Architectural Services are for clients who want a custom home design with a high level of detail, that is extremely unique or conceptual in design, and/or want to obtain very accurate and comparable (apples to apples) construction bids from contractors for competitive purposes.
Architectural Custom Home Design and Detailing Services are the most complete and detailed services that Architect Warren E. Barry offers for new home construction projects. Service Level A2 provides an extensively detailed set of house plans which document the home inside and out, and is an extension of the Designer Service Level D1. Where the Designer Service Level D1 stops regarding the level of detail in the plans, the Architectural Home Design Services continue on to specify, detail, and coordinate into the plans specific products and finishes to be installed in the home. Highly detailed drawings are also generated with this service to document the assembly of interior and exterior details, as well as how to properly install exterior doors and windows, flashing, roofing, and more. The architectural portion of the Construction documents resulting from this service can easily be 18 pages or more for a single story home. For a detailed list of drawings included in this service, please review the “Service Comparison Chart”.
The advantage of this service, in addition to those listed in the Designer Service Level D1, is that the home is designed, detailed, and specified to a high level of detail prior to beginning construction. The level of detail put into the construction documents with this service helps ensure high quality construction, and helps to ensure that the client will be receiving the end result which they desire.
If considering home design services at an Architectural level, you should be aware that having this level of detail in the construction documents will typically add additional labor and materials during construction, as this service level is intended to provide you with a home that is constructed to a very high standard regarding its design, detailing, and material selections. This service will therefore increase the construction cost in comparison to constructing the home to simply comply with the building code and typical builder standards. Constructing a home to simply comply with the code is what most (but not all) contractors do if not provided with construction documents of this type. The building code is a minimum standard, and does not require quality construction or good design, it only requires it to be safe to occupy.
Service Level A2 does not include construction observation. If this level of design and documentation is desired, Warren very strongly recommends considering Service Level A1 which includes construction observation services. If construction observation services are not obtained, it is very likely that the contractor and sub-contractors will not construct the home to comply with the details within the construction documents. This can occur as a result of them not adequately reviewing the drawings, simply ignoring them to eliminate the hassle, to increase profit, or for a number of other reasons. If this occurs, the substantial amount of additional time and money invested in drawings of this type is likely to be wasted.