FAQ

Your journey starts with a vision. In Step 1, we focus on understanding your wishes and aspirations. Our role is to guide you with clarity, empathy, and trust, making the process feel seamless.

Imagine the possibilities—your dream space brought to life. As a homeowner, the only step you need to take is the first one. We’ll handle the rest.

Why Start with Design?

Design is the first step in planning your project. It helps you balance cost, quality, time, and experience, ensuring a smoother process.

Why Start Now?

Permitting, engineering, and planning take 6-24 months. Starting now means you’ll be ready to build when costs and conditions are in your favor.

A key part of our process, the Design Journal keeps track of every decision—from big-picture concepts like home layout to the smallest details, like tile patterns and fixture choices.

This list evolves throughout the design journey. If anything is unclear or doesn’t reflect your vision, use the Design Journal Form to ask questions, provide feedback, and share your inspirations.

The cost of design varies based on project size, complexity, level of client involvement, and required specialists. Some services are billed as time and materials, while others have a fixed fee.

Design, consultant, and other related fees typically range from 5% to 15% of the total construction cost. We’ll provide an estimate upfront and keep you informed of any budget changes along the way.

Most services are billed based on Time and Materials, with rates ranging from $30 to $200 per hour. Some may have a fixed cost. Our goal is to provide high-quality service at fair prices.

We recommend service providers like engineers, architects, and designers, who you’ll contract directly. We’ll coordinate their work and bill for our time.

Some services, like drafting, permit expediting, and design, may have a markup, clearly shown in your invoice.

Where ideas come to life as initial design concepts take shape. The design team develops sketches and layouts, translating visions into visual representations. Concurrently, preliminary construction costing begins, offering an early look at budget alignment with design aspirations. This stage balances creativity and feasibility, setting the foundation for the project’s development.

• Capturing the existing conditions of your home involves advanced technology, such as drones, 360-degree cameras, LiDAR, and AI. In addition to technology, we rely on skilled professionals to assess the detailed construction of your home. This process results in precise documents and drawings that represent the structure accurately.

• These records are essential for ensuring a smooth and successful design and build process. Depending on the size and complexity of your project, multiple site visits may be required to gather all the necessary information.

Each county or city imposes jurisdictional requirements on what is permitted for properties, depending on the zoning designation of the area. These regulations vary across different jurisdictions and even between neighborhoods. As part of our process, we will identify and establish the specific zoning guidelines that apply to the scope of your project, ensuring compliance with local regulations.

We transform your ideas into tangible designs, addressing function, flow, and form, while helping you understand costs. This creative process ensures that what’s built will meet your expectations. Due to the custom nature of this service, fees can vary widely.

Bidding a large construction project can take weeks, but detailed plans lead to more accurate bids. While we can't provide exact costs at the conceptual design phase, we can give you a build cost range. We collaborate with your builder or work with trusted local builders to refine your budget and prepare for the detailed design phase.

A licensed surveyor, with state certifications and years of experience, will spend 3 to 8 hours on-site using specialized equipment to take precise land measurements. The goal is to create a detailed map showing the shape and boundaries of the property, including natural and man-made features. Projects involving significant ground work or additions that could exceed size regulations may require this service.

Geotechnical engineers are the "earth experts" who ensure construction projects are built on solid ground and avoid issues related to the soil beneath. This is usually required for new construction or areas with geological concerns.

The geotechnical engineer will be contracted directly with the homeowner.

A septic designer specializes in creating septic systems for properties not connected to municipal sewage. Their role involves assessing property needs and developing an efficient and safe septic plan. They consider factors such as property size, user count, and soil type to design a system that includes a septic tank and a drain field. The septic tank processes wastewater, while the drain field allows treated water to return to the ground safely. Septic designers must comply with local regulations, ensuring the system is effective, environmentally friendly, and poses no health risks. They are contracted directly by the homeowner.

Refer to state guidelines to determine if an asbestos test is required.

A licensed civil engineer is required when significant earthmoving is involved, per city regulations. This is typically necessary for large home additions or new constructions, especially if the property has steep hills, wetlands, creeks, or drainage issues. The engineer's main role is to design land modifications that direct rainwater appropriately while adhering to local and state laws. This consultant will be hired directly by the homeowner.

A structural engineer specializes in ensuring that buildings are safe, stable, and strong. Their primary responsibility is to design structures that can withstand forces such as gravity, wind, and earthquakes without collapsing or sustaining damage. They also ensure compliance with safety codes and regulations. Visual coordinates the structural engineer's work, while the homeowner will contract directly with the engineer.

Washington State's Energy Codes have new minimum requirements, adopted on March 15, 2024. These updates will significantly reduce energy consumption over time, though they may increase construction costs in the short term.

Some customers choose to go beyond the minimum requirements, exploring emerging technologies for even greater efficiency. Our goal is to create a team that delivers the best solution tailored to each project.

This service is provided by both Visual staff and specialized consultants.

These are the drawings submitted to all jurisdictions requiring approval. Ideally, the Bid Set and the Permit Set are the same. However, since the permit process can be lengthy, we may submit a Permit Set that isn't fully ready for bid to keep the approval process moving.

External fees include payments to approval agencies, such as building, planning, and health departments. A $150 service charge applies to any fee over $1,000, and a 10% fee is applied to fees under that amount.

Homeowners can avoid this service charge by setting up an account with the local permitting agency (when available) to receive notifications and pay fees directly.

This optional service offers homeowners expertise from professional designers or architects. It may be required in certain homeowners associations.

Detailed design involves assembling a team of design and engineering experts to create plans and material lists needed for permits and builder hiring. Services range from selecting finishes independently to hiring an interior designer, catering to various homeowner needs. Our goal is to provide services that best align with those needs.

The permit process is a significant event that requires patience, as local agencies often face challenges that can slow progress. We strive to streamline the process by utilizing both internal and external resources to get your project approved efficiently.

Engaging with city and county permits involves multiple reviewers providing feedback on your project for code compliance. Our team will revise plans based on their input and resubmit them. The timeline for final approval can vary greatly, with different departments having distinct review durations. For instance, the fire department may take 2 weeks, while the building department could take 12 weeks. Our response time also depends on the complexity of the requests.

We aim to minimize delays, but subjective code interpretations can lead to setbacks. Additionally, some processes may be hindered by outdated technology and government staff struggles to adapt to market changes. While we anticipate approval by mid-November, please be prepared for potential delays.

These drawings are essential references in your contract with the General Contractor (GC) and will guide the construction of your home. They include any modifications made to the BID set based on contractor recommendations or owner requests. Any deviations from these drawings must be approved to ensure compliance with code, engineering requirements, and the design intent of the family. Changes may affect your construction costs and timeline.

For projects without a preselected contractor, we support a competitive bidding process and recommend consulting with at least three general contractors. We recognize that some homeowners may choose to DIY or act as their own general contractor, and we can tailor our services to accommodate that preference.

Now that you know the cost and what the project will look like, it’s time to decide on your funding options. If you need help with this decision, we can connect you with trusted finance professionals from our network.

We recommend selecting and purchasing all materials before DAY 1 of construction. Your chosen General Contractor may have preferred vendors and suppliers. We are here to assist homeowners in the purchasing process as needed.

While we are not builders, we can help you find the right one. We don’t consider your project complete until you’re moved in, and we are here to support you throughout that process.

Several key factors influence the timeline for completing a project:

1. Availability of contractors and subcontractors.

2. Ease of obtaining materials.

3. Unforeseen problems or hidden issues.

4. Size and complexity of the project.

5. Efficiency in managing the construction process.

We can provide a rough estimate based on these factors before the design phase begins. However, the actual timeline will become clearer once the design work starts and a general contractor is selected.