By Herb Lagois
Spring has a way of making us think about fresh things: soft extended daylight, flowers and gardens, evening strolls, time outdoors with family and friends.
Spring might also make you dream about refreshing and updating your home with beautiful new spaces.
If only it could happen as quickly as a dream. But when you’re planning an addition or renovation, time really is your friend. Rushing can cause big regrets.
At the early stages of a project, design is critical. Your design must meet your individual tastes and needs, down to the finest detail. Just selecting the right designer for your project can take time. (If you haven't already signed up for our newsletter and received a copy of "The Right Fit: How to Choose a Renovator", you can do so here.)
When you choose Lagois, we begin with our three-phase design process that needs the proper allocation of time that can take anywhere from one to three months or more, depending on the complexity of your project, and on applicable laws such as septic, flood plain restrictions, and variances (to amend setback restrictions, for example).
Energy efficient and holistic planning
Lagois adopts net zero practices in every design. Net zero-ready is an example of energy efficiency for a home that produces as much clean energy as it consumes. The design process is precise and complex. Even if your home will not be officially “net zero”, the Lagois standard with all projects is to build towards it, to design holistically, so your home’s future is always on the horizon. And that takes the proper amount of time. Also important to the process is sourcing local materials and low carbon emission solutions.
Before getting building permit approvals, other questions need to be addressed: How will your building be constructed? Will it be conventional construction vs., say, ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms)? What is the mechanical system? Is an energy analysis required? Environmental considerations? Solar? Geothermal? Is structural engineering required? Truss and Floor System Design? Lot grading plans? Lot survey? Septic Design?
Whether some of the questions are dealt with during the design phase or after, allocating sufficient time is important. Your experienced Lagois professionals help define these requirements and schedules.
Those critical finishes
Additional to the design phase is the selection of finishes. This is critical for architectural cohesiveness, scheduling and an accurate cost for what you will be investing into your renovations.
I can’t stress enough the importance of selecting as much as possible prior to starting a project. Your selections can affect your budget. It’s important to understand costs well before we start construction – not at the end, when of course it is too late.
As part of our process, we undertake “job showings” with relative trade partners to ensure as much as possible is considered before your project starts. For example, what if the furnace requires replacing? It’s always better to know in advance, not during the project when instant decisions are expected.
Most important is creating a space that works for you, meets your needs and looks superb. But that means taking the proper amount of time in our fast-paced world to make informed decisions.
As the experts with more than four decades of experience, you can trust making those decisions with us. We’re here to guide you detail by detail, every step of the way – in a way that is chronological, and not overwhelming.
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