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Architectural Design Checklist - Residential

Project

What is your budget?

What is your Schedule?

Have you selected a Contractor?

  

Site

  1. Do you have a broker or an agent?
  2. Have you selected a site? If so is it under contract?
  3. In what city or municipality is the site located?
  4. Does the building have any historic significance or is it in a historic district?
  5. Is it in a floodplain or a floodway?
  6. Do you have a survey or site plan of this property?
  7. Are you looking to do a renovation, addition or new construction?
  8. What is the buildable area?
  9. Is there a preferred building orientation?
  10. Are there any special site features you want to take advantage of? (Views, topography, vegetation, caves, trees, etc.)
  11. Are there any specific access points to the site you wish to take advantage of or close off?
  12. What do you have in mind for landscaping?
  13. Have you considered any exterior lighting?

  

Building Shell

  1. How many square feet does the building need to be?
  2. How many stories do you need / prefer?
  3. What is the preferred architectural style?
  4. What do you want the building to be made out of (brick, stucco, siding, etc.?)
  5. How high of ceilings are you wanting for each floor?
  6. How big of a concern is energy efficiency.
  7. Do you want any outdoor spaces (patios, decks, outdoor fireplaces, kitchens, etc.?)
  8. Do you want a front porch?
  9. What type of garage did you have in mind? 1, car, 2 car, 3 car, tandem, carport, etc.

  

Interior Spaces:

  1. Do you prefer an open floorplan or a more traditional compartmentalized layout?
  2. Below is a list of rooms:  please indicate which rooms listed below you would like included in your home and what sizes or pieced of furniture you would like to fit in the space:
 

First Floor:

  1. Entry foyer
  2. Living room
  3. Dining room (formal or open)
  4. Kitchen (open, separated?)
  5. Study / office
  6. Laundry room
  7. Mud room
  8. Half bath / full bath
  9. Library
  10. Sitting room

Second Floor:

  1. Bedrooms (how many)
  2. Bathrooms (private, Jack and Jill, attached.)
  3. Master suite
  4. Closet (separate or combined)
  5. Master bath
    1. Toilet (with or w/o a toilet closet)
    2. Vanities (1 or 2 – separate or
    3. Tub (soaking, jetted, shower combo)
  6. Shower (insert, tiled, glass (framed/frameless)
  7. Other features, bidet, steam room, sauna, etc.
  8. Loft space
  9. Upper level laundry
  10. Stairs, open, enclosed if open what style railing and spindles.
  11. Atrium

 

Bonus Spaces:

  1. Finish Basement/Attic.
  2. Bonus room over a garage
  3. Theater room (how many seats, screen size and type)
  4. Bar (refrigerator, ice maker, beer tapper, etc.)
  5. Billiards room / game room
  6. Wine Cellar (number of bottles)
  7. Exercise room
  8. Meditation room
  9. Wrapping room / craft room / sewing room
  10. Workshop
  11. Playroom
  12. Utility rooms (Furnace, Water heater, water softener, central vacuum, server, etc.)