An important, and commonly overlooked aspect of any new construction or remodeling project is having an understanding of what the situation is today and where it may lead tomorrow. How will this new project allow for technological advances in the future? What happens if we need to add office space in three years? Is this a long-term solution or is it a short-term fix? What happens if we can buy the land behind our current facility in the future?

The Architectural Group is experienced in helping clients challenge themselves with innumerable scope considerations and answer these questions. We help our clients take a broad overview of their current situation, analyze how the planned project impacts that situation and offer suggestions for improving it if necessary. Time frames studied have ranged from less than a year to more than ten years into the future.

Such studies create additional data to be used during the design phase of a project. For example, if a facility must function for 25+ years, durability and life cycle costing are crucial to the overall success of that project. If, however, a master planning effort identifies that a new facility need only operate for seven years before an additional building absorbs its use, design efforts can focus on limiting large up front costs for items that may be removed during an extensive remodel in the near future.

A well conceived master plan provides a road map to the future. It offers direction; a realistic time frame and peace of mind that the decisions reached today will not be the mistakes of tomorrow.

For a renovation project, it is essential that the process with accurate information about existing conditions of the building and/or site. TAG will prepare computerized (CAD) drawings, from existing documentation provided by you. We will field verify these drawings and correct them, where needed, to reflect current conditions.

A wonderful design won’t work if it’s based on wrong information so thorough site reviews help avoid this dilemma. As part of our field verification, we can also inventory and document existing furniture and equipment, including power and/or mechanical requirements. If drawings of the existing site and building are unavailable, we can create them by using our field collected measurements.

By the conclusion of this phase, we have “solid ground” on which to develop project designs. This may include floor plans and elevations. A site plan prepared by a Professional Surveyor will be required in most cases that depicts the building in relation to property lines, adjacent roads or streets, and other elements such as trees and overhead phone lines.

Floor plans present a horizontal view and depict the layout of spaces/rooms, walls, and some fixtures (i.e., rest room fixtures). Elevations depict the vertical view so that one will be able to see how the exterior walls look “from the street.”

During this phase we will define the members of our Project Team and ask you to identify your Project Representative(s).

TAG will identify and study functional area relationships and specific space requirements. This means we will meet with you to understand your workflow and traffic patterns. Well-configured spaces can enhance your organization’s efficiency.

By understanding your workflow, we can arrange rooms to minimize travel time and backtracking. Rooms that are too small can cause a productivity and/or morale problem for its occupants, and rooms that are too large can be a waste of valuable floor space and energy. We try to identify appropriate sizes for the activities of each space.

Our study will also include an assessment of building code regulations, zoning requirements, and Americans with Disabilities (ADA) requirements. If there is a zoning issue, it needs to be addressed before any additional time and effort are expended on a design.

The collected data will be organized in a comprehensive statement of needs, goals, and objectives. That defines the project scope and forms the basis for developing the project’s design.

TAG will use the Program document that describes the rooms and their relationship to each other to develop Schematic Design documents. We will study spatial relationships and requirements and prepare Schematic Studies to allow you to respond to our suggested designs. This gives you the first and most essential opportunity to provide feedback.

The Schematic Designs may include the Site, Floor Plan(s), and Elevations for your review and comment. During this phase we will continue to research the applicable zoning and building code requirements. Since it is in our mutual interest to keep the design within your budget constraints, we will ask you to confirm your budget at this point in the process. By the end of this phase, you will have the graphic information to move forward to the next phase in the process.

TAG will prepare Design Development Drawings at an appropriate scale, based upon the approved Schematic Design Documents and your budget. These drawings may consist of Floor Plans, Interior Elevations, Wall Sections, and Construction Details.

At this time, we begin integration of mechanical and electrical systems into the structure of the building and meet with you to identify fixtures and equipment that you need. We will also study and finalize design materials. We may also prepare a cost estimate for comparison with your budget to make sure your choices in finishes are still within your budget.

Contract Documents are the final documents in the design process. These include detailed drawings and specifications. With these documents, a contractor has the information needed to bid and construct your project.The drawings incorporate dimensions and details of building components and systems, as well as finish materials.

The specifications control quality levels of materials, products, and workmanship. Contract Documents may be used to solicit bids from several contractors or to obtain a price from the contractor of your choice.The Contract Documents will become the basis of a legal agreement between you and the contractor.

During this phase, TAG will recommend qualified general contractors to you. At your option, you may interview the contractors before bids are solicited. We will then distribute documents, solicit bids from contractors, and coordinate pre-bid conferences.

We will prepare an application for a building permit on your behalf and submit the Contract Documents to the appropriate jurisdiction to obtain a building permit. After the bids are received we will make recommendations for award of contract.

Sometimes negotiations with the contractor occur after the bids; this can be a good time to reconsider some more costly aspects of your project in exchange for other options suggested by the contractor. We can represent you during this process to help you get the most value for your dollars. After you accept one of the bids or come to a negotiated amount, we will prepare an “AIA Owner/Contractor Agreement” for your use.

While construction is occurring, TAG will monitor its progress and identify items which are not consistent with the drawings and specifications. We will also clarify construction documents for the contractor and respond to questions as they arise.

A representative of TAG will attend regularly scheduled job meetings. For many components of the project, the contractor will submit Shop Drawings that provide complete detail about specific items to be incorporated in your project that we review for quality and accuracy.

TAG will also review and certify contractor’s requests for payment. Through this process, we can monitor whether the money requested by the contractor is consistent with the progress of the construction.

Following the final building official’s inspection, TAG will issue an AIA Certificate of Substantial Completion, which indicates that the work is sufficiently completed that the Owner can occupy the space for its intended use. We can also prepare a Punch List with the Contractor and an Owner’s Representative to identify all of the incomplete items to be finished by the contractor before final payment is approved.

With our in-house expertise in three-dimensional (3-D) techniques, we can produce CAD-generated images of your project. These images can be very helpful; end-users can often more easily relate to a 3-D image than a simple sketch and/or floor plan.

Depending on your needs, schedule, and budget, we can produce aerial views and ground-level views in a wide range of detail, from simple “massing” studies (which show buildings as box-like shapes with little detail) to fully detailed “pictures” of the proposed building.

Our commitment to you does not end when you start using your space. Ten months after project completion, at your request, TAG will tour the facility with you. The benefits of this are two-fold. First, since many items are covered by a one-year warranty, this tour will allow you to identify workmanship problems to corrected by the contractor at no cost to you before the contractor’s warranty expires.

For example, these items could include re-balancing of mechanical equipment (because some spaces are hotter/colder than others), replacement of faulty light fixtures, re-installation of poorly installed flooring. Secondly, this provides an opportunity for TAG to evaluate our performance. What can we do better to meet our clients’ needs? We can learn from every project and that makes us better architects.

In this comprehensive option, TAG will provide enhanced budget, schedule, and construction management of the project. We will prepare bid packages and solicit individual proposals from multiple contractors. We will prepare appropriate Owner/Contractor Agreements for your execution.

You will be able to rely on us to coordinate and manage the work at the construction site. This allows you to have a single point of contact during construction; you will always know whom to call with questions or concerns. We will also prepare contractor pay requests and monitor them for accuracy related to performed work.

Finishing the interior spaces is a crucial element in creating the aesthetics you wish to convey. Color and finishes can greatly affect the occupants, their sense of well-being, and even their productivity. We can offer you our expertise in helping make choices while being sensitive to your budget limitations.

This may include: Interior signage development. Selection and assistance with purchase of furnishings and fixtures. Assistance in identification and selection of artwork. Preparation of finish selections and presentation materials