If after “Site Assessment” the owner and architect desire to move forward with the project, a “Phase One Agreement” will be signed and the process will begin. The “Phase One Agreement” is a flat-fee service that will be determined by the architect once the preliminary scope of the project is understood, and payments will be collected on a percentage of completion basis. 

 

“Programming” then begins with a second in-person meeting to work through Axis 3’s “Design Questionnaire.”  During this meeting, the property owner and architect will meet at the project site to determine the meaningful aspects of the project.  Topics will include the site utility overview, potential grading and access, functionality, flow, size and adjacency desires of each space, and the orientation of the structure in relationship to view prioritization and sun position.

 

Once the “Design Questionnaire” is complete, Axis 3 recommends hiring the civil and structural engineers. The jurisdictional authorities will require these engineers to submit plans for the project and getting them started at this stage will allow their findings to be integrated as early as possible to ensure that the owner’s desires will be achievable given the unique characteristics of the site.

 

The civil engineer will verify property lines, roadway access, and topographical data.

 

The soils engineer will provide soils reports, percolation tests and septic designs (when applicable).   

 

Axis 3 Architects can connect the owner with vetted civil and soils engineers, or the property owner is welcome to select ones of their choosing. 

 

Once the specific site features are understood by all parties, the architect will begin developing a series of “Schematic Floor Plans” in step three.