Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

As soon as you decide you want to make major remodeling updates to your existing home! 

By starting the process with an architect, they can help you assess the feasibility of your ideas, explore the possibilities, and identify the limitations of your current home.

An architect can also help identify potential remodeling challenges upfront, and help keep them from becoming costly problems later on in your project. When you work with an architect from the very start, you’re also likely to discover new options and design solutions you wouldn't have thought of on your own. 

Not everyone needs an architect for the home remodeling they have in mind. And, in Michigan, not every home design project needs an architect.  

As you consider taking on a remodeling project for your existing home, start by answering a few questions: 

• How clear you are about what you want and need?
• How much time you have to oversee and coordinate the project? 
• Do you have the experience or knowledge for the scale of the project? 

By honestly answering these questions, you'll be better able to decide what's right for you.

For smaller remodeling projects—especially if you have a very clear idea of what you want—you may find a home designer or a draftsperson can be the right choice when you are looking for someone to simply draw up your plan.

If your remodeling ideas include more than one existing space or involve creating an addition to your home—or you just aren't sure what's possible or what will solve your problems—the professional expertise of an architect may be your best starting point.

By hiring an architect, you get a project designed for you and your specific desires and needs. An architect is skilled in making the best use of your existing home and the property, light, space, and materials to create a home remodel that fits you and your lifestyle. 

One of the greatest risks of working on a major home remodel without an architect is making costly and time-consuming mistakes, running into delays caused by unexpected construction revisions, and living with results that don't work for you. 

Your architect can also do regular site visits and report on progress while construction is underway on your home remodel. Think of your architect as your watchful eyes and clear voice on the project site. 

By staying engaged throughout the process, your architect is able to answer questions that come up during the build and help guide the project so the finished result is built to match your design plan. This level of service is especially helpful if you are not able to be on site yourself. 

When considering designing and building a new custom home, the sooner you involve your architect the better. They can provide professional guidance when you are comparing potential property options for the location of your new home.  

By starting the process with an architect, they can help you assess the feasibility of your home design ideas and explore the potential and the limitations of your building site.

An architect can also help identify potential challenges upfront, and plan together to help keep them from becoming costly problems. When you work with an architect from the very start, you’re also likely to discover options and design solutions you wouldn't have thought of on your own. 

When you are looking to build a new, custom-style home, consider how clear you are about what you want and need, how much time you have to oversee and coordinate the project, and if you have the experience or knowledge for the scale of the project. By honestly answering those questions, you'll be better able to decide what's right for you.

When it comes to designing a new home, many people choose to buy a home from a developer, and make a few of the available customizations to the plans and selecting finishes. 

By hiring an architect, you get a custom home designed for you and your specific desires and needs. An architect is skilled in making the best use of the unique features of your property, natural and artificial light, space, and materials to create a home that fits you and your lifestyle, now and in the future. 

One of the greatest risks of working on a new home without an architect, is making costly and time-consuming mistakes, running into delays caused by unexpected construction revisions, and living with results that don't work for you. 

Your architect can also do regular site visits and report on the construction progress of your home. Think of your architect as your watchful eyes and clear voice on the project site. By staying engaged throughout the process, your architect is able to answer questions that come up during the build and help guide the project so the finished result is built to match your design plan. This level of service is especially helpful if you are not able to be on-site yourself. 

When considering designing and building a new custom home, the sooner you involve your architect the better. They can provide professional guidance when you are comparing potential property options for the location of your new home.  

By starting the process with an architect, they can help you assess the feasibility of your home design ideas and explore the potential and the limitations of your building site.

An architect can also help identify potential challenges upfront, and plan together to help keep them from becoming costly problems. When you work with an architect from the very start, you’re also likely to discover options and design solutions you wouldn't have thought of on your own. 

When you are looking to build a new, custom-style home, consider how clear you are about what you want and need, how much time you have to oversee and coordinate the project, and if you have the experience or knowledge for the scale of the project. By honestly answering those questions, you'll be better able to decide what's right for you.

When it comes to designing a new home, many people choose to buy a home from a developer, and make a few of the available customizations to the plans and selecting finishes. 

By hiring an architect, you get a custom home designed for you and your specific desires and needs. An architect is skilled in making the best use of the unique features of your property, natural and artificial light, space, and materials to create a home that fits you and your lifestyle, now and in the future. 

One of the greatest risks of working on a new home without an architect, is making costly and time-consuming mistakes, running into delays caused by unexpected construction revisions, and living with results that don't work for you. 

Your architect can also do regular site visits and report on the construction progress of your home. Think of your architect as your watchful eyes and clear voice on the project site. By staying engaged throughout the process, your architect is able to answer questions that come up during the build and help guide the project so the finished result is built to match your design plan. This level of service is especially helpful if you are not able to be on-site yourself. 

While our architects focus on the spatial planning, layout, structural features, lighting design, and custom-designed finishes of your home, our interior designers focus on the fixed elements, such as integrated lighting, flooring and wall tiles, countertop, cabinetry, and appliances.

Interior designers are trained to understand the function, flow of movement, and the layout of every room in your home, and the permanent fixtures and materials that provide the needed function and desired beauty. 

Interior decorators focus solely on decorative elements like artwork, decór, “soft” items like curtains and pillows — layering on the accessories that complete the look and feel of your home. While we do not provide these  decorating services, we can refer you to someone who can help.

Our architects work with our interior designers from the start to help streamline communication, minimize delays, balance the needs of budgets and timelines, and most of all, provide a complete and connected design solution for your home. 

If you have your own interior designer, we are happy to meet with them at the start of your project and explore how we can collaborate for you.

Our architects and interior designers rely on you to share your design tastes, preferences, needs, and desires—we don't want to impose design solutions on you. 

We also rely on your budget parameters, feedback, and updates to keep your project running smoothly. 

Above all, your honesty, openness, and clarity in decision-making are critical to successfully move through each step, from idea to completed home.