Designing a custom home is a significant undertaking. Our clients value clarity, discretion, and a process they can trust. The following addresses the questions we are most often asked at the outset of a project.
ooA works on both custom residential and commercial projects. Our portfolio includes custom homes, commercial and retail buildings, commercial and residential renovations, medical clinics, offices, and community spaces. While many local firms focus exclusively on one building type, our experience across both residential and commercial work strengthens our design approach and technical expertise.
Our projects are thoughtfully designed and responsive to their site and context. We intentionally limit the number of projects we take on each year so we can remain personally involved and provide each client with focused attention throughout the process.
The earlier, the better. Engaging your architect at the beginning—before major decisions are made—allows them to help shape the project holistically, from site evaluation and budget alignment to long-term livability. Early involvement leads to better outcomes and fewer compromises.
We begin with a focused conversation. Our first phase is centered on understanding how you live, what you value, and what you want your project to support—now and in the future. This includes conversations about lifestyle, priorities, site conditions, and budget parameters. From there, we establish a clear architectural direction grounded in shared understanding.
Budget is treated as a design parameter, not an afterthought. Early in the process, we help define realistic expectations and align scope accordingly. This clarity allows the design to move forward with confidence and discipline, minimizing surprises later.
Our most successful projects are collaborative. We ask our clients to be engaged, open, and thoughtful participants in the process. You do not need to have all the answers—we’ll find those together—but your insight, feedback, and trust are essential.
Every project is unique. Timelines vary based on complexity, site conditions, and decision-making pace. From initial design through construction, a custom home is typically a multi-year endeavor. Our role is to guide the process efficiently while ensuring the quality and integrity of the final result.
Every project is unique, and fees vary based on scope, complexity, and level of service. As a general guideline, clients should plan to budget approximately 10% of the construction cost for architectural and engineering services on residential projects, and around 8% for commercial projects.
After initial discussions to understand your goals and project scope, we provide a clear proposal outlining scope, services, and fee so expectations are well defined before work begins. Fees are typically represented as a fixed fee, an hourly not-to-exceed fee, a percent of construction cost, or some combination of those.
Yes. We often assist clients in identifying and collaborating with builders who are well-suited to the project and capable of executing the design with care and craftsmanship. Strong collaboration is critical to a successful outcome.
Absolutely. We remain actively involved throughout construction, providing continuity from design through completion. Our presence helps ensure that the design intent is maintained and that issues are resolved thoughtfully as they arise.
Keep in mind that we know the design, details, and project intent better than anyone else.
Our clients value not only the buildings we design, but how we work. We bring deep experience, practical judgment, and a service-oriented mindset to every project. Our approach is personal, measured, and highly attentive, with direct architect involvement throughout resulting in architecture that is thoughtful, enduring, and built to perform over time.
Most begin with an introductory conversation. This allows both parties to determine whether there is alignment in values, expectations, and vision. From there, we outline next steps and, if appropriate, formalize the engagement.
Every successful project begins with trust. Our process is intentionally structured to earn and honor that trust through attentive listening, clear communication, and consistent involvement. The result is not only well-designed architecture, but an experience defined by confidence, care, and lasting value.
