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Creating a Visual Roadmap

You’ve tempered your expectations, had your home inspected, and feel confident that you know what you want. Now comes the real challenge: communicating your vision clearly to your architect or designer so they can tie it all together into a series of written documents that describe the technical aspects of your design and drawings that show the form of it. These are called construction documents, and they are the basis for your entire remodel.

Construction documents include all building plans, specifications, and supporting documents, like electrical, HVAC and landscape drawings.  These documents translate your vision into a coherent, written format that is easily understood by contractors. It takes what you want to have at the end of your project and breaks it down so that each contractor knows exactly what work they are responsible for, and what that work should look like in the end.

Your construction documents are what you use to obtain bids, and what the contractor you hire will use to obtain permits.  They are critical to the timely, full completion of your project and are your only real chance to give clear instructions because you never want to assume someone will know what you want based on a previous conversation. Always, always confirm what you want in your construction documents, even if it means you have to update or change them because, if you can’t see what you want in the construction documents, it doesn’t really exist. Anything that isn’t written down is open to interpretation (and misinterpretation)!

Use the four C’s when you review your construction documents to ensure your project plan aligns with your vision:

1.     Are the drawings and documents clear?
2.     Are the drawings and documents concise?
3.     Are the drawings and documents complete?
4.     Are the drawings and documents correct?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to all of these questions, you’re in good shape.  If not, have the architect or designer go back to the drawing board until you’re able to.