Below is an article I have written for the e-magazine ID Interdisciplinaire Design and which is always relevant each fall. So here are a few tools to properly prepare your project.
Why wait when you can adequately plan your project and plan it in advance? Why fall?
It is simply because planning and organization can save you time and money. It is primarily for taking the time, anticipating the unexpected that can arise, better identifying your long-term needs and the next steps with the help of a recognized professional: the architect.
Fall is the moment to plan your project and contact an architect to develop your ideas, your vision on a plan or on paper. During this period, we define the project, the client’s needs and/or the functional and technical program (FTP) as well as budgets. The professional will guide and inform you on the next steps for adequate planning and the various consultants who will come into play.
Should we wait until the winter to start the design process of the plans for a project, the chances to move to the construction phase for that project during the next summer are uncertain. However, it is feasible if your project is of smaller scale and/or the requirements of the city are less restrictive, for example a cottage or bungalow isolated single-family dwelling. Some projects, bigger and in all categories of building, can last a whole year in the development of plans and specifications. These require good planning, time and often the collaboration of different consultants.
When planning a construction project, several factors can intervene and cause delays, here are some:
- Approval required by the city, such as from the Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) and Planning and Architectural Integration Program (PIIA). These committees meet every month and the approval process can take up to two months thereafter;
- Applications for permits can take up to a month and even more in some cities;
- Depending on the complexity of the project and its area, the design of the plans can take several months.
- And others.
If the architect is present at the beginning of the project, it will be executed in time and in the appropriate budgets. If the architect is involved late in the process, the project might have delays and initial budget surpluses. The reasons are simple. The architect is the one that designs space and thereby is applying all municipal regulations as well as those of the Quebec Construction Code (QCC). The architect is the one who will inform you of the city requirements and the approval required for your project, and other information and requirements. That is why it may cause budget surpluses and considerable delays.
Hence the importance and the many advantages of working with an architect from the beginning of the project and to plan in advance!
To learn more about the e-magazine ID Interdisciplinaire Design: idinterdesign.ca
