John F. Pettit, AIA
Architect and Principal
This cottage, approximately 800 sf originally, was totally renovated and upgraded with addition to nearly 2000 finished sf. Original house was dated, with 2 bedrooms and one bath. After, it was a 4 bedroom, 3 bath gem near the University of Denver.
Most people will never hire an architect, or maybe never even consider hiring an architect. If you've read this far, you may be considering doing so yourself. Let me help you decide why you may or may not want or need to engage a design professional for your project. If you feel that you do, then I will offer you a description of what my specific design process is, and how I envision bringing you, the client, into it.
If you are considering building a new house, garage, or any other smaller scale building, you may not need an architect, since there are contractors who can build such buildings from stock plans, or who specialize in certain typical building types. You may have to engage an engineer, or the contractor may on your behalf, to complete code required foundation and structural design work. This could be a good route for you, if you are not looking for something unique, or out of the ordinary.
If, however, you are seeking a truly customized structure, have a unique site, or merely appreciate a building that is tailored to your particular aesthetic, then an architect can be of service.
AN architect, you say? But which architect? Well that depends, as in all relationships, on "chemistry," and mutual suitability. As a designer, I am a problem solver, meaning that I see construction as a means to address a need in one's built environment. I am not referring to problems as in "difficulties," but rather as "challenges." Construction is a means to make all of our houses and the buildings we inhabit adapt better to their surroundings, and better provide shelter, comfort and beauty for us, their inhabitants. My design approach is animated by the philosophical principles outlined on my home page, but that doesn't mean that every project must engage a high-minded, but possibly impractical or unsuitable process. I seek to determine before even starting what it is that you, the client, might really need when considering a new building, an addition, remodel, or tenant finish to your existing structure. Thus, before ever putting pencil to paper, the process is all about a conversation, where I can serve as a translator for your ideas to built reality.
I hope you are considering me as your architect. When we first meet, and get to know each other initially, there is no obligation, monetary or otherwise, to continue the conversation. At the initial stages, we are just batting ideas around, and learning about all of the parameters of your proposed project. After we mutually agree on what the scope of the project looks like, we can discuss the fee for services. Usually, except for very small projects, the maximum fee that I charge is a percentage of the project construction cost, usually between 8 and 12%.
Thank you for visiting AltaStructura, and don't hesitate to contact me if you have further questions, or would like to begin this conversation about your project.