WORKING PROCESS

Knock Architecture and Design offers extensive architectural and design services for your New Construction Project, Addition or Renovation, and spans from the initial concept to project completion. The initial project meeting ideally occurs on-site to assess the project parameters and to discuss the overall objectives and the vision of the design.

The initial consultation is free, and upon agreement, the project moves into the design and construction phases. Please contact Ryan Knock (ryan@knock-ad.com)  to schedule your session.

Each project is custom tailored to your needs and exact requirements, but most projects have most or all of these phases, in order and as listed below, and will include personal involvement of Knock Architecture and Design through every step:

-Pre-Design: assess project requirements, design strategies, green and net-zero strategies, legal restrictions (zoning, building codes), document the existing site conditions, and establish a timeline and budget for the project.

-Schematic Design: develop concept plans from original ideas at the site meeting and the predesign findings, then weigh the benefits and detriments of each option. Generally, two to three options are shown at this meeting, then a direction is chosen for design development. Three dimensional studies of each option are provided at this phase for visualization and design aid.

-Design Development: develop the original concept into a realized design in two and three dimensions. Elevations, sections, and developed floor plans with interior layouts of each room's furnishings, fixtures, materials and technical requirements will be provided. Three dimensional studies of each area can be provided for design development.

At this phase, any consultants required for the project will be contacted for proposals, and the proposals will be reviewed and sent to the owner for approval. Interior remodels and additions generally require only a structural engineer, and possibly a lighting and landscape consultant if requested by the client. New homes require a surveyor, a structural, civil, and soils engineer, and likely a lighting and landscape designer. More complex projects may require mechanical, acoustical, and other specialized engineering consultants.

In addition, a list of potential contractors is developed at this point, and plans are sent to them for preliminary pricing.

-Permitting: for additions and new construction, drawings are submitted in advance for any required pre-building permit approval by local or regional authorities. Upon approval, a full set of documents are submitted ,including structural, civil, mechanical, landscape and soils as required. The Permitting process varies by locality, and takes two to four months for additions and new homes in most municipalities, or over six months for additions and new homes in San Francisco or other challenging areas.

Renovations can generally be acquired as an "over the counter" approval in less than a week.

-Construction Documents: drawings that describe the intent and extent of the project are produced at this point, including detailed schedules of materials, window and door types, fixtures, and technical assemblies. Drawings that show detailed wall assemblies and specific detailed construction conditions are created as required by the project.

Consultant drawings are reviewed for accuracy, intent, and relevance to the budget and technical restraints. In Design-Build situations, where the contractor is pre-selected, the drawings are sent for pricing at this point, the Bidding-Negotiation is skipped, and in-house value engineering is done as required.

-Bidding and Negotiations: interviews are held with several contractors to obtain qualifications and see previous examples of their work. Upon approval, drawings are released to the contractors (generally three) for detailed bids, including the pricing and the timeline for the the project. This phase takes approximately a month. Upon reception of the bids, they are reviewed for accuracy and compared. If the project is under budget, a contractor is selected. If the project is over budget, value engineering and/or scope reduction is applied to the project, and the project is re-bid and the final contractor, price and timeline is established.

-Construction Administration: construction begins, and submittals for materials, appliances, plumbing and light fixtures, and hardware are reviewed and approved. Shop drawings for cabinetry, doors, windows, metalwork and other special items are reviewed for design intent and accuracy. Meetings are held on site on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to field questions or changes to the project, and to keep track of the progress, schedule and price. Near the end of construction, a final walk through is done to make sure the project was executed to the specifications outlined in the Construction Documents.

For projects with special budget restrictions, limited amounts of the services listed above can be provided at a reduced fee. Feel free to inquire at ryan@knock-ad.com