On high end projects you will be adding a landscape Architect or designer into the mix. The GC can explain how steep any slopes will be as well as where the water will flow. The goal is to balance the lot to were nothing is hauled off or brought in (not always possible).
Now a good GC will be able to see if modifing the site plan can save you money or improve the appearance of your home, For example raising the basement floor height could save you thousands in excavation and dirt removal cost. The house will be designed or modified to fit. The site engineer will send a suryeor out to do a topicigraphical survey and mark the building area on the lot for the Architect or designer. In most areas you will need the following an Architect or designer, a structural engineer, and a site engineer. Building a home is stressfull at best so make sure you can communicate well with your team. Be as speciffic on what you want in your home as you can, even the little things. State to state and county by county codes and regulations change so hire local. A good GC (general contractor/builder) will have a better hand on cost to build and ways to control cost. Not many are willing to take the time to walk you through the process from begining to end but that's the Gem your looking for. A good experienced local builder is the key to a smooth build. Most in town lots have restrictions that you should be aware of before you purchase. House shapes can be dictated by lot size and shape. Is the area or land more important than the house design? Walk out basements don't work on flat or lots that slope to the front. As a home owner you have to decide what is important to you before you buy the land. First and formost remember you are hiring a person not a tittle. There have been some excellent points made here. Just starting to think about what I want to do when I retire! (I know, there's more to being a KD than just designing kitchens like we do here on GW - there's the whole "project" aspect - that's why I'm thinking about it!) That's a few years from now, so who knows what I will end up doing. I am also toying with the idea of becoming NKBA-certified and becoming a KD when I retire b/c I enjoy designing kitchens.
(I've seen three of their plans so far - two from their contractor and one from a Cabinet Discounters - and I so hope they don't use those.what are those people thinking?) Their contractor gave them 3D views, so I thought I'd do the same. What prompted me to do it NOW, though, is that a friend asked me to work up a plan for their kitchen. So many people seem to be 3D visually oriented so I thought it would be helpful. OldBat2 - general GW use! While I've been using PowerPoint for years, I thought it might be nice if I can become proficient in a design product so I can use it quickly here and be able to show people what the design would look like.
#HOME DESIGNER SUITE 2014 FREE HOW TO#
I'm still struggling with things like how to get a sink bigger than 24", how to make a plate rack with no doors, etc., but I will eventually get there! Update: I purchased Architectural and am learning how to use it.