Luxury home design architecture is a dynamic process for the development of residential house plans for construction.
It requires the vetting and commissioning of a house contractor, architect, and structural engineer to collaborate in bringing to life their client’s dream.
For the owner, the selection of the design team, the actual architectural process, and preparation for the construction of a luxury home is the end goal of the architectural development process.
The architectural luxury home design process is an exciting journey for the client but can be challenging if the owner doesn’t surround themselves with trusted and talented professionals.
Issues like over designing the construction budget and not being capable how of reading house plans can cause a great deal of misunderstanding and added cost.
This article will provide some insights into the luxury home design process in an orderly procedure for you to get the most from it.
From selecting the members of your design team to preparing your wish and needs list, the owner’s active role in the architectural process is essential in achieving the desired results of a home design.
Learn the required activities for an efficient luxury home design process
Summary of the Luxury Home Design Process
- Select a House Contractor
- Select an Architect
- Selecting a Home Building Lot
- Choose an Architectural Design
- Develop a Wish and Needs List
- Arrange Construction Financing
Select a House Contractor
Selecting an experienced house contractor early in the design process is key to avoiding process missteps, required major redesigns, and increased costs.
A seasoned house contractor should be properly vetted and become a trusted adviser through the architectural process and construction.
During the architectural phase, the house contractor provides invaluable insights for tasks such as selecting a building lot, cost-effective construction solutions, and constructability issues.
Through collaboration with the architect, the house contractor can bridge a vital gap that exists in the traditional home architectural process.
Architects are schooled and trained to understand home plans and construction standards for acceptable best practices.
They frequently lack the direct construction cost experience and relevant real-world onsite construction knowledge to skillfully contribute to the construction budget.
As a general rule, architects do not have a good knowledge base for the method and means of developing construction costs on various architectural features.
They generally understand that the price of a special feature is more expensive than a more common design feature, but often feel it is not important to know the cost.
Hence the house contractor can contribute to the architectural process of the construction means and methods of mechanically building special features from the luxury home design.
The architects’ priorities are commonly form, function, and the aesthetic value.
A seasoned house contractor can complement the strengths of an architect through collaboration by providing positive and constructive feedback during the architectural development phase.
Select an Architect
It is balancing the artistic interruption of the luxury home design function with an inspiring form that measures the brilliance of an architect.
Selecting an architect takes the same amount of effort and due diligence as hiring your house contractor.
Studying an architect’s work is the first key step in creating a short list of qualified candidates.
You should be able to make a connection with an architect’s portfolio. Much like artwork, architectural design should speak to you on many levels.
Once you have created a short list of talented architects it’s time to determine the working relationship fit.
When it comes to recognizing a good working relationship with an architect, it is not always immediately clear that one architect is a better fit than another.
The owner must ask open ended questions that allow for a spirited conversation. You want an architect that will take issue with you if you ask them to create a design feature that could be problematic.
You want an architect that understands the lifestyle you have shared and will stay focused on delivering that vision.
In addition, an architect should be able to collaborate with other design team members in a professional working manner.
Can they take constructive suggestions and interact within a team setting without wearing their emotions on their sleeve?
Architects are artists at their very core and it is this trait that makes them creative in their field.
Balancing this artist’s drive with the practical application of good design principles serves the client’s best interest.
Selecting a Home Building Lot
Many owners will purchase a building lot before they hire a design team. This is due to the length of time it takes to find that special home site.
If a home site is not selected when the owner begins assembling a design team, these members can contribute to the due diligence process of purchasing the property.
A house contractor can assist the owner with understanding the required site development cost like bringing the lot to grade or tree removal and drainage structures.
They can also be useful in planning the placement of the driveway, building pad, and determining the route for the required utilities.
In Houston, it is essential to understand the proposed finish floor elevation due to the potential flooding issues.
The building contractor can guide the owner through the methods to avoid this.
The architect and the builder can also assist in advising the owner in the architectural home design selection.
Many Houston home developments have restrictive covenants called deed restrictions. The covenants act as neighborhood zoning rules.
Deed restrictions establish the general standards for items such as setback lines, maximum heights of the house, and the minimum home size allowed to be constructed.
In most cases, it is required to submit the luxury home design to an architectural review committee (ARC) prior to submitting the construction documents to the city for a building permit.
The ARC acts as a compliance authority for them during their review of the home plans.
Understanding and implementing these conditions early can avoid loss of time and money during the architectural development phase.
Choose an Architectural Design
Choosing an architectural design and floor plan is a very personal choice that can be influenced by many things.
The primary driver is the owner’s vision of their future luxury home. How many members are in the family and how do they intend to use the space?
Understanding the owner’s lifestyle is critical to planning a functional floor plan that will serve their needs.
Other influences that define the architectural house elevation plans are the other surrounding homes and the relevant deed restrictions.
As we have mentioned, many of the community deed restrictions require that the house plans are submitted to the Architectural Review Committee for approval as a condition of receiving a building permit.
The ARC for each community varies dramatically in its restrictions and enforcement.
So, it is important to clearly understand when purchasing a building lot that the deed restrictions do not limit or conflict with your intended design.
The architectural exterior has an influence on the interior design of the house. It is commonly the best architectural practice to carry the exterior theme to the interior.
This consistency creates authenticity in the architectural house design.
Develop a Wish and Needs List
In order for the owners to effectively contribute and communicate their ideas to the team they need to do their homework in preparation to provide the team with some direction.
This consists of identifying items that you will require in your house plans. These items are things like ceiling heights, room sizes, living space needs, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, etc…
In addition to the general floor plan requirements, the owner should collect photo images of products, architectural themes, features, and color schemes.
This is the time to list the many wants that you have always desired. You can use the design team to qualify or disqualify the feasibility of your wants during the architectural development process.
The architectural process requires the owners to be diligent early in each step of creating the home plans.
It is essential that the owner hire trusted and competent professionals to assist them in a collaborative effort to create blueprints for construction.
The owner aligning their interest with their development team will lead to a successful home construction project.
Arrange Construction Financing
Although the arranging of construction financing is not commonly discussed during the architectural phase, it is an essential matter that requires the owner’s attention as so as possible when building a house.
There are usually two steps in arranging construction financing.
The first step is prequalifying for a mortgage and an amount to target for your preliminary construction budget.
The second step is submitting your finished luxury home plans to the lender to finalize the construction loan financing.
The lender will require you to provide them with a construction contract of the house contractor and his payment schedule to actually complete the lending process.
Conclusion
The luxury home design process can be the most exciting stage of the home building journey for an owner.
They are required to place their trust in the professionals that surround them during the architectural process.
Understanding the process and each professional’s roles and responsibilities is essential to a smooth-running design development.
This also allows the professionals the empowerment to properly interact and execute in the owner’s interest.
