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.
