Lifecycle of a Project: The Pre-Design Phase

Each and every project that I do is different and unique based on my client’s likes, dislikes, and lifestyle. Our process—from the initial consultation to the final punch list— is designed to deliver custom results to each client. Last month, we discussed the first step in the process, the Initial Consultation. In this article, the fun begins when we discuss the Pre-Design phase.

 At the end of the Initial Consultation phase, the client will receive a formal proposal that includes a comprehensive outline of the scope of work, the design fees, and the estimated design schedule. Once a final agreement is reached, we will begin the Pre-Design phase. In this phase, we set the groundwork for the project. First, you’ll get a design comprehensive questionnaire to complete. The questionnaire helps us to understand your family in an intimate way. We ask questions about your lifestyle, design style, budget, schedule, etc.  

The next thing we do is schedule a time for a site survey. This takes approximately two hours to complete.  We take measurements of each space in the scope of work. We look at overall room dimensions, windows and door measurements, as well as ceiling heights and any unique conditions of the space. After the measurements are recorded, we draw the floor plans in AutoCAD to use a basis for all of our planning and design documentation.

Lastly, we schedule a kick-off meeting. At this meeting, we get together to discuss your responses to the questionnaire and review any inspiration photos that you may have. It is helpful to identify imagery that can help you communicate a feel or look you particularly like or don't like. We’ll also spend some time talking through your preliminary budget. Many clients do not have an overall sense of what their budget is, so we find this is a good time to talk about high-level budget decisions.

If you are looking for a little bit of inspiration for your project, please visit the Portfolio page on the website.