At Osmosis Architecture, we specialize in residential design and design-build services for custom homes in Colorado. When it comes to designing a custom home, our process is designed to make the experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible.
Our process starts with an initial meeting or consultation, during which we discuss your vision and needs, as well as the budget and timeline for your project. We like to include a representative from a builder during this meeting, as we believe that getting a builder on board as early as possible is key to the success of a custom home project. This allows for an open communication and collaboration, and the builder can provide insight and knowledge on constructability, costs and schedule.
Projects moving forward from an initial meeting can begin to look more closely to the selected site. Factors such as topography, orientation, views, access to sunlight and natural ventilation, zoning setbacks, and bulk planes determined by the local municipality may all need to be considered. It's important to understand that the specific characteristics of the site will affect the design of the home. On infill sites, the zoning setbacks and bulk planes will constrict the design, however, on larger sites, we take into consideration natural elements such as views, access and weather patterns, to make the design more harmonious with the surroundings.
When we’ve looked over the site, we move on to the schematic design phase. During this phase, we work closely with you to develop a design concept that incorporates your dream and meets your needs. This includes floor plans and elevations. When initial designs are agreed on the design can move into Design Development where they are finer-tuned and an exterior model/rendering is provided for feedback.
When the design is finalized, we prepare the construction documents, which include plans, elevations, and details for the construction of your custom home. These documents will be used by the builder to price the project and construct your home. During this phase a structural engineer will develop a structural set for the design, as well as a mechanical system will be sized and designed. Other trades that will likely be working on designs at this time may include, Energy rater if required, civil engineering depending on site requirements, landscape architect/designer, interior designer.
With the design and construction documents finalized, permit sets can be submitted. With municipal approval, construction can begin. During the construction phase, we will work with the builder to ensure that the project is built in accordance with the plans and specifications, conducting regular check-ins and progress meetings to monitor the progress and make any necessary adjustments.
At Osmosis Architecture, we understand the complexity of designing and building a custom home, that's why we have designed our process to make the experience as seamless and enjoyable as possible. By getting a builder on board as early as possible, we can ensure open communication.
Interested in learning more about building your dream home? Head over to our "Start Your Project" page, where you'll find a list of all our resource blogs and a place to tell us about your project.
Osmosis Architecture design process:
1) Initial meeting/consultation
2) Schematic design, initial plans for home
3) Design Development, may include rendering
4) Construction Documents, details and sections
5) Permit (with builder)
6) Construction (with builder)