Design Your Home Before You Find Property?

Once you decide to build a home, it’s hard not to think about it. There are many design elements to consider, and your architect will guide you through the decision-making process. Some of these you can decide on before you find the perfect piece of property; however, there are some decisions that will be influenced by the characteristics of your land.

Design elements to think about before you find property:

• Specialty rooms for hobbies or activities;
• The number of bedrooms and bathrooms you will need;
• Storage space requirements;
• Design details such as a gas fireplace vs. wood;
• The theme of your interior design (colors, light, textures)

Wait until you find your land to determine these design fundamentals:

• The home’s size and number of stories: site or local restrictions may limit the size, height, or even the placement of the home on your property;
• Type of foundation: the type of foundation system you choose may be dependent upon local or state codes, the lot size, slope, and soil type;
• Walkout basement: a sloping lot can allow for a walk-out basement, providing more usable square footage for recreation areas or additional guest bedrooms.

If you’re excited to get started on planning your home design, we suggest you create a binder of clippings and samples you are collecting. Include design elements and details you do not like: sometimes these are more valuable to your architect than features that you do like.

Ready to get started? Call or stop by to schedule a free site visit!

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NH Architects: New Hire

Welcome to Jessica Cook, Bonin Architects' new Intern Architect!  Jessica grew up in Danbury, NH and comes back to the Lake Sunapee region from Martha's Vineyard where she worked at a prestigious architectural firm for the past four years.

Jessica received her Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Studies and her Masters degree in Architecture from Norwich University and has a background in graphic design and conceptual art.  She has a well rounded knowledge of architectural science and practice and takes a sustainable design approach to every project. Jessica is comfortable working independently and with the Bonin Architects team in every phase of design and construction.

NOTE:  An "intern architect" is a graduate who is working toward licensure (which includes seven exams).

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Architect Services: Site Assessment

Site assessments by an architect are useful for many reasons: The architect:

     1. Reviews the condition and characteristics of the site;
 
     2. Analyzes the site location, driveway access, and makes notes about views;


     3. Studies and notes the solar access, prevailing winds, vegetation and natural features;


     4. Considers any special considerations (Shoreland Protection, land use, etc.)

If you own land and are planning to build a home in the Dartmouth Lake Sunapee region, contact Bonin Architects for a free one-hour consultation in our office or at your site to answer any questions your might have about the design and building process.

Or, attend our next Open House and Q&A with local green building experts on Saturday, September 18th at a Lake Sunapee custom home. For more details, see our upcoming events page.

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NH Green Architect Interview

Here is a recent interview with Architect Jeremy Bonin by Kearsarge Valley Magazine after our company Open House. Jeremy describes our architectural firm's design services and how we work with our clients.





Also, check out our architectural fees on our website and browse through our current projects. Questions about building costs? Give us a call or send an email!!

603-504-6009
www.boninarchitects.com
info@boninarchitects.com

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Architect Home Design: The First Step

The very first step in working with Bonin Architects for designing your new energy efficient home is the process of gathering information through a series of questions. Some of the things we want to know can be broken down into categories:

Budget
Budget for new home, excluding land and site work (driveway, etc.) costs

The Site
Site location, view, characteristics, and condition
Existing utilities
Snow and wind loads
Special considerations (Shoreland Protection, restrictions, land use, etc.)

The Home Layout
Number of stories
Ceiling heights and type
Special considerations

Living requirements
Number of bedrooms and locations
Number of bathrooms and locations
Master bedroom location and features
Kitchen features (pantry, appliances, island, countertops, fixtures)
Dining area (eat-in, separate, nook)
Living area
Fireplaces, wood stoves, etc.
Outdoor spaces
Other rooms and functions
Miscellaneous (basement, garage, mudroom, recreation room)

Building Systems
Frame type (timber frame, SIPs, conventional)
Insulation system
Foundation type
Heating and cooling
Water efficiency

Materials and Green Building
Recycled and reclaimed materials
Windows and doors
Flooring
Lighting
Siding
Roofing
Renewable energy systems (solar, geothermal, wind)
Waste management

These points of discussion, along with others, are the beginning steps in working with Kim and Jeremy Bonin on your new home design. If you are starting to think about building an energy efficient house, give us a call or send an email with your questions!

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10 Questions to Ask Your Architect

If you are building a new home, hiring an architect for the design and project management of the home can make the whole process go smoothly. Here are 10 questions you will want to ask the architects you interview for your project:

1. What does the architect see as important issues or considerations in your project? What are the challenges of the project?


2. How will the architect establish priorities and make decisions?
   
3. How busy is the architect?


4. What sets this architect apart from the rest?


5. How does the architect establish fees? When will fee payments be expected?
   
6. What are the steps in the design process?


7. How does the architect organize the process?


8. What does the architect expect you to provide?


9. If the scope of the project changes later in the project, will there be additional fees? How will these fees be justified?
10. What services does the architect provide during construction

Bonin Architects & Associates offers full architectural design services, limited drafting services based on your project needs, and optional project management services. Our architectural design services and fees are listed in detail on our website. Give us a call or send an email to tell us about your project and let's discuss how we can work together!

Questions courtesy Boston Society of Architects / AIA

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Architect Fees

Architects use various methods to establish their fees, depending on the type of services they provide, the location of the firm, and their personal preference. In some instances, more than one method may be used to calculate their fees, based on the type of the services provided. Some methods to calculate architect fees include:

• A percentage of construction cost
• An hourly rate, also called “Time and Materials”
• A lump sum
• A lump sum plus expenses
• Unit pricing based on the area of the home
• By the Sheet (the number of drawings generated)

Other factors architects consider are the size and complexity of the project, the difficulty of the site, the timeline, and what services are provided. Architects provide services far beyond a designer or draftsman. Architects are trained to correctly interpret their clients’ dreams, visions and objectives, explore all possibilities, study and respond to the site and its environment, and translate these into a home design that exceeds expectations.

Perhaps you have already designed your home and require little changes and/or aesthetic or structural expertise: in this case, a draftsman’s or designer’s services will most likely fit your needs.

However, if you would like to combine your wants, needs, and aspirations with your goals of energy efficiency and sustainability to successfully match your project objectives, research and interview green architects in your area. Hiring an architect is well worth your investment to ensure the end result is exactly what you wanted.

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Why Hire an Architect For Your Home Design?

Architecture plays a unique role in our everyday life. An architect has the expertise to combine your wants, needs, and aspirations with your goals of energy efficiency and sustainability to successfully match your project objectives.

Architecture affects people every moment of every day. We reside in homes where we sleep, cook, eat and spend time with our families; we typically travel to a building to work or a school to learn. Architects address requirements such as function, aesthetics, economics, environment, safety, and regulations and translate these into a home design that matches each owner’s personal taste and family dynamic.

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards defines the role of an Architect as "the primary building professional qualified to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public through the enhancement of the quality of the built environment and the richness of space and form”. Buildings inhabited during those functions are essential to our lives and our health. Architects are ethically bound to continually better that built environment.


For instance, Architecture entails more than just a physical building. It involves:

· Correctly interpreting the client’s dreams, visions, and objectives
· Exploring all possibilities
· Studying and responding to the site and its environment
· And translating all these into a home design that will exceed expectations

Sustainable architecture or green building is only a small part of a greater whole. It has been said many times that “sustainability” is a good short term goal for home design. Sustainability is simply the equilibrium, a tipping point where we are no longer damaging the planet that we inhabit with the effects of our daily lives through manufacturing, power production, construction, transportation, agriculture which affect our global ecosystem. Sustainability, by definition, is actually the point at which we cease to harm the environment. Beyond sustainability is where we begin to repair the damage done, which, ultimately, is the goal.

There are many great minds working toward both of these goals with ideas and solutions far greater than most people’s typical reach; however, anything that can be done better and is financially feasible should be done.

Green architects enrich the design and the project through integrity, conscientious design, environmental awareness, and the application of skills specific to their trade – keeping the ultimate goals of energy efficiency and sustainability clearly in view. Should your home design be anything less?

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