Typically the pre-construction phase for a large, full-service project is four to eight months depending on the size of the project. This time is not all spent on drawings. We allow time for the contractor to estimate the project and revise pricing, and for the owner to make decisions.

• Five to eight weeks (depending on schedule coordination for meetings)

• Five to nine weeks (depending on how long the contractor takes to price the work and the time required for owner decisions)

• Three to eight weeks for the base permit package
• Three to seven weeks for the interior detail, lighting, and finish packages
• Two to ten weeks for final pricing, contract, and building permit (Depending on jurisdiction)
• Four to twelve months for construction (depending on the size of the project) 
  

• Will be involved throughout the project. In the beginning the principal listens to the client and leads the design direction through the preliminary design (Step 1 / Preliminary Design).

• In Step 2 / Pricing, the principal checks all drawings and specifications for consistency with client goals. Additionally, the principal evaluates contractor pricing and selection.

• In Step 3 / Construction, the principal checks the drawings prior to going out for permit. During construction the principal is involved in about every third site visit, plus the completion walk-through.

Project coordinators (one of two):

• Will be involved at the start of the project to document client goals and at the preliminary design approval meetings.

• The project coordinators produce the pricing package in Step 2 / Pricing and produce the interior detail, systems, and finishing packages in Step 3 / Construction.

• Additionally, the project coordinators are always your contact people—they are there for you from beginning to move-in.

Senior designer/architect:

• Will be involved to assist the principal in developing the preliminary design (Step 1 / Preliminary Design).

• What’s more, the senior designer/architect produces any 3-D modeling for the project if part in the project scope.

Senior production designer/architect:

• Will manage the final drawings including those produced by the structural engineer. The senior production designer/architect will follow the project to the end of construction.

• During the construction phase, the senior production person will assist the project coordinator during scheduled site visits.

We design spaces from the inside out, taking into consideration both function and furniture layout. We believe the exterior of the house is a reflection of its interior spaces and that interior spaces are designed to accommodate both furniture and use.

We add value to your home by creating spaces for multiple uses. Renovated, or new, space is expensive, so Jones Pierce strives to create multiple uses for day/night, guest/no guest and flexibility-of-use. We incorporate the rarely used rooms of a house into the newly designed spaces. Author Sarah Susanka parallels our design philosophy in her books The Not So Big House and Creating the Not So Big House. You can get more information about these concepts by visiting the web site, www.thenotsobighouse.com

We use sustainable concepts that make for better quality construction and minimize the costs of operation. For example, large overhangs protect the home’s skin and shade a house, which lowers maintenance cost. What’s more, icynene spray foam insulation improves air quality and reduces utility bills.

We enjoy working collaboratively with other designers, contractors, and consultants to create better places to live, all while balancing the client’s goals, budget and site conditions.

New homes and renovations are scheduled in three steps:

Step 1 / Preliminary Design—Design the site, floor plans, and exterior elevations.

For renovations:

• Define program and budget for renovations

• Measure house

• Generate the floor plan, site plan, and exterior elevations

• Revise the budget to coordinate with the design

For new construction:

• Survey the site including trees and topography

• Design the site plan

• Design the plans and exterior elevation

• Revise the budget to coordinate with the design

Step 2 / Pricing—Produce a package of information to go to contractors for pricing

• Label all drawings with pricing notes

• Lead client through the customization of the project.

• Jones Pierce "good/ better/ best" pre-selected choices to customized a pricing specification for the project

• Provide allowances for materials, plumbing fixtures, light fixtures, cabinets, countertops, and appliances

• Answer pricing questions from the contractor

• Evaluate contractor pricing

• Meet with the client and contractor to determine the final scope of work

Step 3 / Construction—Produce drawing packages for permit and construction

• Revise the design if required from the pricing set

• Create a site plan to document zoning setbacks and zoning density calculations, tree removal calculations, tree save fencing, silt protection, and construction entrances

• City of Atlanta only (Document location of information required by the City of Atlanta Plan Reviewers)

• Dimension the plans and elevations

• Produce a structural package including the foundation plan and framing plans, sections, details, and structural engineering

• Produce building sections and details

• Finalize specifications for the building shell and base systems

• Answer contractor questions during construction

• Visit site during the construction of the shell during layout and framing

• Substantial completion walk-through and punch list

• Final walk-through and verify punch list

Interior Details Package:

• Design and draw cabinets, special finish conditions, and trim on interior elevations

• Finalize selections of appliances, plumbing fixtures, and light fixtures that are located and need coordination on the interior elevation

• Submit cabinet approval

• Visit site during the installation of cabinets and interior trim

Lighting and Systems Package:

• Design and draw reflected ceiling plans showing light locations, switching, and other items

• Design and draw the wall devise plan

• Finalize specifications for recessed/decorative lighting fixtures, building systems, and low voltage systems

Finish Package:

• Finalize the selections of installed materials

• Produce a paint palette

• Document finish locations on a finish plan

• Visit site during the installation of finishes

Producing our own interior details, lighting and systems and finish documents.

• During Step 2 / Pricing, we lead our clients through a selection process using our good/better/best approach. This pre-selection method enables us to establish accurate allowances for the project.

• During Step 3 / Construction, if you like one of the pre-selected items this is considered a value-add and we don’t need to customize any further. If you want to customize some or all of the pre-selected items we will help you make selections to stick to the pricing set budget.

Collaborating with Insight Design Interiors, Inc.

• If you want an overall masterplan for furniture and finish items beyond installed finishes, we recommend Insight Design Interiors Inc.

• Insight can review existing furniture for recovery and reuse, supplemental new furniture, custom rugs, art, and drapery.

• Because Insight Design Interiors and Jones Pierce share office space, a computer server, and use the same CAD software, we are able to consolidate the design work into one document. This decreases the chance for errors.

• We like working with Insight Design because they operate more like a commercial interior designer. This means they only charge for time to design, select and coordinate the installation of furniture, and not a mark up on purchases.

We recommend bringing in the landscape architect after our preliminary design so he or she can prepare a concept design for Step 2 / Pricing.

Changes in scope are anticipated between steps in our process.If the change involves more than the anticipated amount of time, we identify the additional work and include the time in the fee for the next phase of work. You’ll have full understanding of the process: we provide a task-by-task budget identifying what staff level will perform the tasks, the number of units and hours per unit.

Yes, site visits are included in each final drawing package.

• In the base package we include time to deal with permit questions from the local jurisdiction, site visits during layout and framing, time to answer contractor questions, a substantial completion walk-through, and punch list and a final walk-through.

• In the interior details package we include time to check the cabinet submittal, site visits during the cabinet installation, and interior trim.

• In the systems package we include time to be on site while the electrical contractor is laying out lighting and switching.

• In the finished package we include time to approve finish submittals and to be on site during paint and finish installation.

We provide a menu of services which include a construction contract, scheduled project meetings, and pay applications for an additional cost. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) refers to this time as “contract administration.” The contractor is the one who will “supervise” the project. The architect’s role is to administer the owner/contractor agreement.

We develop our fee for each project based on the scope of work, number of floors, type of space, and schedule. The fee typically brackets in a range of 7% to 12% of construction cost depending what packages we are providing in final drawings.

As a small business, we prefer not to finance our work. Our terms are 1.5% of the outstanding amount per month. Typically, our clients pay out-of-pocket for Steps 1 / Preliminary Design and Step 2 / Pricing. Step 3 / Construction drawings are usually rolled into the financing for the project.

We initially use a letter of agreement outlining the scope of work, schedule, fee, and terms. Before starting final drawings we produce an American Institute of Architects (AIA) contract that describes owner, architect, and contractor responsibilities.