Custom Home Design Architect Questions Answered!

1. How much would architect design fees be for a 3br/3ba off-grid home in rural Central California?

   My husband and I are planning on building a second home on a very long-term basis. This home will most likely be where we'll retire to. We'll have to do this in stages for financial reasons. We're planning on buying a large piece of rural property, and having a well-planned, mostly-to-fully off-grid home designed that is simple but beautiful and not too large (between 1800sf - 2400sf). We'd love to do a prefab, but, depending on the nature of the land, it might have to be a custom design. I just have no clue as to what architectural fees could be. Thanks for any feedback on this.

2. How much does it cost to hire an architect to custom build a home?

   I am looking into eventually custom building a home, and I have read in a few sources that to get the unique kind of designs I am looking at I will have to hire an architect. Whats a rough estimate on how much they cost for a residential project?

3. Designing custom home?

   i have a meeting with my architect tomorrow and im trying to figure the correct name for a certain room. im designing a traditional center hall home. in a lot of older homes when you walk in the front door, you are in a small room and there are another set of front doors which lead to a foyer. i hope im making this clear. do you know what this small room is called?

4. When purchasing land to build a custom home what precautionary steps should be taken?How do you find builders?

   My wife and I are looking to build our dream home and need more information about buying land and finding a custom home builder. We need to know all the steps in purchasing the land and the necessary steps needed before building. Also, we would love to find out about some excellent home builders/contractors others have worked with to build their custom home in the gta. Did you sit down with an architect to design your home? How much will it cost approx per square foot to build the home? What are some of the costs to get the land ready to build? Thanks for the help.

5. Would you hire this architect?

   I am in the midst of planning to build a custom home for my family and am considering hiring Dominick Tringali Architects as the architect for the home design. Has anyone ever used their service? Check them out at www.dtarchitects.com.

6. Desperately seeking architect/website for small,inexpensive.functional,budgeted home for retired couple.?

   Most websites specialize in "custom design" We just want small, functional home. Most designs we visit are all the same! We are on strict budget and have ideas, that feel we could include in basic type. You have to feel the "vibe" , would like something different than everyone else has, and love a round house which we have seen on the interent The manufacturere is on wrong side of the USA to make cost efficient to ship materials. We plan to relocate in Washington State.. We are looking for websites or any assistance that can come our way.

7. Where can I find free used magazines...?

   I am looking for anything related to architect, house designs, house plans, wood projects, home designing magazines or books. I can not afford subcriptions and I would love to take old to new magazines/books in good condition for my interest, but where can I find them? I tried posting on Craigslist, and no luck Some of the magazines that I am interested are: Architectural Digest Dwell Residential Architect Fine Homebuilding Custom Home Remodeling Interior Design Architecture Week Architecture House Beautiful This Old House Fine Woodworking I am also looking for any books including house plans, style of homes, modern buildings, styles of architecture and more. I also perfers bigger lots of magazines/books to make it worth the trip.

8. How to be and entreprenuer in the custom home building industry?

   I am currently enrolled @ the University of Texas at Austin and I am going to major in Architecture. The degree teaches me how to design buildings on a large scale and small ones such as residential housing and sets me up to get licensed to be an architect to work in an architect firm. But I want to open up my own custom home building business, not work for a firm making a measley $50,000 a year. Does anyone know how I can become a entreprenuer in building custom homes. I want to do everything, such as laying the foundation, framing, designing the building, and landscape. What do I do to make my career dream come true? Please, only knowledgeable inquires only. Thank you!

9. Architect Questions?

   Ive got a few questions on becoming an architect. 1. I want to start my own firm but was wondering if I should start my career in an architectural firm, gain experience, then set out on my own or should I go ahead and set up my own firm right away. 2. I want be a home designer and do only custom designed homes for clients. What city is best to move to for upscale $1 million+ homes. 3. How much can I expect to make from what Ive already said.

10. How can My business be advertise in the local yellow page and internationally.?

    Locally in the areas of Building Designer, Home Design and Planning, Drafting Services, Custom Residence. And Internationally in the Architect area.

11. Someone who is able to give a definite answer: Do we owe them for the "plans"?

    We are in the process of building a custom home. We came up with the design of the house ourselves (my husband is a Structural Engineer). Anyway, we were initially going to go with a particular builder who said they could do it for XX dollars. We gave them our design, they gave it to their architect to draw up. He did. Long story short, we have decided NOT to go with this builder because in the three months that we have been dealing with them, their price has continually changed (ie: price per square foot went up $47!!). Each visit, they tell us something different. They are now trying to tell us we owe them $4600 for the plans (it was initally $2500). We do not have a contract with them. Do we owe them for the plans?

12. Dose anyone have any idea of rough estimate fees from engineers in Southern California?

    I'm planning to design & build a log cabin in Southern California; with residential characteristics in the project; wondering if anyone with first hand expirience knows of engineer fees: such as fees from Electrical, Plumbing, & Stuctural Engineers; in as far as plan reviews/drawings/cunsulting fees/paper work: I will be drawing the plans myself; they need to cordinate w/ my plans (I'm an architectural draftsman; using CAD) & I will cordinate w/my logging company's log plans; wanting to leave the architect out of my venture. Plans: 1600-2010 square feet; two story, 2 ded, 2 bath. My request based on design aspects of the engineers; not the building/construction portion: aiming to shoot for a custom log home that needs to go thru the/my City/County. Any advice, tips, or shortcuts anyone can give me I would really appriciate it. Thanks.

13. Where can I find free used magazines...?

    I am looking for anything related to architect, house designs, house plans, wood projects, home designing magazines or books. I can not afford subcriptions and I would love to take old to new magazines/books in good condition for my interest, but where can I find them? I tried posting on Craigslist, and no luck Some of the magazines that I am interested are: Architectural Digest Dwell Residential Architect Fine Homebuilding Custom Home Remodeling Interior Design Architecture Week Architecture House Beautiful This Old House Fine Woodworking I am also looking for any books including house plans, style of homes, modern buildings, styles of architecture and more. I also perfers bigger lots of magazines/books to make it worth the trip. I mean where can I find it, and take a lot of magazines, that will be mine to keep, not return the magazines to the libary or somewhere else...