Pre-Design Project Analysis Report

What is it?

This is a low-cost opportunity to get professional input on your project at an early stage of development. It is your chance to get some expert advice without committing to the expense of full design services just yet. I designed this process because I was seeing that there is a real issue of people starting design, and sometimes even construction, before they have fully done their research and homework. By rushing the design process, home owners ended up with something that did not meet their vision, had poor detailing, cost too much or took too long. For them, the whole construction process became unnecessarily stressful. The consequence of inadequate upfront research is like building a house on bad foundations. The foundation is the most important part of the whole house because everything is built on top. It is very expensive to change the foundations once you have started to build on top of it. Changes during construction can result in making unwanted compromises in order to deal with already completed construction or to avoid expensive changes. These changes are relatively easy to make if they are simply lines on a plan. So I spend a little more time on the research rather than rush clients into the design phase.

What are the steps?

1. I will send you a detailed questionnaire to complete regarding your project. Together we will review your wants and needs using the questionnaire to understand your vision for the project.

2. I will determine what agencies are involved in the review and permitting process to get approval for construction to begin.

3. I will perform a Planning and Zoning review.

4. I will review the building permitting process to determine their process and requirements.

How does this benefit me?

By going through this process, you can reduce your risk going forward because you will:

1. Have a clearer idea and be more confident in your needs and wants.

2. Have a clearer understanding of the process leading up to the beginning of construction.

3. Have a better understanding of potential site or construction restrictions on the project.

4. Have a better understanding of the costs.

What will I get?

At the end of this process, you will have:

1. A written program outlining the scope and objectives of the project.

2. A report listing planning/zoning requirements and restrictions for the project. Knowing the potential site requirements and restrictions can prevent making decisions during the design phase will require additional review and permission or simply will not be allowed.

3. A checklist of requirements and process for the review and approval of your project and obtaining your building permit.

4. A draft budget analysis of the project based on your program and scope to understand if your budget and scope are compatible. Its all too common for many home owners to misjudge the costs of their complete ‘wish list’ or ignore it completely, only to find out after completing design or after construction has started that their budget does not match their program. Starting with a clear written ‘wish list’ and understanding potential costs early on will help avoid heart ache and stress later in the project.

Getting the right information at the right time is critical to a successful project.

How much does it cost?

The Pre-Design Project Analysis Report costs $1,500. This cost includes roughly 1 hour of travel time from our office to you or your site, and up to 2 hours with you discussing your project and reviewing your program questionnaire. Don’t worry if your project is something more complicated, requires more time or you are farther away. Book a time to talk about it, we’ve traveled much farther for projects.

Send your request by email to hello@minnworkshop.com

After the report is done, what’s next?

The valuable insights you gain from this first phase can be used by us or any other designer and will ultimately produce a better result for you. If you think I would be a good fit and are ready to start the design phase, let me know. I can prepare a fee proposal and we can get designing.

Good design is the synthesis of many disparate ideas into a thoughtful whole, and while the steps listed below represent a linear path, the way we arrive at the final design isn’t always linear. It’s an iterative process, which leads to a product; it’s not a known product from the beginning. The product is the result of following the design process to its logical endpoint. The process is meant to be fun, engaging, and democratic.  It will involve sketches, drawings, computer models, lots of ideas (both good and bad), materials, thorough analysis and good humor. This, I believe, is what makes custom design so exciting and memorable. We create it together based on your specific situation and needs. At the end of the process, you’ll have a thoughtfully designed home and the shared experience of designing it.

Designers, for the most part, use a similar series of steps to arrive at a finished home. There are six general phases:

1.0 Predesign – site analysis, programming, existing conditions, budgeting, code review.

2.0 Schematic Design – basic design concept generation

3.0 Design Development – refinement of the selected design concept from phase 2.

4.0 Construction Documents - detailed drawings, schedules and specs

5.0 Permitting - obtaining necessary permits to begin construction

6.0 Contractor Selection – aid in contract award / negotiation with GC

7.0 Construction Observation – observation of construction and administration of the contract.

The phases are sequential and they build on the work completed and agreed to in each preceding phase.  We start with the general and refine the design to the very specific. There’s lot of decisions along the way and this gradation organizes those decisions into manageable portions.

Flexible, expert advice when you need it. Book hourly support across a range of topics—from planning to problem-solving. This focused consultation will help clarify your goals, identify opportunities and map out next steps.