CREATIVE HOME DESIGN
AND CUSTOM ARCHITECTURE
• Do you want to AVOID
COSTLY HOME DESIGN MISTAKES before
they happen?
• Do you want to SEE your
remodel, addition or new home BEFORE
CONSTRUCTION?
• Do you have a Home Design VISION that
you can’t quite ARTICULATE to
your general contractor?
At Art Guy Design LLC, we are CUSTOM
HOME DESIGNERS and LICENSED
GENERAL contractors (ROC237376). Our
objective is to merge your vision with our creativity and expertise,
then define and illustrate, utilizing 3D technology, your project
before shovel breaks ground or hammer hits nail. You’ll be
able to envision your project and eliminate costly change orders
before they occur. You’ll have peace of mind that your completed
project will match your vision.
Click here for details on Creative
Home Design Services, Creative
Home Design Pricing, and How
the Design Process Works
CUSTOM ARCHITECTURE
"A house can have integrity, just
like a person."
Ayn Rand
“A house is a home when it shelters
the body
and comforts the soul.”
Phillip Moffitt
"Everyone deserves a well-designed
home."
Dana W. Ball (Me)
If our Home Design is thoughtful, if its Architecture
is sound, and its Spaces are functional and comfortable, then those
spaces where we live, work and play should define and reflect who
we are and how we feel. Too often, the importance of creative home
design is neglected and trivialized resulting in spaces devoid of
any aesthetic or functional qualities.
Our homes contain the spaces in which we do most
of our living, sleeping, eating, playing and growing. Yet, these
spaces are, for the most part, not personalized for those of us who
are living in and around them. They are not thoughtfully designed,
but rather hastily constructed.
Every one of us deserves to live and work in spaces
that represent an Architecture that functions well, offers comfort,
and presents an aesthetic that enhances the time we spend in them.
Instead of concerning ourselves with ensuring that
the home we live in now will suit the needs and desires of the next
owner, we should live in the home we love now. The next owner will
always be there.
THE CREATIVE HOME DEFINED
A house is easily defined. A house is, at its most
basic, a floor, walls and a roof. The materials may change, the size
will vary. But a house is not always, necessarily a home. A CREATIVE HOME must
first meet the needs and desires of those who inhabit it. A home
must be thoughtfully designed utilizing creativity to meet those
needs and desires. A home must be properly engineered and constructed
to protect and offer refuge.
We have too many houses, and not nearly enough homes.
EDUCATED HOMEOWNER
The main concern of large builders that plant the
vast majority of our communities is, understandably, profit. It’s
a business. But as consumers, as homeowners, we need to be knowledgeable
and aware.
More square footage is not necessarily better. More
square footage too often means foyers and hallways that only serve
as transitional spaces, or rooms that are redundant and without any
clear function (family room vs. living room?), or master suites that
are a tribute to a vanity that requires more for more’s sake.
We should not accept that a wall must be there because
it stands there. We should ask why it’s there, and if we don’t
want it there, take it down (after, of course, dutiful consideration
as to whether or not it bears load, and, if it does, how to account
for it.) Why can’t that window be larger? Why are the stairs
there? Why are ceilings always eight feet? Why are counter tops always
three feet?
The more we understand our house and how it functions,
the better suited we are to make it our home.
CREATIVE HOME DESIGN
Because developers, for the most part, are not producing
creative home design, it becomes necessary for us to seek out custom
architectural designers with artistic abilities to translate our
needs and desires into the inviting, livable and creative structures
we can call home. Finding an architectural designer with the creative
talents and practical knowledge who listens and can produce 3D renderings
of projects before breaking ground is the key to the process. This
is what Art Guy Design offers clients.
Dana W. Ball, Art Guy
CREATIVE HOME
DESIGN SERVICES
The Design Process
The process of designing and constructing a home
is, basically, a five-step process – Defining the Parameters;
Designing the Home based on those parameters; Producing Working Drawings;
Obtaining Bids and Hiring Contractors; and Construction.
Most consumers, when employing a home builder, are
generally only involved in the last phase: construction. The future
homeowner should be offered participation in every phase of the process,
especially design. Design of a custom home is anchored in the first
two steps, though in reality, design is ongoing throughout. Final
Design and Working Drawings (including engineering) provide a detailed
portrait of your dream home and serve as documents for permitting
and construction.
I. DESIGN SERVICES
Effective Custom Home Design is the successful merging
of science and the aesthetic. Topics that are addressed include,
but are not limited to, location and orientation, architectural style,
size and number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, traffic
patterns, landscape and views. Art Guy Design develops design concepts
that address the client’s ideas, needs and desires. The presentation
is in computer format using the latest technology to facilitate and
communicate design solutions.
The Design Set of Drawings includes, but is not
limited to, floor plans, sections, elevations, and interior studies.
Also included are complete three dimensional exterior perspectives
which help the client, to a large extent, visualize the final home.
BENEFITS:
By first digitally constructing
the home three-dimensionally, unforeseen problems can be addressed;
more intelligent decisions can be made; and the client can more
clearly and precisely envision their home - all before construction
begins.
This approach to design is MONEY-SAVING and serves to mitigate the
stress and anxiety that is often associated with a construction project
II. DRAFTING AND ENGINEERING
Drafting is the means by which the design is translated
into working drawings. Historically, these were known as blue prints
and were produced by hand. With the emergence of new technologies,
this process is completely computerized using CAD software. This
plan set is used for permitting with the governing authority, obtaining
bids from contractors, and for construction. The contractor reads
and interprets these drawings to make the concept a reality. Generally,
this plan set includes Site Plan, Floor Plan, Sections, Elevations,
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Structural (Engineering) and all
necessary details.
III. LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTOR
We can help you in two ways: we can serve as the
general contractor on your Arizona project or we can assist you through
the maze of hiring a general contractor for your remodel, addition,
or new home.
CREATIVE HOME
DESIGN PRICING
I. Basic Sketch
Question: I want a basic sketch of my dream
home. What do you charge for this?
A: Art Guy Design
can produce two levels of Design Drawings: Basic and Detailed. If
you want a Basic Sketch of your
dream home in order to gain a general idea of the basic layout of
the home and some initial aesthetic considerations, we can produce
a basic drawing. This drawing is not suitable for permitting or building.
The fee for new home design ranges from fifty cents to a dollar fifty
per square foot depending upon complexity and level of detail desired.
Design is done from the inside out, so the process is appropriately
detailed and begins with the Defining of the Parameters. A basic
sketch can also be used for remodels or projects that do not require
a building permit. Design fees for remodels and additions are based
on the scope of the project. These fees are credited should the client
opt to continue on to the full service design package (as described
below.)
Basic Sketches for a Remodel, Addition, or a New Home include:
• Phone and/or In Person Meetings
• Detailed Floor Plans: Layout of home
with consideration given to placement and sizing of rooms, transitional areas,
windows and doorways, materials and colors, and all issues as defined in the
parameters.
• Exterior Elevations: All appropriate
elevations and perspectives so as to ensure the client’s vision is correctly
defined.
Click
here to see a partial sampling of some of the elements included
in the Basic Sketch.
II. Full Service Detailed Design Package
Question: I want
a detailed design package for my dream home including design drawings,
construction drawings, and engineering. What do you charge for this?
A: A Home is designed
from the inside out, so the process is detailed, complete and begins
with Defining the Parameters.
Detailed Package for Remodels, Additions, and
New Home includes:
• Phone and/or In Person Meetings
• Complete set of Design Drawings: This
set of drawings is much more extensive than the Basic Sketches described previously
and is generally presented in binder form. It is a visual representation of the
entirety of the creative dialog that has occurred and serves as a comprehensive
profile of the project with enough detail to generate soft bids from the builder,
sub contractors, and craftsmen. Depending upon the scope of the project, the
binder may include floor plans, sections, elevations, perspectives, interior
studies, and various details.
• Working Set of Drawings: Generally,
this plan set includes Site Plan, Floor Plan, Sections, Elevations, Mechanical,
Electrical, Plumbing and Structural (Engineering) and all necessary details.
These drawings are used for permitting, bidding and construction.
Click
here to see a partial sampling of some of the elements included
in the Full Service Detailed Package.
The fee to produce a complete set of drawings is
between eight and twelve percent of the estimated cost of construction.
The design process we employ allows us to establish a cost estimate
early in the design process.
Question: How does the process begin?
A: Initially, the
Parameters for your project need to be established. If the project
is local, this is done through discussion and on-site assessment.
If the project is not local, the following information and items
need to be provided in addition to what can be discerned verbally:
• The approximate size and scope of your project.
• Any existing house plans you may have.
• For new construction, a site survey is very helpful. Often, a new site
survey is required for projects large in scope.
• Photographs of the existing structure, especially as it relates to the
addition or remodel.
• For new construction, photographs of the site.
• Any drawings or sketches you have produced yourself.
• A written “wish list” describing the features you want your
project to include (for example, rooms, room sizes, and any special features).
You will be asked to fill out a Client Profile form as well. This can be a very
effective and interesting discovery tool for both client and designer.
• Any additional information as determined through discussion.
Payment Terms: We
require a deposit based on your project size and scope prior to beginning
work. Once the scope of the project has been determined a proposal
including work and payment schedules will be provided.
HOW THE
DESIGN PROCESS WORKS
Detailed Design and Construction Drawings
Initial Meeting - Exploration
of the Potential for a Professional Relationship
Client and Designer meet to determine if, initially, there is the potential
for a mutually beneficial and enjoyable professional relationship.
Initial Project Meeting
- Defining the Program Parameters
Dialog begins relative to all issues pertaining to the project. The
goal is to define the programmatic parameters. These parameters are
based on the wants, needs and desires of the client in conjunction
with the expertise, experience and problem-solving abilities of the
designer. Common topics at this meeting include site conditions, architectural
style, time frame and budgetary considerations.
Second Meeting -
Initial Concepts
Initial concepts are presented to the client. These generally take
the form of plan drawings (one-dimensional representation of walls
and rooms.) The client and designer can discuss the project in plan
form, and begin to make changes as necessary.
Third Meeting -
General Massing, Initial Elevations
At this point, the project begins to become real. The client begins
to see three-dimensional representations of the project, and the dialog
begins to turn to specific aspects - materials, colors, textures, etc.
Also, budget can become a topic of discussion in a general sense. Hard
figures are difficult to obtain, but ball-park figures can be estimated.
Fourth Meeting -
Final Design Decisions
Definitive decisions commence. This does not mean the design process
comes to an end, but instead, shifts to issues that are more detailed
and focused on the realities of construction. At this time, the budget
is becoming clearer and the scope of the project is well defined. For
this reason, it is this point at which the project moves to the Drafting
Phase.
Drafting and Engineering
Begin
Now it becomes necessary to create the very detailed working drawings
that include the necessary information as previously described.
The Construction Phase
Begins
Whether you chose to hire us as your general contractor or you have
a contractor in mind, we can assist you in navigating the maze of issues
that comes with a construction project.
Art Guy Design LLC would love to assist
you with your plans for your remodel, addition, or to create your
Dream Home.
Contact Art Guy today to set up an appointment.
Three ways to contact us:
Call Dana, the Art Guy at: 480-235-4532
Email: dana@artguydesign.com
Snail Mail: 6350 N. 78th St Suite 259, Scottsdale Arizona 85250
HOME • PROJECTS • HOME
REMODELING • OUTDOOR
LIVING • HOME
DESIGN RESOURCES • GREEN
HOME DESIGN • ABOUT/CONTACT
