Home . . . your residence and refuge; a place filled with cherished memories of yesterday and promising dreams for tomorrow. When it’s time to build, renovate, or add on, you shouldn’t come home to someone else’s idea of how to live. You’re not a generic family, so why have a generic house? Your architect will provide you with a space created specifically for you and your family and realize your dreams in ways you never thought possible. Large or small, every building project involves many complicated and challenging decisions. You can discuss these decisions with your family, friends and neighbors — everyone will have an opinion. But an architect who is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the one professional who has the education, experience and vision to guide you through the entire design and construction process successfully. With a broad understanding of design and construction, an AIA architect is specifically educated to solve problems in creative ways. An architect can help you make smart decisions, avoid costly surprises and provide creative solutions you might never have considered. Solutions that can make your home more efficient, functional and beautiful. Solutions that can maximize the investment you will make. The result is creating a home that meets your needs, reflects your individuality and provides enjoyment for everyone who uses it. Earth and Sky Architecture, LLC is a member of The AIA — Dedicated to High Standards in Professional Practice The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional organization that helps architects serve the public’s needs and builds awareness of the role of architects and architecture in American society. The organization was created in 1857. Today, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., and nearly 300 local chapters worldwide, the organization represents 58,000 licensed architects and associated professionals. AIA members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct that assures clients, the public and colleagues of their dedication to high standards in professional practice. An AIA architect can help you: Clarify and refine your wants and needs. Through a process called programming, you and your architect discuss your requirements, needs and budget. The architect then helps define what is to be built and establishes the project’s scope, many times presenting you with creative solutions you might never have considered. Are your needs specialized enough to warrant building a custom-designed home, or would a tract home built to certain specifications suit your needs just as well? The cost of building your custom home and its anticipated value should be consistent with real estate values of the surrounding neighborhood. Back to top of page Share everything you can with your architect: your thoughts, notes, sketches, photos from magazines — anything that illustrates what you like. Tell your architect about your routines, the way you function in your current home, and what you like and don’t like about it. Doing so sets the stage for building cost-efficiency into your project. By setting parameters early in the process, your AIA architect can help you control costs before you even break ground It’s often said that architects not only have the answers, they also know the questions to ask: How many rooms will you need? How will the home function? Who will use it and how? What are your tastes? How long do you plan to live in the home? Do you work at home? How much time do you spend in the living areas, bedrooms, kitchen, den, office or utility space? How much time and energy are you willing to invest to maintain your house? Are you building for yourselves or future buyers? If this is your "forever home," an architect can: Provide flexible design options to accommodate your changing family size or reduced mobility, as you grow older. Help choose certain amenities that can affect long-term value and resale. Propose ways to lower energy costs and house maintenance over the long term. Suggest features such as window options that can protect carpets, flooring and upholstery from damaging ultraviolet rays. While the list of possibilities seems endless, your AIA architect can help you see the big picture and design solutions with the long term in mind. Maximize your construction dollar. It’s critical to have a realistic understanding of the potential — and limitations — of your project’s budget. There are so many decisions to be made in the planning stages of a building project and afterward during construction. And these decisions will drive how your new home will function, what it will cost and what it may be worth in the future. If consulted in the earliest planning stage, an AIA architect can help you make smart decisions about your home’s design that can serve and save you in surprising ways. The architect works with your budget and helps you select the appropriate materials and workmanship at a fair price. And long after your project is completed, the architect can help you save money. By incorporating energy efficiency into the design of your home, the architect can help reduce fuel bills down the road. By helping you choose materials and finishes that are durable as well as beautiful, the architect can save you money of frequent maintenance and replacement costs. And a well designed home has a higher resale value. Back to top of page Explore the potential of your site. The property where you’ll build your home may present some distinct design opportunities and perhaps some hidden hazards. Your architect can examine how such factors can work for you and how to avoid potential problems. You’ll probably want to take advantage of each favorable view and sun exposure, while protecting your home against wind and weather. How much privacy do you want between your house and the surrounding community? Are there existing trees on the site that you want to save? Your architect also can assess the hidden character of your site, such as type of soil, slope and drainage. A clear understanding of such factors can help you make smart decisions in the design of your home. Determine if local zoning and other restrictions will affect your project. Before setting your heart on a one-of-a-kind design, it’s critical to know if any zoning ordinances or regulations exist that might restrict development on your property. These might dictate how much of the property can be covered by a structure, its height, how far it must be set back from the property line or roadway, protection of existing trees and landscape. Likewise, you’ll want to know about any proposed development of adjacent or nearby properties, such as new roadways or commercial construction. Familiar with the building codes and zoning ordinances in your area, an AIA architect will help you determine where these apply to your project and can assist with the filing applications or obtaining the necessary permits. Visualize the design. Once you and your AIA architect define what’s to be built, the architect can help you visualize the design possibilities in a number of ways. Using rough sketches or computer programs, the architect can show you the general arrangement of your new house and its effect on the site. While not finished construction documents, these visual presentations are meant to show possible approaches for you to consider. An AIA architect can refine these concepts until a solution is developed that you agree meets your needs. Depending on the project, your architect might also provide three-dimensional renderings, build models or even stake the site so you can physically see important features, such as traffic flow, access and views. Many architects also provide interior design services. Ask to see examples of the architect’s interior work. If these examples suit your tastes, the architect can help you get the most out of the design process from start to finish. Back to top of page Help prepare construction documents and select a reputable contractor. After your approval, the design is developed even further. Your architect will prepare detailed drawings, or construction documents, to illustrate floor plans, which show all the spaces to be built in their correct proportions — down to almost every detail. Outline specifications also are prepared that specify the primary materials and finishes to be used. These details and specifications will be used by the contractor to establish construction costs and build the project. When your architect uses AIA documents, you benefit from what are considered to be "the bible" of the construction industry. These standard forms of agreement represent a current consensus among construction industry leaders representing owners, contractors, engineers and architects. Many details are covered in clear language that’s widely known and accepted in the construction industry. In addition to the highly regarded AIA owner-architect and owner-contractor agreements, your architect can make available documents for small projects, construction management, project administration and a range of abbreviated-form agreements. Your architect is familiar with the abilities and reputations of the contractors in your area. In many cases, the architect and contractors share long-standing working relationships, which can help ensure reliability and quality work. Or, if you wish to choose among several qualified contractors, your architect can prepare the necessary bidding documents. Your architect also can help you determine which bid may give you the best value in terms of the contractor’s reputation, expertise, quality of work and reliability. Your architect can help you evaluate a contractor by using a standard Contractor’s Qualification Statement, available through the architect or local AIA chapter, to verify the contractor’s background, history, references and financial stability. This form provides a sworn, notarized statement with appropriate attachments to assess important aspects of the contractor’s qualifications. Some architects may offer their services as a general contractor to build your house as well as design it, which can give you a single point of responsibility for simplifying the entire process. Let your AIA architect explain the pros and cons of your options. Schedule the work. After the design phases are complete, the management and scheduling of the construction work is critical. The actual work of construction could disrupt your lifestyle considerably. The many decisions that have to be made and numerous details can be overwhelming. Making such decisions and coordinating the necessary manpower and materials requires professional attention. Your architect has been through the construction process many times; this may be the first time for you. Depend on your architect as much as possible. An architect can help anticipate problems so that your decisions are followed, construction is carried out efficiently, and the project is kept on track. Manage the project. From conception to move-in, the architect you hire protects your interest and pursues ways to make the design and construction processes go smoothly. During construction, the architect visits the site to help verify that the project is being built according to the plans and specifications you approve. With an architect personally observing construction, you get informed reports of the project’s progress, a trained eye toward quality control — even a check on the contractor’s invoices, mandating that the contractor does not get paid until the architect is satisfied that the contractor has fulfilled all obligations to you. In addition, if your project requires engineering or other design services, the architect can coordinate this team of experts.   Take advantage of an AIA architect’s experience and creative vision.   Paul R. Adams President, Earth and Sky Architecture, LLC Member of the American Institute of Architects N.C.A.R.B. File #58,605     Copyright 1996. All rights reserved. The American Institute of Architects. Back to top of page