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CLIENT RESPONSE I must admit that I didn't think we needed an architect, but now that our plans are finished I not only understand that we needed Jan, but we would have made so many mistakes (design-wise and structurally) if we hadn't had her look at our plans.
From the very first time we met with Jan she transformed a drawing into rooms that we could visualize living and working in, and that was really the pivotal point for so many of the important changes we made, from repositioning the garage, laundry room to adding a breakfast area to the kitchen and more. Details and ideas that we never would have thought of until it was far too late to change like: placing the garage in the northwest corner to help block cold air from the great room. Facing the kitchen eating area southeast so it beautifully catches the morning light.
And where our friends tell us the architects they used made their homes bigger with every change they asked for, Jan creatively used the space we had to give us the most for our money. We stayed within our budget - and we are truly getting the house of our dreams!
She helped us place furniture, so we know our favorite pieces will fit exactly where we want them.
Did the architect help you estimate the costs?
Although both my husband and I are practical people, it was really Jan who made us think about costs early on. She had us get preliminary ideas of what we wanted in kitchens, baths, brick, etc. so that she could help us estimate if we were designing a house that fit our budget. A critical step since we've had many friends design on paper the house of their dreams, only to be told that it is hundreds of thousands of dollars outside their budget.
A client has the option of working through the design primarily with a design build contractor or plan book services. Do you think you would have gained the same results?
Absolutely not. For the reasons listed above. The plan design books have no vested interest in helping you. Yes, their websites allow you to request changes, but they will merely make the changes you ask for, and not listen to the reasons you want them. You'll never have someone who is a partner in helping you build like you do with a hands-on architect. Jan listened not only to our ideas, but also to our needs, and understood how we live so that she could give us meaningful changes. She completely steered the process for us. We'd never get that from an anonymous book plan. And as much as we like our builder, and trust his experience, his experience is not in the design phase. We went to three builders for pricing and each of them was extremely impressed with Jan's thoroughness and her knowledge of the building process.
Additional Comments:
At any price working with Jan would be worth it. The fact that her rates are reasonable, and she is so dedicated just made working with her that much more pleasurable. We love the design. We love the plans. And she made the entire experience fun, productive and we're going to end up with a much better home because of her experience and attention to our plans.
Dan and Kathi R.
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