Designing a project with a team of expert professionals works best if you define a clear and cohesive vision, set firm targets, provide a realistic budget, offer candid feedback, and keep up the momentum during the entire process.
Here are a few pointers based on our past project experience to help you start the conversation.
The Basics
Be on the same page.
Before you start work with us, make sure you and your partners, or stakeholders agree on some critical aspects of your building.
Location
Having a building site is a must to start the planning process. Since you cannot pick up your real estate and take it with you, this is perhaps the most important decision you make. Additionally, site selection impacts your overall cost significantly. Not all lots are created equally and the so-called “site development cost” are easily overlooked, or under-estimated when making initial budgets. Build an understanding for access, utilities and the general conditions on your site to ensure that making the site buildable is covered in your overall budget.
Quality
The perceived quality of a build is in the finish level, fixtures, amenities and its durability; it can impact cost significantly. Since the quality of a project manifests itself in the things you experience, see and touch, you may have more firm expectations here and be less willing to compromise. It is therefore important to communicate clearly what quality expectations you have right from the start. The good news for a Passive House project is that you get unparalleled comfort, indoor air quality and resilience out of the box, and high-performance components are generally better made by design, and offer enhanced durability at no additional cost.
Building Size
Size is usually the biggest cost driver and opportunity to meet your budget. We encourage to distinguish between what is a room and what is a function to optimize the scope and scale of your project. We have decades of experience in assisting with this conversation and helping you create the most sustainable design to meet your program and budget now, and create a building that meets and exceeds your expections well into the future.
Performance
Initial investments in comfort and energy efficiency have a smaller impact on the project cost but inform performance and operating cost for the life of the building; therefore, they need to be looked at as an investment that produces significant value and money in your pocket from day one, which grows over time.
Builder Selection
Your selection of a general contractor, or builder is a significant informer of cost and process. It therefore deserves a lot of your attention.
We generally assist our clients with contractor selection. As pioneers in the Passive House space, we are also used to very actively supporting builders—at times helping with unique and specific items all the way through purchase order and delivery to site for installation. While it is wonderful to work with a Passive House certified builder and we greatly encourage builders to train and get certified, we have successfully delivered most of our Passive House projects with builders who did not have prior Passive House knowledge.
At the end of the day, it is most important that you find a builder you trust.
Project Parameters
Having clarity and alignment on project parameters is paramount and will help the design process go smoothly.
We recommend that you make a list of what your expectations for the project are, and then rank them to help the design and build team to catch up with your vision.
Once your list is complete, take a break and revisit it to add a qualifier for things that are “must-haves” versus things that are “nice-to-haves”.
Program (room list)
Room vs. function: Which activity needs its own space, or can be combined with other activities in other rooms
Form, looks and style
Features and amenities
Finish level and materials
Maintenance and durability
Comfort
Energy Efficiency
Project certification
Experience (how should it feel)
Short-, mid-, and long-term scenarios (i.e. starting a family, home business, aging in place, etc.)
Budget
Providing a realistic overall budget for the project is your number one responsibility as owner and developer.
The total budget of any project is the sum of line items. We offer some pointers on how to aggregate total project cost by conquering the most common line items below. In our initial consultation, we can help you create a sensible budget. Later in the project, we closely collaborate with builders to enable them to manage cost throughout the build. It is very important for you to understand each line item and communicate your fiscal vision for the project clearly to your design and build team.
Site
Site cost is the cost of your site purchase.
Having a site is paramount for any project. The site purchase is typically the first significant expense you have. It is important to go into the site purchase eyes wide open and with an understanding of the overall development cost to ensure that your budget will go the distance and is able to cover all project-related expenses.
Site Development
The unique properties of your site have great impact on the opportunities, challenges, level of complexity, and ultimately the cost of your project.
Site development cost include the work it takes to prepare a site to build and live on. It is often overlooked but can be significant—particularly on rural sites, urban sites with limited access, or sites with extensive topography.
Construction
Construction cost typically describe your overall build cost, or contract with your builder, although some will include site development cost as well.
Construction cost typically include the products, materials, labor, permitting and general, or sub-contractor fees to construct your project.
Most people have construction cost in mind when they talk about project cost; it is typically the single biggest line item of a total project budget but does not necessarily include all project-related expenses as illustrated in this article.
Landscaping
Most construction contracts include basic site amenities such as driveways and site restoration to make a site habitable, and water drain away from buildings after construction is complete.
Extensive landscaping projects, however, are not typically included in construction cost (unless explicitly agreed upon).
Landscaping cost therefore include efforts to enhance your site beyond the basics.
Design and Consulting
Design and consulting fees typically include our fees (architecture and planning), as well as any other consultants on the project such as interior designers, landscape designers, civil engineers, or structural engineers needed to plan your project.
It is fair to broadly assume 10-15% of overall project cost for design and consulting fees of new construction projects. However, these fees vary based on individual project scopes and arrangements, and generally do not apply the same way to renovation, or retrofit projects due to the more complex nature of those projects.
Certification
You may chose to certify your project under a voluntary program such as Passive House.
Certification cost is typically the aggregate of a couple of line items: The administrative effort to prepare your project for certification and submit it to the respective agency, as well as the third-party certifier’s fee to review the submission and certify your project.
It is best to understand right from the get-go if you wish to have your project certified.
Financing
Financing cost include closing cost, or interest payments, as well as any other related cost to finance your project.
They will vary based on the make-up of your financing package.
Please reach out to your financing partner to learn what to expect and consider.
Furnishings
A new building, or renovation offers possibilities to make other changes to your setup.
We recommend that you keep a line item budget to outfit and decorate your new building to your liking and complete the project experience.
Priorities
Only you can give direction on priorities, so this becomes one of your key responsibilities.
Designing your dream project is exciting! You’ve likely been thinking about all the things you want it to be for some time. Often, dreams don’t match the financial reality of what you are able to afford. This is OK, and the case for most people. In order to bring your dream to life, you will need to be able to prioritize (Do you really need that fourth bedroom? Could the kids’ playroom double as the family game room?) so that the project can keep moving and align with your budget.
Communication
Give honest feedback.
We are your partners and want to design a project you will love. In order to do this, it is vital we receive honest feedback in real time. Design is an iterative process, and it will take a few iterations and rounds of feedback to land on the solution that is just right for you. If you can articulate what is and isn’t working for you while we work through the process, it will help us reach the desired goal faster.
Keep a “worry” and a “you rock” list.
Staying on the same page with your team is key. Keep a list by the bedside table and record the items you feel need addressing. Your professional partners can only respond to items they are aware of, and it is your responsibility to keep them posted on your concerns. On the same token, let your team know when they are doing a great job and presenting you with designs that excite you. Much like any relationship, the client-designer relationship benefits from an open line of communication and shared experience.
Housekeeping
Keep up the momentum.
We ask that you get back to us in a week from when we provide you with design, or other information for review. That way, we can keep up the momentum and remain focused on your project.
Pay your bills on time.
If you stall on payments, your project will be put on hold. We juggle multiple projects and will dedicate our time to those that are being paid.
