It seems simple…I want to renovate my house or office, But who do you call first?
Maybe a friend or colleague who just renovated? Architect? Engineer? Contractor? Municipality Building Department? Loan officer?
Before you start surfing the internet for names or calling referrals, take a little time and educate yourself. There a number of different issues that you will need to wrestle with first:
- Can you afford to do what you have in mind?
- What are the regulations that may affect my project?
- What is the general sequence and
- WHO DO YOU CALL FIRST?
For most situations-you’re best off calling an architect first. They are better suited to understand and coordinate tasks among various parties and sift through the regulations needed to obtain approvals from municipalities. While a civil, structural and mechanical engineer would likely be retained as part of the team, their scope of work and responsibility is narrower.
Architects’ and engineers’ duties overlap in many ways and we work together on lots of projects. Architects and Engineers design and prepare drawings and specifications for contractors to build.
For situations with conditions that are very specific- you should probably start with an engineer. Some examples would be: where there are cracks in your foundation-a structural engineer would be retained; where poor drainage appears to create ponding on your site- a civil engineer should be hired; if a building was subject to poor heating- a mechanical engineer or contractor would be engaged, if the soil seems soft or very rocky-then a geotechnical engineer would be consulted early in the design process.
You should also speak to the municipality in general terms about the project…usually about procedure and sequence of the approval-permitting process. They often will require drawings to review the feasibility and approvals needed before you can have meaningful dialog. https://seconarchitect.com/project-delivery-and-process/
It’s also critical to be realistic about budget and real-life costs in NY, not some HGTV episode filmed in Plano, Texas, That’s where you’ll want to speak to a variety of persons, including builders to get a range and see which cost-figures are valid. It’s also good to speak to loan officers to see what you money you qualify for and what their experience has been with similar projects.
Occasionally, a construction manager or builder may serve as the design teams’ quarterback particularly if a project is being “fast-tracked” , which requires simultaneous construction and drawing development. This is often done for larger – more time-sensitive projects where construction methods and flexibility are most important or when budgeting is subject to change and time is unavailable to formally bid / re-bid projects.
When damage from storms, fire, floods or other situations arise- it’s best to consult with your insurance agent first to see if they have restrictions and suggestions about the best manner to undertake restorative measures and repairs.
Please give us a call and we’ll point you in the right direction… we work with many talented engineers and construction managers in the area….914 674 2950, ask for Steve
