All projects start with a dream.

The following guide will help you understand the necessary steps along the way and some important information to get you started. Whether you're planning a Commercial Project or a Residential Project, we're here to help you reach your dream.

Residential Projects top

1. Determine Project Viability

Some questions you should ask:
• What is the need?
• What is the want?
• What is the budget?

In that order, you may narrow down the feasibility of your project. Hiring a professional will help you determine what can be built, and maybe recommend phasing the process so your ultimate desires can be reached. The professional you hire should be experienced in creating a budget and establishing a preliminary cost. Keep in mind two important realities:

· It will cost twice as much as expected – there will always be the extra “can’t live without items” along the way

· It will take twice as long as expected – there will always be the unexpected

Your professional will help to minimize the extras and unexpected up front to keep the cost within budget and on schedule.

• Site Research
• Preliminary Design
• Schematic Design
• Construction Documentation
• Bidding Negotiations
• Construction Supervision

 

Commercial Projects top

1. Determine Project Viability

This should be your first step before embarking into anything requiring the professional services of a land planner, architect, or engineer. The professional you decide to hire, should have the expertise to help in this area and also work with you in developing a budget.

Some questions you should ask:
• Is the site within an infill area? This would be a property surrounded by development and have most, if not all utilities and services in place. The city/county planners usually work with you on code issues, for these sites are typically more challenging to develop as opposed to developing something out in the suburbs.
• Is the site in an environmentally sensitive area? This may impose more of a challenge and require additional restrictions to how much you are able to build and develop.
• Is the site located within a greyfield or brownfield? A site which has been contaminated and/or recognized by the EPA will be given special considerations due to the many measures imposed on the property owner in order to make it habitable.
• Is the site on a hillside? Perhaps the site has a deep depression. Either way, you may need to bring in additional soils to make it level, or construct retaining walls. These conditions could add substantial cost to the project.
• Is the site going to be extensively impervious? When you build large building and lots of pavement, the rain water can no longer be absorbed into the soil. This creates storm water management issues which must be addressed and may require additional costly improvements.

2. Site Research

After the site is selected, and probably during the escrow phase, preliminary investigation needs to take place. This will require a professional who is familiar with the area and all the local agencies which are connected to the property. Some of those agencies may, or may not, include:

• Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&R’s) – Subdivided land often has stipulations imposed on any future improvements such as architectural treatments, building size limits, and land use requirements, sometimes more restrictive than the zoning code.
• Fire Department – The local fire inspector will want to make sure there is adequate protection against fire, by requiring additional fire hydrants to be installed in the street, making sure the roadway can support fire apparatus and might require fire sprinklers to be installed.
• Local Architectural Committee – They want to insure cohesion with surrounding properties, and help to maintain similar architectural style.
• County / City Planning Department – The planners are there to help you abide by the zoning codes, i.e., setbacks, density, landscaping, driveway locations, etc. They offer recommendations for developing a profitable project.
• County / City Building Department – The plan checkers & inspectors review and approve your building in order to comply with the myriad of life safety codes, handicap access requirements and energy code compliance.
• County Flood Control District – If your site is in a flood plain, they will determine what mitigating measures need to be implemented to avoid loss of life and property damage in the case of an event.
• State Department of Fish & Game – The wildlife in our state is important to the ecosystem and these people insure that we limit the impact to protected or endangered species which may habitat on, or close to, your property.

Review the Title Report. This will spell out where the boundary lies, describe the physical location and identify any easements and possible restrictions imposed on the property. This should be reviewed by your attorney as well as the professional you hire to research the property.

Hiring a professional to do additional research is highly recommended to further locate and circumvent any problems that may arise once committed, financially, to the property. Your professional should visit the site, speak with local jurisdictional representatives, obtain utility maps and data, and may even request additional consulting professional services such as, land surveys, environmental field studies and geological reports.

• Preliminary Design
• Schematic Design
• Construction Documentation
• Bidding Negotiations
• Construction Supervision