Modules

This preliminary consultation provides a strategy for the client as to how they shall proceed.  It helps the client determine which next steps they feel qualified to do on their own, or understand which duties they would like to hire the architect to perform.  The consultation typically provides a space to:

• Answer questions about your project
• Give the client an opportunity to describe their property to the architect
• Determine the client’s needs and wishes
• Discuss chronological order with which project should proceed
• Inform the client on what jurisdiction information needs to be determined and what information needs to be collected   
• Determine what the time frame of the project is
• Identify the clients’ short-term and long-term project budget, and steps to research if it is  realistic
• Identify if the project needs to be divided up into phases or if project scope needs to be narrowed

This is generally the next step after the one hour consultation and takes two to three hours, plus travel time.  Prior to coming to your site, the architect performs preliminary research with jurisdiction or engineering consultants about the potential project and its path toward actualization.

After the preliminary one hour consultation, the architect will have directed the client to collect different documents on the property (see article on “Data Gathering for the Permit”), most importantly “as built” or engineering drawings, survey maps or tax assessor maps. 

The architect will meet with the client at the property, evaluate the site, and then make building sketches.  At this time, questions such as “What do we want it to turn into?  How we want to improve it?” can begin to be answered. Client and architect will discuss strategies for different phases, permits, the artistic look of the project, budget, and who the appropriate parties would be to perform the work.

This visit will provide the information that the architect will use to formulate a list of follow-up investigation, which she will research after the site visit.  Upon completing the appropriate research, client will be sent a summary letter as well as images of the brief sketches of the anticipated project.

This package is primarily suited for residential and small tenant improvement projects and helps give the client a tangible idea of what the project will entail as well as what entities need to be involved. 

This package includes:

• Communications with architect’s team of engineers
• Communications with jurisdiction offices
• Communications with consultants to determine design possibilities and options 
• Hardline preliminary design drawings and sketches 

This module is suitable for those who are shopping for real estate, already own real estate, startup companies who need to identify in their business plan how they will set up their facilities, developers, and investors.  It includes research and estimated costs for construction, design, consultants, and permits, giving the client a grand total estimate of time and expenses:

Regarding large properties (undeveloped land, redevelopment and/or greening of existing facilities and REIT portfolios, large tenant improvements) this package includes:

• Property/site visit (per diem travel costs may apply)
• Due diligence:  a spectrum of jurisdiction departments and offices will be researched
• Identification of chronological order of permits needed, estimated time to process those applications, estimated fees for all permits
• Identification of jurisdiction departments that require reports by professionals with specific credentials
• Identification of least resistance entitlement permit strategy (what is allowed, time to process all permits, and estimated cost of all permits to go with this strategy)

Master land planning:

• Determination of appropriateness for grid-optional utilities
• Identification of placement for all improvements
• Allocation of agriculture and landscaping, buildings, vehicle circulation and parking, off-grid utility infrastructure systems, integrated water management, sanitation, drainage, habitat protection, sanctuary beauty, functional yet discrete trash/recycling/deliveries/meters.

Estimates for construction costs:

The architect will interview several design-build construction firms to obtain realistic construction cost estimates.

Estimates for professional fees:

The architect will identify which consultants in the protect team are going to be needed, contact all consultants that will be needed to put project together, and collect professional fee estimates.

Feng Shui and Vastu optional.

Typical deliverables will be a cover letter explaining what was investigated and which parties were interviewed, a site plan markup identifying potential placement improvements and infrastructure, and a spreadsheet totaling all of the estimated costs.

This package hires the architect and her team of consultants and engineers from the project’s inception to completion. 

This module includes:

• Determining and drafting the necessary documents and applying for all  permits
• Complete design of the project and applying for and obtaining all required permits
• Preparation of “as built” drawings
• A complete set of construction drawings
• Working with a contractor in the capacity of value engineering regarding choices and the project budget
• Overseeing the complete build
• Preparation of the project and commissioning manual, which owners will use for building maintenance after the project’s completion

This package is suited for tenant improvements, commercial, industrial, and agricultural projects.

A tenant improvement is when a business operation has rented or purchased an existing building that needs to be gutted or remodeled to suit the operations of the new occupants business and activities. 

This package includes:

• Design and space planning
• All permits
• Appropriate  demolition
• Structural design
• All utilities
• Signage
• Landscaping
• Completing the new finished space with all new designed surfaces, lighting, storage, fixtures, etc.

Marilyn is available for “a la carte” limited-scope services that could include:

• Blue retrofitting with integrated water management, collection, conservation, reclamation, reuse, or closed-loop systems
• Green retrofitting
• Consulting to other architects on blue and green systems
• Collaborating as a design architect with design-build general contracting firms
• Interior design (designing all built-ins and specifying green finishes)
• Agriculture, edible crops, landscape design, with integrated water harvesting irrigation systems