February 2020 – Your Custom Home Design

The Three Phases of Your Design Process

Design and construction documents for permit are created through a three phase drawing program. Each phase is independent of each other in both scope and in cost. An designer may be responsible for one, two or all three phases, with other architects being used to draw what remains. All three need to be completed to form a final construction document’s package that will illustrate your desires and dream. A complete set provides you total control of the construction process and mitigates the possibility of missing decision points that then are made by sub-contractors and contractors possibly without proper notice. Complete sets alleviate concerns by building departments, planning departments, fire departments and ARC committees that details in the drawings have been thought through.

When some items are not drawn or specified in the final phase drawing set, a change-order requisition could be made by the contractor. Any change order will raise the final cost of your home, and delay the move-in date. Care should always be taken to ensure that all elements of your dream are covered and detailed thoroughly. The three phases of preparing drawings is listed here describing what each is to accomplish in the process:

Phase One – Preliminary Design Phase

Helps to coordinate overall design between yourself and those that have jurisdiction over development of the site.
Helps determine, at sketch level, a broad viewpoint of your dream on paper.
Your other design team members give broad advise with little detail at this point
Develops the overall dream.
Determines the style of your home.
Determines minimum room sizes and their needs.
Determines if any special needs exist such as handicap issues.
Determines your wants verses dislikes.
Coordinates all issues regarding the lot with your dream.
Lot is surveyed by licensed surveyor and prepared for a site plan.
Geotechnical Soil report made by licensed soil engineer for the next phase.

Phase Two – Schematic or Permit Design Phase

Creates drawings that are used for submitting to Architectural Control Committees, building and planning departments.
Your design team develops construction details for your permit package.
Your decisions about exterior details, aesthetics and finishes are finalized.
You will be meeting with all the other design team members to develop selections that will be shown in the phase three set. You should meet with the following design team members at length to determine major finish items;
1. Cabinetry designers to determine final cabinet layouts and design.
2. Interior decorators to determine flooring, wall and ceiling finishes.
3. Landscape designers to determine landscape arrangements and irrigation needs.
4. Hardware suppliers to determine door, cabinet, bath, fireplace hardware.
5. Plumbing suppliers to determine tubs, sinks, stools, faucets, gas piping and meter needs.
6. HVAC installers to determine heating and cooling items, duct needs, gas meter, and other environmental issues.
7. Electrical installer to determine electrical needs, wiring, low voltage, electrical meter and transformer issues.
8. Lighting suppliers to determine interior and exterior lighting, and compliance to exterior ARC requirements. Also to receive “cut sheets” for all lighting items.
9. Structural engineer to determine the upper structural and foundation design.
10. Window and door suppliers to determine those items and their rough opening dimensions. And also to determine compliance to codes and ARC requirements.
11. Exterior finish suppliers to determine compliance to code and ARC requirements through acceptable details. And to acquire samples of all finishes for ARC and building department reviews.
12. Finish carpenters to determine all exterior and interior millwork and moldings.
13. Fireplace and wood stove suppliers to determine fireplaces, resolve any code issues, and ARC compliance.
14. Appliance suppliers to determine needs and space requirements of all installed appliances.
Structural drawings and engineering are incorporated into details and drawings. Includes mitigation designs for ground movement, ground swelling, sub-surface ground water issues, and issues regarding surface water penetrations.
Architectural Review Committee changes incorporated for final approval.
Structural engineer to review final phase 2 drawings and “wet stamp” appropriate pages for permit and construction.
State and health department approval documents secured for plumbing items such as septic fields and water wells.

Phase Three – Final Construction Documents

Designer or architect prepares final CAD based drawings for construction.
Integrates information developed from all your phase two meetings.
All drawings from the phase two schematic set included.
Creates final construction drawings for the general contractor to use.
Helps to create a hard cost determination and establishes who will be the contractor.

Gary Miller
Principal and Designer,
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

Code Required Inspections

Does the code require building inspections ?

Departments of Building Safety enforce the building code in two ways. The first enforcement comes at the time of permit submittal. The department reviews the drawings to see if the code is reflected in the proposed work. The second time the code is enforced is at inspections. According to the code, the permit holder or their representative needs to notify the building official that work has been completed to a point that needs an inspection.

The code specifies that a foundation inspection is done once all forms and reinforcement is in place prior to any pouring of concrete. I have known several municipalities who either allow or request that this inspection be completed by the structural engineer of record. When that is done, the engineer then creates a letter they sign, seal and submit to the building official for recording. I have seen in these cases that the inspections by the structural engineer of a foundation can happen in two phases; one at the time of pier or footing creation, the other at the forming of foundation walls. Check with your building official as to what they would like to have. Concrete is very unforgiving if your inspection is done to late or by the wrong person.

A “rough in” inspection of each mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems is to be done prior to a framing inspection according to the code. I have seen municipalities create two framing inspections. The first one prior to any of these systems being installed and the “final” framing inspection to be done at the same time the mechanical, plumbing and electrical inspections are done. The rough in inspection of these systems is basically all the pieces except for the finished items that are installed after drywall installation.

The code requires if your home is being built in a flood hazard area, that a registered design professional submit documents showing what the elevation is of the lowest floor, or basement floor.

The code requires frame and masonry inspections after all the mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems have passed their inspections. It is to be done after the roof, masonry, firestopping, draftstopping and bracing are in place. Again I have seen municipalities define this inspection differently with different items to be done or not done.

Because the inspections are the enforcement piece of the code, the code allows the building official to create a list of inspections as they feel is needed in order to see compliance.. The code does require a special inspection of any fire-resistance-rated construction such as a common wall between two units that are attached to each other.

Final inspection of the work is required just prior to occupancy once all the work is completed.

At each point of inspection, the work basically has to come to a halt until the inspection is done and the work done to that point is satisfactory to the building official. This is why it is important to make sure to have the work reviewed and corrections made before calling on a building official to make their inspection. If a building official notices things that are wrong, they will write it down. Then the contractor needs to correct the work and call for another inspection. Failing inspections can really disrupt a construction schedule. Especially those schedules that are tight to make certain deadlines happen. So, a word to the wise here. Do the work once, do it correct even if it takes time. You will appreciate not having to wait for return inspections just because something that takes a few minutes to correct stops the construction for a few days.

Therefore, understand that each Department of Building Safety may have a different list of inspections and what should be complete or not started at those times.

REF: 2012 IRC Section R109

Gary Miller
Principal and Designer,
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC

Permit Fees in the Code

What Does the Code Require in Permit Fees ?

Over the years since I began my practice in 1984, I have noticed that the fees associated with obtaining a building permit has increased. Some of that is to be expected as a result of inflation. But some has to do with what is now included in the fees.

The 2012 IRC does not allow any construction that is required to have a permit to commence without all fees being paid in full. (2012 IRC Section R108). In the past, there was a schedule of fees listed in the code. And so identical homes built in different locations incurred similar permit costs. This 2012 IRC code does not do that. It allows the fees to be created by the jurisdiction itself. The valuation with which a permit is based upon is to be for the value of the work under the permit, which will include both materials and labor. The fees may include other unrelated items. I have seen this as some municipalities have included fees for parks, emergency services, road improvements, and schools among other things. It is amazing to me what the final number usually turns out to be. And so the same identical home being built in different locations can have very different permit costs.

So a word to the wise. When looking to purchase a piece of ground for your dream, take time to visit the department of building safety that will issue the permits and find out what all the fees will be. This is certainly one of those items that can effect your dream of building a custom home.

Gary Miller
Principal and Designer,
Timbertree and Stonecastle Designs, LLC