John Jones Architect LLC

Before & After 2 (aka, Hide & Seek)

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 15:00:00 GMT

After getting such positive feedback on our original “Before & After” post , I thought we should keep the fun going. Who doesn’t like a little brain challenge now and then? To your mental health!!!

So once again … Can you see the “old” within the “new” in these three additions / expansions we’ve done???

#1 A Modular Makeover Takes a Modern Angle on Adding Room

In the first set of images below, the project started with a tiny existing ranch (top left). I carefully designed a complete, modular second-floor addition. I also redesigned the original first floor to add a two-car garage.

The interplay with the angled “stick-built” garage and new second story create a natural covered entry and allowed for a balcony off the master (over left garage).

Who said modulars all look the same?

#2 Putting a Fresh Face on a Classic Connecticut Colonial

In the addition/facelift below, the homeowner wanted to get rid of the garrison-style colonial look (with the second floor overhanging the first), seen in the top left.

The design concept (top right) centered on adding a welcoming covered porch for the front entry – this also added a new mudroom just inside the door. Pushing out the wall to the left of the entrance provided interior space to add a home office on the first floor, while updating the master suite on the second floor with a spacious walk-in-closet and a new master bath.

The new windows on the two-story extension and above the porch create a perfect rhythm and balance (as seen in the complete home, below). I was so happy when I measured that out and saw the “fit” on this fresh facade!

#3 From Special Spec to Spectacular Classic Connecticut Colonial

This Builder Spec House, shown in the images below, started with more than a few restrictions: First, the property was within a regulated wetlands area, limiting the new build to the existing footprint of the original small ranch. Second, we also had to keep the first floor walls intact while designing a brand-new second story. Third, the first-floor ceiling height was less than 8' and needed to be pushed up to 9' to work with the more spacious new two-story design.

I drew inspiration from classic Colonial style – emphasizing symmetry and balance. Making the most of the beautiful, wooded setting, I designed large windows to bring in views and light. To get to that full 9' ceiling on the first floor, I had to develop a tricky structural detail.

The finished new construction combines the timeless look of traditional Connecticut with thoroughly modern design features and functionality for now and the future.

Are you thinking about an addition or renovation?

Check out my “Needs, Options, Wants Review” offer (or refer it to a friend!). This no-obligation First Step will take away all your wondering and worrying about what you can or can’t do with your home, and start you off with a plan for success!

Blessings!

John@JohnJonesAIA.com

Before & After (aka, Hide & Seek)

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 17:47:00 GMT

Remodels & Additions are often much more challenging to design than a New Home – new construction from the ground up.

For starters, I must create a completely accurate model of the existing structure, which involves taking detailed measurements and lots of photographs. Ever hear of the terms “Plumb”, “Level”, or “Square”? Well, the builders of many older homes haven’t, or at least didn’t build them to stay that way.

While measuring and subsequently designing the 3D model of the existing home, my architect superpower of “x-ray vision” kicks in. I do my best to “see through” walls, floors, and ceilings to figure out the direction and size of the framing members – the structure of the home.

Many other factors complicate the design of a residential addition involve Regulations:

Zoning Ordinances typically limit the overall bulk and height of a structure, as well as how close it can approach the property lines.

If there are Wetlands on the property, the Conservation Department will also have restrictions.

Flood Zone on the lot? More restrictions.

Septic System? Health Code will have even more restrictions on the number of bedrooms allowed and separation distances.

If I blogged once a week, I’d easily fill up the year with great stories of all the code and regulatory restrictions we’ve encountered when designing residential additions and major renovations, and how we creatively overcame ever challenge along the way.

I’ve just put together some Before & After images. Each one of these projects has a backstory of challenges that we had to overcome with smart architectural design and planning.

But let’s keep it light and fun… Can you see the “old” within the “new”???

#1 The Waterfront Wonder: From Ordinary Ranch to Extraordinary Modern Farmhouse

This first project is a great example of what can happen when a homeowner with a big wish list and an architect (me!) take on a lot of restrictive code and regulations.

The existing home came with the trifecta of issues:

It was already at maximum lot coverage, meaning we were limited to working within the footprint of the existing home.
The home was in a Flood Zone (FEMA “50% Rule”).
The property had Conservation restrictions.

With careful and thoughtful architectural design, I was not only able to address each of the limits we faced, I was able to transform the home into the client's dream of a modern farmhouse.

#2 Throughly Modern Home Addition Rises Up to the Challenges

This home in the next set of images (below) provided lovely waterfront views. Like the home above, it was in a Flood Zone and was at maximum coverage. Adding to those challenges, Zoning Regulations limited how much of the 3rd level could be habitable.

The homeowner wanted to transform their classic Cape Cod bungalow into a thoroughly modern three-story.

The result of our creative “cooperation” with all the regulations included expansive windows and a rooftop deck to fully maximize the views and provide the crisp, contemporary style the owner desired.

#3 Major Home Addition Turns Split Level into Countryside Classic

Is it possible to turn an ordinary 1970's era Split Level into a classic Connecticut country home? That was the question that started the project pictured below.

Split levels can be the trickiest type of home to add to without looking like patchwork, inside and out. And this home required some architectural magic tricks to achieve the desired style transformation for this major addition.

Are you in the early stages of contemplating an addition or renovation?

Blessings!

John@JohnJonesAIA.com

A New Beginning!

Sat, 03 Feb 2018 23:09:00 GMT

Architecture, as a profession, is always filled with new beginnings. I truly get excited about each and every project I take on — I put all I am into creatively solving problems for my clients. As I design spaces, I “live in them”, in my head first, long before each person or family gets to enjoy the outcome of this wonderful process of design.

But today is a different kind of new beginning for John Jones Architect LLC , and one that I’m excited to share with you. We’ve just moved into a new office space at 965 Post Road East in Westport . Route 1, right by the Connector.

The center of the town I love.

This new location is the right move for so many reasons: It offers a larger, more comfortable space for client and team meetings; it is more central and accessible to the many projects I have around town; it offers a peaceful, quiet atmosphere where I can more effectively focus on creative exploration as well as collaborate with others.

And like with all new beginnings, there is renewed vision, motivation, and inspiration!

Have a friend in Westport considering designing a new home or major addition? Please point them to my First Steps Guide or, if they are ready to explore actual options, my Needs and Options Review .

See you soon!

Best of Houzz 2018!

Sat, 20 Jan 2018 00:05:00 GMT

Johns Jones Architect LLC of Westport, Connecticut

Awarded Best Of Houzz 2018

Over 40 Million Monthly Unique Users Nominated Best Home Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals in North America and Around the World

Westport, CT, January 18, 2018 – John Jones Architect LLC of Westport, Connecticut has won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz ®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The 21-year old local architecture practice, with an expertise in distinctive, custom and creative residential design for home owners and developers, was chosen by the more than 40 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than one million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2017. A “Best Of Houzz 2018” badge will appear on winners’ profiles, as a sign of their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeownerrs identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.

“ The Houzz community selected a phenomenal group of Best of Houzz 2018 award winners , so this year’s recipients should be very proud,” said Liza Hausman, Vice President of Industry Marketing at Houzz.

“ Best of Houzz winners represent some of the most talented and customer-focused professionals in our industry , and we are extremely pleased to give them both this recognition and a platform on which to showcase their expertise.”

Follow JJA llc on Houzz https://www.houzz.com/pro/johnjonesaia

Architecture, Drawing, and Learning to See

Fri, 03 Feb 2017 04:08:00 GMT

When I was in Architecture School, I drew ALL THE TIME. I actually carried one of those black-bound sketchbooks everywhere I went. It was required. Period.

If I saw something interesting, I had to draw it. A unique building, a sunset silhouetting the woods, a long shadow across the quad.

pssssst…. I’m about to let you in on a secret . A really good one, too. It changed my life forever. It’s like a superpower. Except I never really saved anyone’s life with it.

But, it’s become part of who I am, and I can say I’ve dramatically improved my clients’ lives through the successful design of their homes and built environments.

If you want, you can have this superpower too . But you have to promise to use it only for good…

You would think the purpose of all this required drawing was to teach us how to draw well. And in part, it was. But really, the most important thing that came out of ALL of that sketching, was a new special ability to SEE like never before.

Essentially, in finding something that moves us, and taking the time to stop, study, and sketch it, we are asking ourselves: “what is it I’m sketching?”, “why I am drawing this?”, “what is special about this?”. “What do I see that I want to capture and communicate in this art-form?”

When an architecture student (or anyone) learns to “SEE”, it is almost like Neo discovering the Matrix. For instance, if you take a “lay-person” into the city, ask them to look up and describe what they see — “I see a building” is the likely answer. What else? “Well, it’s a tall building…Lots of windows.” Don’t expect much more than that.

But the “enlightened seer” (and this could be an architect, photographer, artist, or anyone who studies “seeing”) may not even discuss the building as the primary object: “I see the church’s spire reflecting off this massive mirrored wall, with clouds slowly drifting by. I see that the windows are tinted differently every 10 stories, creating an interesting effect…”

It’s no longer just a building, it’s a dynamic, living edifice that is completely modern in material and structure, but respects and reflects nature, the spiritual, and its older neighbors. It was DESIGNED; it has meaning.

I mentioned in a recent blog that architects seek out meaning in everything – I suppose that comes in part from learning to see, and seeing there is purpose behind just about everything.

About 30 years later, I still sketch, but typically it is only at the conceptual level of designing a structure or planning out a site. Once that is done, it is much more efficient and accurate to develop the design with today’s design software (which was virtually non-existent then).

concept sketch

In 1989, I spent a semester studying architecture in Rome – the Eternal City. The city and it’s beautiful people captured my heart. Today, as I reorganized my office and went through some old boxes, I came across my Roman Studies Sketchbook.

At the time, I carried my sketchbook everywhere, along with a small artists bag (think of a small camera bag with shoulder strap… wait, it was a camera bag!). This was equipped with technical pens (still my first choice for drawing), a compact watercolor kit, a 35mm film container filled with water, a fountain pen with sepia ink, some go-to prismacolor markers, and pencils.

Here’s a glimpse back at some of the things I “saw” or the designs I pondered.

So, as I share these pictures for nostalgia’s sake, I leave you with this:

You can change your world this very second, just by SEEING differently.

Look at EVERYTHING in your life a bit Deeper, with Appreciation and Gratitude, and you’ll SEE something special. Perhaps even worth sketching.

Above – detail from Bernini’s Fountain of Four Rivers, Piazza Navona. Backstory: the figure is shielding his eyes in disgust from Borromini’s (a contemporary rival architect) church St. Agnes in Agony. (ink wash + marker)

Above – Rome at night (pen & ink)

Above – just sketching ideas. (poor Tom had those $400 new Italian leather shoes peed on by a drunk roommate one night).

Above – Self Portrait. Colin Rowe, a famous architectural historian/critic, Critiqued our Studio Projects in Rome. That’s me, falling deep into the abyss as he shredded every last one of our designs.

Above – A quaint piazza in Rome. It was the space between the buildings, looking to the sky, that caught my eye. (ink and color pencil wash). And yes, I loved cross-hatching. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time to do that anymore.

Above – V enice Sunset, (ink & water color)

Above – A ncient temple in Paestum. (sepia pen & ink) Note how all the details aren’t drawn. Sometimes getting “just enough” says more than showing it all.

That’s it for now. Now change your world by Seeing your world in a whole new way!

La La Land, Architecture, and YOU!

Thu, 26 Jan 2017 03:46:00 GMT

Have you seen La La Land yet???

I’m an architect.

Which, by definition, makes me a romantic and a nostalgic . In addition to that, we architects look for meaning and purpose in everything.

We read between the lines… If there’s nothing there, we’ll make up the meaning. One of our icons, Louis I. Kahn (see what I did there?) is famous — among architects at least — for asking a brick, “What do you want?” That’s how insanely obsessive we are about purpose.

But I digress…

The hero of La La Land’s story, Seb (Ryan Gosling), enters the film in the role of a typical “starving artist” – a jazz pianist, specifically. He’s a purist, despising what the masses buy into (I think his word is “pishy-posh”), and pursuing his own dream of a higher ideal.

When his love interest, Mia (Emma Stone), declares early on, “I hate jazz, just want to get that out front”, he drags her into a jazz club, and as the band plays, he passionately explains the “give and take” between the musicians: “…it’s conflict and it’s compromise, and it’s very, VERY exciting!”

His PASSION at this moment, and actually throughout the film, is arresting . It converts Mia.

To Jazz.

To Seb.

To following her own dreams.

He reminded me of what I do, and why I do it.

Architects tell stories through our Designs. Our Compositions are part Art, part Science, part Math, part Psychology, part…. well, actually it's all those things all at the same time, in the same place — and —

... it's conflict and it's compromise, and it's very, VERY exciting!

If you’re a hopeless romantic like yours truly, and even if you’re not, grab your significant other and GO see La La Land as soon as you possibly can! It is a REFRESHING reminder that Hollywood can truly entertain and inspire. Not the “pishy-posh” we’ve sadly become accustomed to.

Enjoy the emotional ride, the story, the visuals, the music, the choreography, the suspended reality, and all the subtle yet very purposeful things that are placed before you, and be inspired .

Then.. act on that inspiration.

The world needs that “gift” you have to offer, that special thing only you were created for!

Best of Houzz 2017

Tue, 17 Jan 2017 18:21:00 GMT

John Jones Architect LLC of Westport, Connecticut

Awarded Best Of Houzz 2017

Over 40 Million Monthly Unique Users Nominated Best Home Building, Remodeling and Design Professionals in North America and Around the World

Westport, CT, January 17, 2017 – John Jones Architect LLC of Westport, Connecticut has won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz ®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The 20-year old local architecture practice, with an expertise in distinctive, custom and creative residential design for home owners and developers, was chosen by the more than 40 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than one million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2016. A “Best Of Houzz 2017” badge will appear on winners’ profiles, as a sign of their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.

“We’re so pleased to award Best of Houzz 2017 to this incredible group of talented and customer-focused professionals, including John Jones Architect LLC ,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. “Each of these businesses was singled out for recognition by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts for helping to turn their home improvement dreams into reality.”

Follow JJA llc on Houzz https://www.houzz.com/pro/johnjonesaia

The “Westport Vernacular”…. Roof Design

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 23:18:00 GMT

We all care about our town and the homes we design and build. To that end, I’ve been gathering my thoughts on what I call “the Westport Vernacular” – the local “language” of houses in Westport.

Below is an excerpt about Roof Design in Westport – I hope you find it helpful, and would greatly appreciate your feedback! (Warning – it is about a 10-minute read, “bookmark” this, you’ll want to refer back to it!)

If you have any questions or thoughts – feel free to reach out at any time. Thanks again!

John

It’s all about the Roof

I was driving my kids to school, and as we passed by an ongoing home addition, I got that sinking feeling once again. The framing had just been completed, revealing the new form of the home. The rough translation of my internal reaction: “How could any rational person have designed this?” Actually, a flood of thoughts ran through my head…

Why didn’t they hire an architect?
Didn’t they realize that an architect’s fee would more than have paid for itself when it comes time to sell, or even in terms of enjoying their major investment?
Does ANYONE actually think this looks good?
I would never in a million years allowed this to happen on my watch…
What were they thinking??!!!??

Unfortunately, this episode is repeated all too often. As a builder or homeowner, you probably share similar thoughts as well. Imagine how much more frustrating it is for an architect who has an incurable passion (some might say “inordinate obsession”) for form, order, balance, alignment, aesthetic, and so on…

What was wrong with this addition? Most notably, the new roof refused to acknowledge that the house’s original roof even existed. The low pitch roof of this second story addition had nothing in common with the steeper, existing roof lines. A new portico roof, facing the same direction as this new roof, had an entirely different pitch as well. Any architect would have solved the same addition with a much better look.

My point is to help us all learn and not repeat these common mistakes. We care about our town, and everything we create should be for the better.

The roof is typically the most defining characteristic of a home. Whether simple or complex, it evokes an immediate feeling about that house, either good or bad (note that in my story above, it was the roof that immediately prompted me to write this, not window pattern, siding material, or other design choices).

…the roof evokes an immediate FEELING about a house

The roof “speaks” to a person on different levels:

At the instinctive level, does it provide shelter ? (One of our basic human needs – just watch episode 1 of any season of Survivor). No other part of the home conveys a sense of shelter as the roof does.

At the practical level, is it functional ? Will it stand up to wind, rain, snow, heat? Will it last?

At the emotional level, is it beautiful ? Does it give that warm fuzzy feeling, or is it just plain ugly?

The first century BC Roman architect, Vitruvius, in his famous writings, listed similar guiding principles for design: Firmness, Commodity, and Delight.

Westport architecture has its own “ Vernacular ” – an architectural term meaning: “ the local dialect/language of buildings. ”

This has been shaped over centuries by climate, geography, local resources, and over the past few decades, by economic and regulatory factors (notably the zoning ordinance). And of course, the major home developers and their architects have especially impacted the “Westport Vernacular” more recently.

What works when designing a roof in Westport? Here are 9 Strategies to keep in mind:

1. Steep Roof Pitches – generally 9:12 or better

Kind of a no-brainer, but has to mentioned. Steeper roofs are appropriate for our climate, allow for additional living space, and provide a nice aesthetic. Note that Solar PV Panels like to be in the 8-10:12 pitch range for our area. Lower pitch roofs are great for front porches and shed dormers (NOT doghouse dormers – keep them steep) in combination with steeper pitched roofs.

2. Cross Gables and Dormers

I like a simple, uncomplicated, roof. But, Cross Gables and Dormers can add a lot of interest and appeal. The secret is in the shadowlines they produce; the way the sun moves around a home and casts shadows brings a dynamic movement and life to an otherwise very still structure. I’m huge fan of creating shadows on a home.

If you stood a customer in front of a house they liked and asked them what they see, or why they like it, they might answer “white clapboard siding”, or “window grill patterns”, or “rocking chair porch”, but they probably won’t say shadows/variations in depth – this is perceived and appreciated more on the subconscious level for most. I just let you in on a secret – “shadows sell homes.”

While features such as cross gables and dormers add interest, there is much to be said about “RESTRAINT” and control. I’ve seen plenty of spec homes that just “overdid it”. Just way too many roofs, way too many varying roof pitches, too many dormers, etc. It is clear the goal was to “impress”, but the result was too much clutter.

3. Consistent Roof Pitches along the same direction

This should be a no-brainer; but unfortunately it didn’t happen in the case of my opening story. ROOFS THAT FACE THE SAME DIRECTION (for example, gable ends facing the street) MUST ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME PITCH. An exception would be a shed dormer taking a clear “secondary position” to the main roof (see Hierarchy next). Roofs in the opposite direction may have a different pitch, but also should be consistent in that direction. This is a general rule; there are exceptions.

4. A clear, consistent “Hierarchy”

One of the first design concepts taught in architecture school is that of HIERARCHY – the organization or expression of architectural spaces or elements according to importance. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ERRORS I SEE IN NEW HOMES is the lack of hierarchy in executing roof design and construction.

Here’s how to never make this mistake again: Keep in mind the “main roof” often holds a primary position, and a cross-gable or cross-gambrel may share that primary importance. A shed dormer is secondary to the main roof, thus it should not be treated the same. If the main roof has a shadowboard on the fascia or a deep frieze and a roof return (remember the secret about shadows?), a shed dormer within that roof should NOT have a significant return (I typically prefer no return at all), its overhangs ought to be smaller, its trim should be downplayed.

The rake of a dormer should never meet the rake of a main roof (a common mistake). A shed dormer should not have a full return that meets the main roof – it places too much importance on an element that is subservient to the main design. The visual result is a lack of order and harmony, with one roof “competing” for attention against another. The financial result is that you’ll save money on trim. The sales result is that it will sell faster than an identical house with the extra roof trim (given all else the same).

Similarly, dormers should not be higher than the ridge of a cross-gable roof.

Here, the front cross gables (actually designed as simple glorified dormers for simple framing, take Hierarchical Leadership; thus their rake overhangs are proud of the main roof. This also creates a “Trompe-L’Oeil” effect that the 2nd floor gable front is proud of the main 2nd floor front wall; it is not… Simpler Framing + Big Effect = Cost Savings + Sell-ability

5. Balance

As I mentioned earlier, the roof is typically the most visually prominent feature of a home. It is critical for the “massing” of all the roof heights and lines to have visual “balance”. Driving around town, I see a lot of front facing cross gables whose ridge is to the wrong side of the entry door; and too far to the side of the house. This creates a visual heaviness to one side, throwing a house “out of balance”.

6. The “Swoop”

The “swoop” has certainly worked its way into Westport’s Vernacular. Again, CONTROL and RESTRAINT can’t be emphasized enough. The swoop has appeal because the average customer can’t easily fathom the challenge, creativity, and craftsmanship to get it just right. It can ease an otherwise awkward connection between two roof pitches, or it can simply add that extra bit of flair at the eaves.

The gentle swoop carefully placed over the front door in an otherwise monotonous porch roof says “come in right here; welcome”. Unfortunately, there are quite a few homes with a swoop or swoops that would have been better off without them. So my advice here is to be very deliberate and purposeful when using swoops; if it doesn’t look all that good on paper, it won’t look good when it’s built either.

7. Dormers should be set properly

Gable (doghouse) dormers should be set back from the main front wall, so that the roof lands just about 6” below the window on the dormer face. A dormer that is too forward with too much siding showing on the front is generally not attractive. The roof pitch on gable dormers should be equal to or greater than any cross-gable facing the same direction. Gambrel roofs. We’ve all driven by a gambrel roof that has inspired us, and we’ve driven by gambrels that, well, are just plain ugly. Either too wide, or top-heavy or “boxy”; sometimes it’s hard to figure out what’s wrong.

It’s a combination of Art and Science, but here are some practical tips for making one good-lookin’ Gambrel. The top and bottom fascia lengths should be nearly equal. A gambrel wants a decent overhang (there’s that shadowline secret again!). The angle from a bottom corner to the ridge should be around 45 degrees. When there is a “shed extension” beyond the gable front end; there should be no returns on the shed roof.

8. Porch Roofs

We can make an exception to the “same pitch” rule for front porch roofs (both for gables and sheds). In fact, it would be a no-no in most cases for a porch gable to be as steep a pitch as a main gable above it. If I could rewrite our zoning ordinance, I’d make an exception to allow front porches in the front yard setback (similar to New Canaan’s regulations). The front porch should be seeing a comeback in spec houses; they connect the house to the community, the homeowners to guests and neighbors, and are special place where people like to be. And again, some deep shadowlines to make a house beautiful.

The gentle swoop carefully placed over the front door in an otherwise monotonous porch roof says “come in right here; welcome”.

9. The IRONY of our Zoning Ordinance

Generally speaking, if you are building on a half-acre lot or larger, the zoning regulations won’t have much of an impact on your design (it does happen though, usually in regards to roof height). But, if you are trying to get as much house as you can in a nonconforming lot in the “B-residence” zone, south of the railroad tracks, I guarantee that the zoning regulations will play a major role in the roof design.

The IRONY is that in most cases where I’ve solved difficult building height or meeting the “Attic definition” issues for clients (where the regulations attempt to severely limit the house’s size), the design ended up being larger than zoning intended. A local architect who is intimately familiar with the regulations, who is friendly with the zoning officials, and who can creatively craft a solution that works, is a tremendous asset in this regard.

You’ve made it this far? Congratulations! We’re almost through. Here’s a quick visual summary of some of the points outlined above (a “What to do vs. What NOT to do comparison)…

Well, that was a long one, but hopefully helpful. Perhaps you picked up one or two thoughts that you’ll keep in mind for your next project. Perhaps you’ve been using these design principles, but now you understand the “why”. In any case, you’re a trooper for reading through all this.

Disagree with anything here? Have your own thoughts to add? Please let me know – This is about all of us getting better at what we do – Thank you!

How long will my home addition take to complete?

Fri, 27 May 2016 15:54:00 GMT

A home addition (or designing a custom home) is one of the largest projects anyone will take on in a lifetime. Aside from the financial impact, it is guaranteed to be an emotional roller coaster, filled with excitement and anticipation as well as shock and frustration. It is an experience most only endure once, thus there are many “unknowns” at the outset. Today, let’s de-mystify one aspect of a home’s design and construction: TIME.

Let’s consider a very common project: A remodel/addition, which includes adding about 1200 sf of living space to an existing house: a new family room off the kitchen; remodeling the kitchen and creating a more open floor plan; adding a new master bedroom suite above the family room; and making a few other updates. Generally, this project will cost from $350,000 to $600,000, depending on site work and the level of finishes and custom work.

So, how long will it take?

Let’s look at the project as 3 distinct phases: Architecture, Permits, and Construction.

Architectural Phase

For this phase of the project, expect to spend somewhere from 2-4 months from the time you hire your architect until the plans are completed. During this time, your architect listens to your needs and wants, and draws from his/her experience to provide you with a creative solution that adds value to your home and your life.

Your architect will explore concepts, meet with you to review options, and make literally thousands of decisions (orientation, solar path, zoning limitations, prevailing weather patterns, energy code compliance, materials, aesthetics, structural support, wind-resistance, etc).

You’ll also have other consultants to work with during this phase – at a minimum you’ll need a surveyor and a civil engineer; who will work with your architect. Don’t rush this phase! You’re making the investment of a lifetime, and a few weeks’ time should be not affect the big picture!

Permit Phase

If you are on town sewer and the proposed work complies with Westport’s regulations, congratulations, you’ve won the time-to-get-permits lottery! As I write this, there is a backlog of appointments at most town departments (and reviews are consecutive, not concurrent) … so plan on 6 weeks to actually get your Zoning & Building Permits in hand.

Your architect and your builder can help with permitting. Normally, you will select your builder by the time all the permits are granted.

Each of the following will add time (and cost) to the Permit Phase:

Septic System, Flood Zone, Coastal Area, Wetlands, Zoning Variance.

Unfortunately, I can’t go into detail here (I could write a book!), but your architect will guide you through the process. A complicated project requiring multiple hearings could take 6 months or more to get through the Permit Phase.

Construction Phase

Typically this phase will take a minimum of 4 months to be nearly complete (that “punch list” could take a little longer). A challenging site, specialty orders, the time of year, and poor weather would add to this; but 4-6 months is reasonable time to be living in and enjoying what started about a year ago as a dream.

Congratulations – you will have endured the roller coaster ride of your life – it’s time to kick back and enjoy your labor of love. And don’t forget to invite your architect to your house-warming party!

(Note: While this is Westport-specific, you can expect similar time frames around Fairfield County, CT)

Is there a topic you’d like me address in a future article? Please email John@JohnJonesAIA.com.