At Craig Herrmann Design, we break up our projects into phases. To review the list of phases again, see our first post. The first phase, described here, is called Project Information (PI). This is when we create our proposal for your project. This phase doesn’t necessarily have design related services associated with it, but it is the framework to keeping the project organized and running smoothly. It is our foundation (pun intended).

Pieces Of The Puzzle

When I first meet with a prospective client, we both have a lot of questions for each other. I try to help the homeowner organize their thoughts as they share information with us. Usually at the early stage of the game, the homeowner might not have anything written down or gathered. If this is the case, I write down the answers as a starting point for both of us. These answers help to generate the scope of work for the project.

Much of the information I need to start working the proposal is readily available. When you purchased your house, the information became public record. If a prospective client has most of this data, I know they have their head in the game and have done some homework. They have gathered the pieces and now the puzzle starts to take shape.

It All Starts Here

It is within this phase that we generate our proposal for you. We need to make sure we have all the correct information for the site, what it is that you are wishing to build and how much the construction might cost. Once this information is gathered, we generate a proposal that outlines the entire scope of work for the whole project, what will happen within  each phase of the project, and how much each phase will cost to complete.

After the proposal is signed, the client releases us to start the project. This phase stays open throughout the length of the project and we use it as a central location to collect all project-related information. All initial contact information, the proposal, invoices and change orders are the types of documents that are generated in the phase and they are all shared with you, the client.

If you’ve done a project on your house, what were the first things you did before contacting a designer or a builder? If you are hoping to do a project, what information have you gathered?