work to make sure we know best practices for installing systems we design, and we practice integrated design.

living room couch. a wall of windows behind overlooking the mountains.

living room with two chairs and a sofa looking out to the views through large windows on three sides.

This is the path to a luxury home. We work as a team, architect, builder, and sub-contractors to deliver the dream home our clients are asking for and make sure luxury is delivered.

Planning a high-performance build in Virginia? Contact our team to schedule an initial design consultation.