Your initial consultation includes access to a personalized Blueprint for Design. Using our online collaboration software we will discuss the requirements of your project in great detail. Allow 2-3 weeks for the design & options review which may include:

 

• 24/7 access to an online personalized Blueprint for Design. This design brief will contain your inspirational photos, design requirements (your wants, needs, goals and dreams) and our research findings.

• Discuss various building methods including conventional wood framing, ICF (insulated concrete forms), straw bale, hempcrete, cob and cordwood masonry and examine the benefits of designing to Net Zero or Passive House standards.

• Review your favorite architectural photos from your Houzz or Pinterest accounts. This requires some homework on your part. We ask that you collect a minimum of 4-6 images each of the following: kitchens, bathrooms, stairwells, fireplaces, exterior styles, or anything else that may be important to you in your design. Be prepared to explain what you like about each photo.

• Discuss your budget.

• Review the prescriptive and performance paths of the Alberta Building Code (if applicable).

• Discuss what other consultants may be required for your project - architectural approval agents, engineers, surveyors, energy modeling consultants, asbestos testing for demolition, etc.

• Conduct research relevant to your project - zoning, site or architectural approval requirements.

• Inspect the building site (optional but recommended).

• Measure and photograph your existing home and provide a set of as-built drawings (required for additions or renovations).

• Obtain a building pocket from the surveyor (req’d for infills and possibly for additions).

• Discuss the next stages of the design process including visualization options, construction drawings, fees and payment methods.