How We Work
Before You Build (Preconstruction phase)
Site Analysis
Before you even buy your property, we can provide you with an analysis of the site. We look at build-ability, extra building costs, access and utility challenges, and exposure for passive solar gain.
Costing
While working with your architect, it is a good idea to get a feel for the construction costs before beginning the engineering and working drawings stage.
- The Master Planning Budget is a rough look at all the costs involved in the project before even preliminary plans are drawn.
- The Preliminary Estimate is developed after the preliminary plans are drawn. It is a fairly accurate picture of what your house will cost based on preliminary plans and selections. This estimate will be used to define the design and selections.
- The Final Estimate is based on firm bids from suppliers and sub contractors. This is where we make final decisions on many choices that will be included in your home.
Green Building Checklist
Please review the Green Building Checklist to get ideas about what will apply to your project. If you have ideas as to how to make your project more sustainable, please suggest them to us early in the Preconstruction phase. When we have your schematic plans ready, we will apply a checklist from SLO Green Build, which will give you a score as to how green your project really is.
Selections
Selections are all the choices of finishes and materials that will be included in your home such as plumbing fixtures, appliances, roofing, windows and doors, and floor coverings. From the preliminary plans, together we develop preliminary selections. These selections evolve during the final estimate into the final details and choices we include in your home.
Working Drawings
Your architect, or Semmes and Company in conjunction with an architect, will draw the working drawings. These drawings are the finished plans for your home that include structural and civil engineering. These plans are what we will need to obtain your building permit. We, along with the design architect, also provide this service
Permitting Process
Either your architect or Semmes and Company will package the plans and any reports (such as structural calculations, Title 24, and soils reports) and present them to the appropriate building and planning departments.
Environmental Building Systems Consulting
We specialize in green building, a holistic approach to the built environment including energy efficiency, resource conservation, and healthy indoor environments. We work with many design professionals to help include sustainable building practices and techniques in the building design. Many of these systems are blended with the architecture at the design stage. They would be impossible or very costly to include after the design is complete.
Contract signing
After negotiating the final design choices, allowances, and roles, we will “walk through” the plans and contract with you. We will go over each room in the house to ensure a clear understanding of the project and what is and what is not included in our proposal. At the point of signing the contract, we prefer to have all major decisions such as windows and doors, roofing, plumbing fixtures, appliances, and types of flooring completed.
We offer both a “Fixed Price’ contract and a “Cost Plus” arrangement. Although the Fixed Price is the preferred arrangement, on remodels and some very unusual, creative projects, or if the owner is providing part of the construction, we utilize a Cost Plus contract. With this agreement, each month we will review the status of the actual costs against the budget.
