Collaborate with an architect to develop detailed floor plans and refine the design to fit your vision and budget. Receive a preliminary cost estimate and confirm readiness to move forward with a construction agreement and project deposit.
Finalize Initial Plans with the Architect
Select an Architect (InVita's or Your Own)
Review Preliminary Plans
Obtain a Preliminary Cost Estimate
Timeframe: 3-6 Weeks
Select an Architect (InVita's or Your Own)
The right architect brings creativity, precision, and practicality to your custom home. Whether you work with InVita’s in-house team or choose your own architect, this relationship will drive the design process.
- Evaluate Compatibility: Choose an architect whose style aligns with your vision. Review their portfolio and ask about their experience with custom residential projects.
- Establish Clear Goals: Share your ideas and priorities early, including any must-have features or design elements. This helps your architect understand your preferences and create a design that fits your lifestyle.
- Set Boundaries: Be upfront about your budget and timeline. A good architect will design within your financial framework while finding creative ways to maximize value.
Pro Tip
Schedule an initial meeting with two or three architects to find the one you feel most comfortable working with. Communication and collaboration are key to a successful partnership.
Review Preliminary Plans
After your initial meetings, your architect will draft preliminary plans. These plans are an outline of your home’s layout, size, and design.
- Check for Alignment: Review the plans carefully to ensure they match your vision. Walk through the layout mentally, imagining how each space will function.
- Focus on Details: Pay attention to room sizes, storage spaces, and flow between areas. Small adjustments now can have a big impact on how the home feels once built.
- Collaborate on Changes: Discuss any revisions with your architect. Don’t hesitate to ask for adjustments—this is the time to refine the design, not during construction.
Pro Tip
Involve your builder in this step. Their expertise can help identify practical issues, like whether a particular layout will be more costly to build or require special materials.
Obtain a Preliminary Cost Estimate
Once your plans are refined, it’s time to discuss costs. This step ensures the design aligns with your financial goals.
- Work with Your Builder: InVita Homes will provide a preliminary cost estimate based on the plans and your chosen finishes. This estimate covers construction costs and helps you understand how your choices impact the overall budget.
- Prioritize Key Features: If the estimate exceeds your budget, work with your architect and builder to adjust the design. For example, scaling back on square footage or simplifying certain elements can help bring costs down.
- Secure the Deposit: At this stage, InVita Homes typically requires a $10,000 deposit to secure your project. This amount will be applied to the total construction cost.
Pro Tip
Don’t wait until later phases to address cost concerns. Resolving them now avoids delays and ensures your plans stay on track.
Key Takeaways
Finalizing your initial plans with an architect is a collaborative process that sets the stage for every decision that follows. This is where your vision takes on structure and form, transforming abstract ideas into a concrete plan for your future home. Careful attention to detail at this stage ensures your home will meet your needs, fit your property, and stay within your budget. By working closely with your architect and builder, you’ll create a plan that balances creativity and practicality, ready to move forward into the permitting and preparation stages.
Resources
Architect Meeting Checklist
This checklist directly addresses the process of working with an architect. It covers preparing ideas, reviewing documents, discussing design elements, addressing practical considerations, and setting communication expectations—all crucial for finalizing plans. It helps you prepare for meetings with the architect, ensuring they are productive and focused.
Open Architect Meeting ChecklistInitial Plan and Design Consultation Worksheet
This worksheet is specifically designed to help you organize their ideas and preferences before heading to the architect. It covers all the key areas including general home preferences, room-by-room priorities, additional spaces, design and finishing styles, and budget considerations.
Open Initial Plan and Design Consultation Worksheet