We want to get into a great working relationship- Quickly
Since many owners have not been through the construction project experience before, it is wise for Newbies to speak to others who have. Get their vibe, research and speak to other players in the project: builders, loan officers, building inspectors, other designers to understand their vantage point. With a sense of humor, realistic expectations and sensible planning, it should be an enjoyable experience and produce wonderful results.
Expectations / Agreements/ Onboarding
We typically start the process with a preliminary meeting before we are even engaged to help us understand the basic nature of the project. After that meeting, we’ll send out a proposal that outlines what we understand to be the project scope objectives, related factors, budget, fees and schedule. If something is overlooked, misconstrued, or useless we ask that our clients let us know- so we can make any edits quickly. We really strive to make you happy and the experience as seamless as possible.
We need to get to know you, your home, or business as quickly as possible. Sometimes we ask probing questions to help us make better design decisions and gain insights that help steer the process more efficiently.
Client Meetings and Correspondence
We’ll meet several times in the beginning of the project to help develop and select a scheme or direction for the project (preliminary or schematic design, such as the adjacency of spaces and rooms). This is followed by design development meeting(s) where the finer points of the design are reviewed like finishes and lighting. Other preconstruction meetings may include: strategy meetings about bidding and approvals, schedule, budget contractor selection. The format of the meetings range form in-person, virtual- screenshare or simply conference calls with pre-distributed materials.
Naturally, we will take notes and minutes of the meetings to help record decisions, accountability and determine next steps to keep progress moving.
Human nature means that we all see the same thing from multiple viewpoints. So having different understandings of the same project is inevitable-and helpful to some degree. Accordingly, having a clear set of expectations and goals is critical on both sides. It helps both parties remain focused and proceed with purpose and direction. The “project” is just one thing among many other duties which Owners have on their plate. WE GET THIS…So – remaining efficient and directed is our goal too.
Owners, Architects and Builders are not skilled mind-readers. We’ll try to ask pertinent questions that can elicit feedback that helps all to navigate the design and construction process. But sometimes we mis-understand, sometimes one may change their mind, sometimes another party is too embarrassed to ask for clarifications ( because there is a lot of jargon) But please help us to help you by telling us when something is not working, not as you like it or about which you have apprehensions.
The best tools we have found are a summary meetings and a clear well-written agreement with the goals, parameters, costs, and schedule contained in a concise contract. We worked with a well-regarded construction law firm in order to get our agreement letter reduced to 3-4 pages written in layman’s language. ( It covers about 95% of the standard 18 page AIA owner-architect agreement)
Regular communication and timely distribution of information allows issues to be addressed promptly. Since construction is very costly to correct, it is important to answer questions quickly and document changes early.
Of course, routine meetings are one answer, but with the benefit of telephone and video conference calls, screen share and digital bulletin board/file sharing the simple weekly check-in is fairly painless and can avoid most misunderstandings.