Looking for an architect

[kkcomp]

Well the wife and I have finally decided on the look, feel and style we want in the retirement place. We want an extreme hybrid place between 2200 and 2400 sqft. Log exterior, timbers for aesthetics and some structure on the interior in the public areas and some stick built for areas like the bed and baths. We also want a full basement for garage, workshop and crafts. I can make and assemble logs and dimensional lumber all day and enjoy it. But I can't design to assure structural integrity especially with the basement. Also concrete work especially at that amount is a no way. 

I was wondering if anyone could recommend an architect who knows all of those building methods that could take all of our thoughts and put them into plans. 

[Don P]

If y'all want to talk pm each other. Designer57, welcome but you came in a little spammy, I think this post will come down. kkomp, a designer is not a licensed architect, check your official needs.

[Don P]

I believe my big foot just landed on someone, sorry about that.
Just to clarify roles as I've experienced them. A designer can be anyone, some are quite good, they are not the codebook's "Registered Design Professional". It depends on what the building department requires, when you step outside of prescriptive construction it is their call to require sealed prints or sealed details for elements that are non prescriptive. An example, I can design a simple stick framed house but need sealed drawings for the trusses. Most plans are done by designers, we used to call them draftsmen.

An architect is an RDP as is an engineer, they can seal their design. An architect is a generalist, they will probably need to bring in an engineer to seal the structural design. An engineer is rarely an artist, lots of function, weak on form. There's the rabbit hole. From what I've done it seems to be most efficient if the client has a pretty good idea of what they want, on paper. The more nebulous the dream is the more billable time and frustration as that has to be teased out. Depending on your level of knowledge there needs to be flexibility to make things work most efficiently.

 kkcomp's need still remains. Does anyone have some direction for him? My only advice is to check the Guild's membership. I'll put in a plug for someone who's work I've seen. Jim Rogers here does design work.

[Jim_Rogers]

Thanks for the note, DonP.
I do plans but I consider myself a draftsman.
I understand how timbers should join.
I draw what the customer wants.
Sometimes they don't know what they want and allow me to make suggestions as to what would work easily for them.

Jim Rogers

[kkcomp]

Thanks Don P. We are pretty sure about what we want. Unfortunately it is the master suite from one plan with the great room of another and the kitchen of another and so on. So essentially take parts of multiple on line plans and blend them together. I just don't have the know how to do that and account for all structural requirements while adding in plumbing, sewer, electric, fireplaces, HVAC etc. and still account for shrinkage in logs and such. 

[kantuckid]

I know one (from online discussions only) who lives in your area via my life long hobby of riding motorcycles and scooters (more recent years) as does he. He is often a poster on a very popular forum of riders where he could be reached with your questions. As I recall he is now semi-retired and takes projects of interest now days. He's a few years older than yourself. PM me if you like and I'll pass him along.
 Your needs sound a bit "multi-styled" if that's the best term?
 One room one way, another this or that... My own home is logs in old, main part, timber frame for new, attached, great room. Built in an area with no codes, zoning or building restrictions other than elec. wiring, so self-designed by yours truly. Also, mines self-financed.   
One of my son's is close friends with another architect who lives in Charleston, SC who does various styles of design.
IMO, a basic web search might yield other ideas?  

[Brad_bb]

It's a custom home you're describing.  An Architect is going to cost a lot on an hourly basis.  They will also cost a lot as a quoted price.  They typically have a draftsman/designer they are paying.  They will also pay for the engineer to engineer the design.  They are doing creative design work to guide you.  

Since you are very detailed in what you want, you may be able to just engage a designer to get it on paper and work out the details.  The foundation design and structure will have to be reviewed by an engineer who can do so in your state.  Do you have the general contractor you want to use yet?  There's a lot of building going on and the good ones are pretty busy.  It's good to review your design with them, probably before the engineer, in case they have any inputs for code or design suggestions to make easier to build, or fit in with local practices etc.  A good GC may say, you need TJI's for some of the main floor to get enough stiffness, and this will also mean a taller floor than a standard 2x10 floor joist construction for example.  A designer will cost less than an architect and be on an hourly basis.  You will likely make changes along the way as you think of things you initially didn't.   The amount of design hours is up to you to come extent depending on how much you want to make changes.

I'm in the middle of building now.  My mother built her new house using an Architect. It is stick built.  We did add a bunch of hewn timbers inside, but not structural.  The architect was very expensive. I learned that it is better to know what you want and direct your own design if you can.  Then use the people around you like your GC, engineer, etc.

We've also built my timberframe shop, a timberframed horsebarn, and 3 timberframed mini horsebarns/run-ins.  My house will be Timberframed also.  We have a great GC who has been working strictly on our buildings and site since 2016 and is a great GC.  The GC has been very involved in design of everything. She's found very good sub contractors to work with.  She's honed foundation designs with her experience and a good local engineer as well as getting the concrete foundation company(very good company) to consult as well.  My timberframed house is being designed by me, my GC, and a designer.  I'm actually on my 3rd designer.  1st one was I realized didn't have any creative input and he was on the more expensive end, and unable to really see my vision.  2nd one I worked with for awhile, I went through a bunch of changes and turns out he was just burnt out and quite doing design work.  Now my design is being finished by the designer at the timberframe company we've been working with.  They did the design work for the barn and mini-barns.  This has been working out well.  We've been directing the design as far as the layout of each floor plan.  Once I decide I'm done, we'll get into the details of the specific timberframe design, nity grity foundation design, and detail dimensioning and tweaking of everything.  We'll need to go though where outlets should go.  We'll need to design the lighting layout so we know how we are going to run everything.  Same goes for the HVAC and plumbing.  Then you need to start choosing materials, appliances(make sure they fit the design, fixtures, etc.  IF you have an interior designer, you should consult them in the design phase so that you can choose certain things like appliances etc.  In this supply chain climate, it may take a long lead time to get certain things, and you may need backups in case it ends up not available.  If so, the design needs to be able to accommodate the backup choices.

Hope this helps, hope you managed to get through reading this.

[Mattjohndeere2]

My wife and I are going through this same thing right now. A little farther ahead.

I passed our rudimentary design/drawings past a couple architects, engineers, firms, etc until we found who we needed. We are having Fire Tower do the design. I found that the standard run of the mill structural engineer that doesn't do timber/log designs won't touch the plans unless someone else vets the timber structure. 

We spent a long time doing floorplans on FloorPlanCreator, and I also did some structural drawing in SketchUp Free to get us to the point of saying "that's the look we want, and the floorplan". It pays dividends to walk in with actual visuals for the designer.

Our codes officer really only needs to see the stamped structural plans (foundation, framing, roof, etc) so what that meant to us, since we have a good idea in our minds of the look for everything, that we really only needed an approved structural design. Just doing that vs a wholly architect'ed design is a bit less cost. I'm not sure what you're codes officer needs but I would say the only reason to do a fully architect'ed AND engineered plans is if you want to see the house virtually built with colors, kitchen, siding, etc., And if using a contractor it is necessary for them to understand the whole house plan (plumbing/wiring/etc). I would have liked the architect'ed plans in addition to the approval of the structural design I came up with, but with me being the builder, for the cost difference I'm moving forward with figuring out these other details as we go.

Let us know who you find, FireTower Engineering is a solid choice though.