Dreaming of building or remodeling a home from the ground up, but have no idea where to start?
Don’t worry — most homeowners feel that way.
There are definitely a lot of moving parts to understand during the architectural design process. But everything becomes simpler once you know what to expect…
And what happens at each stage of the process.
Whether building a custom home or doing a major renovation, knowing what to expect at each phase will save time, money, and serious headaches.
What You’ll Find Inside:
- What Are Custom Architectural Services?
- Phase 1: Initial Consultation & Programming
- Phase 2: Schematic Design
- Phase 3: Design Development
- Phase 4: Construction Documents
- Phase 5: Construction Administration
- What to Watch Out For
What Are Custom Architectural Services?
First thing’s first: custom architectural services aren’t a cookie cutter package.
Think of it more as a partnership between a professional architect and a homeowner. Throughout the process, architects will work with clients to design a home that fits their lifestyle, budget, and goals.
It’s completely different than buying an already-drawn floor plan online. Or handing complete control over to a contractor.
With custom architectural services, a home is designed around the homeowner and their family. Not the other way around.
And that really does make all the difference.
The right architects in Memphis will guide homeowners through every step of the building process — from day one until they officially move into their new home. Expect an architect to manage the project timeline, communicate with contractors, oversee permits, and fight for the client’s best interests at every stage.
Phase 1: Initial Consultation & Programming
Information gathering.
That’s what this phase is all about.
During the first few consultations with an architect, be prepared to answer questions about the project scope (new house? remodel? addition?), budget, timeline, style preferences, and how the space will be used daily. An architect will want to learn everything they can to best understand the client’s needs.
Don’t try to rush this process.
In architecture, sometimes the details really are everything. A good architect will ask a lot of questions early on. Take comfort in that. It means they’re going to design something customized to the homeowner’s needs — rather than taking a prefabricated floor plan and making slight modifications.
Phase 2: Schematic Design
Finally — some fun!
Architects do enjoy talking about details too. But this phase truly is where the fun begins.
Once they have a solid handle on the project, architects will develop the first rough draft of the design. The floor plan comes to life through sketches on paper. Site plans, initial layouts, and more.
The goal during schematic design is not perfection.
Instead, this phase is all about determining if the project is moving in the right direction. Expect to see 2-3 design concepts to hash through at this stage. Take time with them. Provide feedback on what works and what doesn’t about each option. Collaboration between the homeowner and architect leads to the best final results. Not to mention, it’s a lot easier to change design direction during schematic than later on down the road.
Phase 3: Design Development
If schematic design was exciting, this part takes things even further.
Design development takes that happy middle-ground schematic and starts pushing the details to the finish. Where windows and doors go. What materials will be used. Structural decisions. MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) coordination.
This stage really sets the stage (pun intended).
Decisions made during design development will directly impact the construction budget.
Making changes after design development will only slow down the process and cost more money. It’s worth spending the extra time here.
Phase 4: Construction Documents
This is where design meets reality.
Construction documents take the design developed in previous phases and turn it into a detailed set of drawings and specifications that a contractor can actually build. Permit applications are typically submitted during this phase as well.
Some homeowners feel the document-development phase is boring. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Carefully prepared construction documents allow contractors to accurately price and build the project — reducing changes, errors, and unexpected costs down the line. Leading architects use BIM technology to create construction documents that reduce project errors by up to 90% compared to traditional 2D drafting.
Phase 5: Construction Administration
This phase doesn’t always come up when discussing architectural services. But homeowners should know about it.
Once construction begins, architects aren’t quite finished with their job. During construction administration, architects will review contractor submittals and make site visits to ensure everything is being built as agreed upon.
Consider this quality control for homeowners.
Construction administration helps protect the project — and the investment — from start to finish.
Without architects on site, small mistakes can become big budget bites that aren’t discovered until move-in… or even worse, after moving in. Change orders are an unavoidable fact of construction. But they’re also more avoidable depending on the architect’s involvement during the build.
What to Watch Out For
A couple of things always surprise homeowners during their project. Keep these pitfalls in mind when navigating the architectural design process:
- Budget creep is a real risk. 76% of homeowners end up overspending on home remodeling projects. Cutting corners during the design process is the most common reason budgets are exceeded.
- Making changes after design development will slow the project and cost more money. Lock down the big stuff early.
- Don’t forget about permit wait times. Permit approvals can add weeks onto a project timeline. Plan for it ahead of time.
- Communication is critical. Set expectations with an architect early on to ensure everyone is on the same page each step of the way.
Let’s Wrap Things Up
If working with a qualified architect, the design process should look something like this:
- Phase 1: Initial Consultation — Define the project scope, budget, and overall goals
- Phase 2: Schematic Design — Establish the big ideas
- Phase 3: Design Development — Finalize the details
- Phase 4: Construction Documents — Prepare a full set of drawings and specs
- Phase 5: Construction Administration — Ensure build quality
Each phase plays a crucial role in delivering a successful project. And while this is the idealized process, things will get messy if homeowners aren’t involved every step of the way.
What makes the process of building a new home so complicated is not understanding what to do at every stage. When owners jump ahead without professional guidance, it only leads to confusion and wasted time.
That’s why having an architectural firm involved from the get-go is so important. A firm that takes the time to listen and understands what it means to provide custom architectural services.
A firm that won’t draw that first line until they’ve sat down, listened to what the client has to say — and truly understands the vision for the project.
The best results come from homeowners who know what to expect throughout the process. And who can identify when to speak up, ask questions, or otherwise roll up their sleeves and get involved.
Homeowners thinking about starting a project in the Memphis area can reach out to local architects to schedule a free consultation.