the design process

From plans to reality

Think of your plans as the road map and instructions that tell the contractor how to translate a two-dimensional design into a working room.

Once you’ve gone over your ideas with your architect or designer, he will draw up rough sketches of what your remodeled room will look like. Go over these sketches and let him know of any changes, which he’ll incorporate into a new set of drawings. When you’re happy with these drawings, they evolve into preliminary plans. These are more detailed drawings, showing the placement of doors, windows, electrical, plumbing and heating lines and specifying materials. These, too, get critiqued and modified until you approve them.

When you sign off on the preliminary plans, the designer creates the even more detailed final plans, which consist of the blueprints, or architectural plans, along with specifications or spec sheets, which are detailed descriptions of materials to be used. These are the plans that your final price and contract will be based upon. They'll also be filed with your local building department.

What does the building department have to do with your renovation? Plenty. Changes to your home’s structure and systems require getting a permit, or legal document issued by your town that gives you permission for doing the construction. Once the permit is approved, your town will schedule inspections, in which a town inspector visits your home and makes sure the work is up to code.

Building codes are there to protect your health, safety, and sometimes the environment. Every municipality has building codes that specify materials and construction techniques. Don’t worry, it’s your architect or contractor’s responsibility to be knowledgeable about codes. If you do want to learn more, try contacting Building Officials & Code Administrators International (www.bocai.org) or the International Code Council (iccsafe.org).

Ask the Experts

Who applies for the permit?

This is a job that should definitely be handled by your designer or contractor, and specified as such in your contract. They’ve applied for permits before and know the process. The person who applies for the permit will also be responsible for having your renovation comply with building codes, meaning that if the construction doesn’t meet code, you’ll be the first person the inspector will turn to. That said, there’s nothing wrong with stopping by the Building Department and running your plans by an official. They may be able to give you some helpful information and prove useful allies during your remodeling.

You certainly could. Experienced contractors often have good design ideas that can work well for you. To be sure, run his suggestions by your designer. If he seems put off by having a contractor suggest changes, you can always get a third opinion by consulting with another designer.

My blueprints don’t look anything like a real room! How can I tell what they’re describing?

Good for you for admitting what every layperson is secretly thinking when they look at a blueprint. Blueprints are filled with unintelligible symbols and abbreviations denoting wall switches, water heaters, stairways and just about anything else you could find in a room, interior and exterior. Ask your architect or designer to explain them for you and decipher what the symbols mean or recommend a book that does. Understanding the final plans lessens the chance you’ll have to make costly changes during construction.