Services

We want to make designing your dream home easy and enjoyable. To give you an idea of what to expect, here’s an outline of our typical design process:

Initial Contact
Call to schedule your free, initial appointment.

We’ll talk about your ideas and the goals and timeframe of your project. Feel free to bring materials that describe your project. Wish lists, photos, land survey, subdivision indentures, etc. will all be helpful.

Following the initial meeting we will send a proposal outlining the services that we can provide.

Site Visit (for remodeling and addition projects)
Lauren Strutman Architects staff members will visit your home to take pertinent measurements and photographs.

Preliminary Design Phase 1 -Floor Plans
Floor plans will be created based on your input from the initial meeting and our creative ingenuity. Plans will be presented at a meeting for your review and comment. Your comments will be incorporated into the plans.

Preliminary Design Phase 2- Elevations
Once the floor plan is approved, we’ll produce drawings of the exterior of your home. Our office contains a library of manufacturers’ literature, sample and colors used to assist in selecting and coordinating exterior colors and details.

It can be hard to ‘visualize’ your house by looking at samples and color swatches. If you so desire, we can provide a color rendering to give you a clearer idea of how the selected materials will look on your design, on your site.

Additional Submittal Services
In some locations, projects must be reviewed by Architectural Review Boards or Planning & Zoning Commissions. If needed, we’ll prepare application forms with the required architectural submittals and represent your project at Board and Commission hearings.

Construction Documents
We’ll take the floor plans and exterior drawings approved by you (and local review boards, if any) and add technical information and specifications suitable for a qualified contractor to obtain building permits and construct the project.

Prefer an even more detailed set of plans? Additional services are available that might include:

designing alternative options, interior elevations and millwork drawings

coordinating work with separate designers like your interior designer, kitchen / bath designer or cabinet maker, or
coordinating with other consultants such as surveyors, engineers or landscape architects

We will provide as many, or as few, additional services as you request.

Selecting a Contractor
If you haven’t already selected a contractor, we can suggest the names of general contractors who have repeatedly satisfied our clients. We’ll introduce them to you so you can select the contractor to build your project.

Bidding and Negotiation
If you chose to seek competitive construction bids, we can prepare bid forms, review the bids received, provide comments and assist in negotiations with the selected contractor.

Construction Phase
Our staff can act on your behalf during construction to perform construction review, as requested, to answer questions and to document change orders.