How Do I Get Started?

As owner, you bring a great deal to your project --. knowledge, experience, needs, desires, aspirations, as well as biases.  You also bring the resources to realize your expectations.

Every owner, however, starts in a different place.  Some have had vast experience with design and construction-, they know what they want and how to go about getting it.  Many owners have much less experience.

Whatever your situation, it makes sense to begin with some self-examination to assess what you already know about your project and what you will establish with your architect's help.  The questions outlined here can be used as a guide.

You don't need firm or complete answers to these questions at this point.  Indeed, your architect will help you think them through.  A general understanding of where you are, however, will help you select the best architect for the project.

• What activities do you expect to house in the project?  Are you ready to translate these activities into specific spaces and squarefootage areas, or will the "program" emerge in working with the architect? o Has a site been established, or is this decision, too, a subject of investigation with the architect?

• Have you, or perhaps others, fixed a construction schedule or budget?

• What are your design aspirations?  What thought have you given to the design quality or amenity you are seeking in this project?

• What are your overall expectations from this project?  What are your basic motivations as a client, and what role does this project play in achieving your overall aims?

• How do you make decisions?  Will a single person sign off on recommendations?  Are committees necessary?

• How much information do you need to make decisions?  Do you require a lot of detail?

• How bold do you expect to be?  Do you wish to push design or technology to the limit?  Is the project experimental?

• Do you have the resources to do this project?  Where will they come from, and what strings may be attached?

• How much experience do you have in design and building?  Have you done this before?  If so, where have you been successful, and where were you disappointed?