During the last couple of years we have taken several measures to reduce our monthly water and energy usage, and today we went through our old bills and tallied the average gallons per day and kWh’s per day to see just how much of an impact those measures have had. Ok, I also geeked out on […]
Although this will be our fourth Christmas at chezerbey, this is the first year that we have attempted outdoor decorations. With a newly finished exterior, we couldn’t wait to toss the pumpkins into the compost bin and start thinking about the next holiday. So on Sunday, we went to pick out a tree and came back with […]
Although we finished the bedroom and bathroom nearly a year ago, we had yet to add any type of artwork or decoration. This was partly a factor of time, but we were also stumped as to what should go in the spaces. We’ve also found that it’s hard to add finishing touches when other areas […]
There is nothing quite like the construction phase of a project. Spaces are either created or revitalized and it changes how you go about your daily life. [We still get excited pulling into the driveway and seeing the revamped exterior.] However, after a long stretch of construction work, there is nothing quite like going back to the drawing […]
I don’t know what happened. Maybe it was daylight savings time, or the rain, or the fact that we’ve spent the last EIGHT months immersed in the exterior project…but we have lost almost all motivation to finish the inside of the front porch. We had set a reasonable goal of completing it by Thanksgiving, but now […]
An architect is a qualified professional that not only designs your home or remodel but acts as your advocate throughout the entire process. A good architect will listen, they’ll be honest about how much things cost and how long things take and they’ll use their years of expertise to navigate an onerous permitting process, help vet potential contractors and be there for you during construction. If you don’t have an architect, that work is either done by you or the builder and compromises and sacrifices will inevitably happen.
This depends largely on the size and scope of the project and where you’re located. In some jurisdictions it’s easy and straightforward to get a permit, in others it can take 6 months to a year or longer. We usually advise clients to budget 3 -6 months for design for smaller projects and 12 months for larger projects. Permitting timelines can extend those estimates. Construction can take 4-6 months for small remodels or 16-18 months for custom homes.
Absolutely! We love to see what clients like (or don’t like!) and we’re used to gleaning the important info from all sorts of media – photos, sketches, diagrams – we’ve seen it all!
Maybe – this really depends on the housing market and how much time you have before you make an offer. It also depends on the property itself. If you’re looking at a house with a steep slope, we may advise that a geotechnical and structural engineer make their own evaluation. This can add more time based on people’s ability. We can usually make some basic recommendations based on our knowledge of the local codes, but it’s not a replacement for a more thorough feasibility study. If possible, we usually recommend that people make an offer contingent on a more thorough analysis. What we don’t want to do is give you a rosier outlook only to find that there were some unexpected issues with the property.
Depending on the scope of the project, phasing can be a practical approach. However, we usually advise that homeowners do everything in one phase if possible – this not only takes less time but simplifies the permitting process and is a more appealing process to contractors. When you phase a project, you have repeat mobilization costs that create a more expensive project in the end than doing it all at once. We’re happy to talk through phasing options though as each project is unique and sometimes it does make sense.
Yes! For us, interior design is an integral part of our process. We enjoy working with homeowners to think about their homes holistically and have extensive experience in all aspects of the design process.
In our experience, successful projects have homeowners that are engaged but trust us and the process. They ask questions and are clear communicators. They make timely decisions and speak up if something doesn’t feel right. They’re transparent about budget and schedule constraints so there aren’t missed expectations.
Say hello. Tell us about your project.