This blog contains useful information of home design as well as news about my projects and my architectural practice.

MAPLE DALE ADDITION

3/22/2013

This kitchen expansion is part of an addition which I am designing for clients near Viroqua. The current kitchen / dining room is cramped. The 11’ x 22’ addition will make it possible to add more cabinet and countertop space, an island with seating and a built-in woodstove. The new south wall will have triple the amount of windows as well as thermal mass on the floor and walls (not shown) for passive solar gain. A lower ceiling over the dining table gives that area a separate identity and a cozier feel.

AERIAL VIEW

"BEFORE"

"AFTER"

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WORKING WITH AN ARCHITECT - PART 7: The Construction Phase

3/8/2013

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Perhaps you’d like to build a new house, remodel your existing house or expand it by building an addition. You know that an architect could help you get more value and enjoyment from your home, but you’re not sure what to expect when working with one. This is the seventh in a series of blog posts that will help to demystify the process of working with an architect. Julie Kardatzke is a licensed architect working in southern Wisconsin, including the Madison area, who specializes in new homes, residential additions and remodels.

In Part 6, I talked about the process of choosing a builder, whether by putting your project out to bid, or by preselecting a builder and negotiating a contract. Now that your architectural drawings are complete, and you have your builder on board, you are ready to start construction.

Construction Phase Services

My involvement on a project often continues during the construction phase. Even the best set of drawings cannot fully convey every detail of a three-dimensional building, and I can help the builder to interpret and understand the design intent, in order to better ensure that the finished home, addition or remodel is built as intended.

A pre-construction meeting with you, the builder, and major subcontractors is highly recommended as a way to review the design intent and important features of the project. During construction, I am available to answer questions by phone; provide supplemental drawings as requested by the contractor; visit the site regularly to observe the construction work (and keep you apprised of the project’s progress); review shop drawings, materials and product samples; review requests for design changes; and review the builder’s requests for payment.

My involvement in this phase can help make for a smooth transition from construction documents to the completed project, as I act as your representative during this complex process.

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MAPLE DALE ADDITION

WORKING WITH AN ARCHITECT - PART 7: The Construction Phase

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