What does AIA mean?

AIA stands for the American Institute of Architects.  When you see the abbreviation AIA after an individual’s name, it means they are a licensed architect and a member of the AIA.  Being a member of the AIA means an architect adheres to a high level of professional conduct & standards, performs continuing education to stay on top of the latest design and building concepts and keeps their clients best interest in mind.  We encourage you to visit the AIA's website (www.aia.org) for lots of resources and information regarding the profession of architecture.

what type of projects do you do?

Our architectural practice is a general practice.  We provide architectural services for distinctive residential projects and small to medium sized commercial projects. We take on projects which we believe are a good fit for us and where we share the same project goals as the client.  We have worked for contractors, developers, nonprofit organizations, restaurant owners, business owners and home owners.

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC DESIGN STYLE?

While we have architectural design styles we favor, our goal is to give our clients the design style they want while working within their budget.

where are your projects located?

We are licensed in the state of Virginia, so theoretically we could do a project anywhere in the state of Virginia.  Fee dictates how far geographically from our office we can service a project.  Most of our projects are located within about 1-1/2 hour driver or 100 miles of Richmond, VA.

how do you set your fees?

Because every client, project type and level of services are different, not one fee structure fits every project.  We tailor our fees based on the client’s needs and wants, project type, scope of services, etc.  Generally our fee is based on one of the following fee structures: 1) Percentage of construction cost, 2) Cost per square foot, 3) Flat Fee or 4) Hourly not to exceed.

 “What’s your fee rate?” is nearly impossible to answer over the phone or email.  Before providing a fee quote we meet with a prospective client and ask lots of questions to get a thorough understanding of the project.

are your fees expensive?

Our fees are very competitive with other firms which work on similar project types and provide comparable services. We have found many times the difference in the cost between the high and low bid for a project more than covers the architect’s fee.

do you offer a free initial consultation?

After speaking with a prospective client over the phone and we feel we might be a good fit for their project, we will provide a brief free initial consultation.  However, we encourage prospective clients to consider our “Needs and Options Analysis” low commitment consultation.  Our "Needs and Options Analysis" system will help you determine all the spaces and features that will be incorporated into your project, and square footage for each space and the overall square footage of your project.   This is an important step because construction cost is a function of square footage and the features incorporated into your project.  The fee for this services varies depending on the size of the project and its complexity.  Contact us to find our more about our "Needs and Options Analysis" system to jump start your project.  

is hiring an architect going to make my project cost more?

No.  We understand most clients do not have the luxury of doing a project where money is no object.  Being honest with us in the beginning of a project about what your budget requirements are will allow us to be better equipped to assist you.  We help our clients save money by getting more out of less space, suggesting cost saving strategies and reducing costly change orders.  Changes made on paper are cheaper than changes made during construction.  All of our projects have very different budget requirements; however all of them are well planned and thoroughly thought out.  Planning is key; a well-designed project saves headaches, time and money.