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MISSION STATEMENT
“Provide timely designs of new homes and additions that clients can understand and visualize meeting their needs, wants, and budget. Produce construction drawings that are accurate, buildable, and economical for builders and homeowners.”
To expand on how we accomplish our mission:
The designs focus on the clients’ needs, wants, layout (floor plan, room configuration, room usage, and traffic flow), interior features (lofts, stair cases, fireplaces, and built-ins), exterior style and features, and budget.
The construction drawings are to a level of detail that ensure the project can be constructed accurately and economically.
Our services are provided to the homeowner, builder, and developer who are constructing a new home, an addition to an existing home, or undertaking a major remodeling project.
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OUR GOALS
At Residential Creations, we live by four goals:
- Every project will maintain or create the character and style of the original home, surrounding area or neighborhood. No project will look like an added-on box or a misfit.
- Our clients will always understand and be able to visualize their completed project. They will never say, "I didn't know it would look like this."
- We will review various options and choices, the “what ifs”, during the concept development . Our clients will never say, “I wonder what it would have looked like if we did this.”
- All projects are designed with the client setting the budget, not the design driving the budget.
The way we accomplish our goals is by listening to the client, making sure we understand their needs, wants, and budget.
Our services ensure that the residential construction projects will be successful, from pre-planning through completion. A very important part of any construction project is the up-front planning and design. This is when the needs, wants, constraints, and budgets are defined. Without performing detailed planning in any of these areas, a project will lead to disappointing results.
Most clients do not know exactly what they want or even what is possible. To complete a plan and design many questions must be answered. It is our job to know the questions to ask. We know how to obtain the answers, whether it is totally understanding the client, or working with local government, suppliers, contractors, and engineering. We will ensure there are no surprises. As we ask the questions and obtain the answers, the design is developed. Only then are we ready to produce the construction plans.
The development of the concept design drawings and owner review drawings is a progressive process. Multiple designs will be presented and modified, based on owner input, to develop the final concept plans which incorporate the best ideas of all recommendations. Once the homeowner decides on the concept floor plan, elevation and option (or variations of) the construction plans will be drawn to the selected options.
The constructions drawings are clear and concise with all of the information required for obtaining bids, getting permits and construction. We provide engineering calculations for all unique structural situations.
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FEATURES AND BENEFITS
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Working with a single project manager: When working with Residential Creations, you have a single contact, Ronald Cole (the owner) assigned to the project. He follows the project from the initial sales contact to the delivery of the construction drawings and provide services during construction. This eliminates confusion, misunderstanding, and ensures a smooth handoff from one phase of the process to the next.
- Visualization of designs: Residential Creations uses the latest software that produces three dimensional renderings of the designs that are created. This enables the client to understand and visualize the appearance and functionally of the design. In the renderings and concept plans, we can even show furniture the client will be using in the finished project!
- Firm price for services: The proposal for services and deliverables is a price based on the square footage of the finished home for new homes, and a firm fixed price for additions and major remodeling projects. This allows the client to establish a firm budget for the project. This differs from some design and architectural firms which provide pricing based on a per hour cost, with total costs unknown at the start.
- Economics of services: Residential Creations is able to provide services at a cost lower than the industrial average by keeping overhead down, and using the latest tools and software to ensure high efficiency.
- Flexibility: Residential Creations understands the demands on our clients’ time and family priorities. We meet our clients at the times that fit their schedule (day, evening, night, or weekends). We conduct our meetings at our office, their home, or a location of choice. We are able to handle projects with out of state clients completely by fax, e-mail, and UPS.
- Unique Designs: We visit model homes (in and out of state), trade shows, and study the latest in design. We develop designs that exceed the expectations and imagination of our clients. The finished project will be unique and personal.
- Engineered solutions to structural challenges: With our structural engineering background, we offer solutions to structural challenges. This allows designs and features that most designers are not capable of offering
- Understanding residential construction: Ronald Cole, owner of Residential Creations, is a licensed builder. We work with a network of builders, trade companies, and suppliers. We understand and produce designs that are the most economical to construct.
- During-construction support: As part of our service, we provide during-construction support. We review bids and proposals that our clients solicit from builders, trades, and suppliers. Our understanding
of construction enables us to answer questions and provide recommendation during the construction phase of a project.
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COMPARING DIFFERENT SOURCES OF DESIGN SERVICES
Stock plans:
Stock Plans (house plan books and periodical) are available from bookstores, and the internet. There are numerous problems inherent in using stock plans:
- Most stock house plans are not returnable
- Most building departments will not issue a permit for a stock house plan. The plans are generic and do not reflect the requirements of your local building department or actual building site.
- Most stock house plans are not updated to meet the latest building codes for your area.
- Stock house plans do not consider the restrictions and zoning requirements of your property. You need to know easements, setbacks, lot fill (maximum size of building footprint), and maximum building height (and how measured) for your lot. This will determine if the plan you want can be built on your property.
- The stock plans vary in the level of detail. While some companies may give you a good overall picture and lack the detail required to build or purchase materials for your home. Many stock plans will not size framing or foundation members.
- Most “Stock House Plans” are as shown. If you want things changed, you will have either to pay the plan company or hire a firm like “Residential Creations” to develop a plan that meets your needs, wants, and budget.
- Unless you purchase a “Reproducible” set of prints it is not legal for you, or anyone to copy the prints you purchased. It is not legal to use a set of prints to build more then one home.
- Stock plans do not supply options of construction. (roof trusses vs. conventional framing, engineered lumber vs. conventional framing materials, energy efficient vs. standard construction…)
Builders offering design/build services:
Using this method puts you at the disadvantage of not allowing competitive bids of your project. A design/build price for a project is generally subject to allowances for undefined parts of your project (cabinets, floor coverings, exterior siding, or brick, electrical…). This frequently leads to cost overruns and the inability to lock in a fixed price at the start of the project. The design/build contractor is not offering the latest and best design solutions. The design/build firm makes its money and has its expertise in building, not designing.
Builders that direct you to a specific designer or architect:
The builder may not have your best interest in mind. A builder that has a designer or architect working on staff, with the builder being your main or only point of contact, is looking out for his best interest, not yours. He is leading the design, rather than the client’s needs or wants leading the design. This is one way for a builder to maximize his profit.
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CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY
- We will ensure the final design created by the client/Residential Creations team meets the client’s needs, desires, and budget.
- We will revise drawings, at no cost, for most issues raised and/or required by the local municipality Plan Review.
- We will review and recommend solutions, at no cost, for issues raised during construction. This includes coordinating with owner, builder, and contractors.
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