Frequently Asked Questions

Architectural fees vary depending on the size, complexity, and ambition of the project.

As a general expectation, architectural design fees for custom residential work often fall within 7% to 12% of construction cost for new homes and significant projects. Renovations can sometimes represent a higher percentage because they often involve more unknowns, more coordination, and more careful problem-solving within an existing structure.

A simple addition, a whole-house renovation, a new custom home, a garage, an accessory structure, or a project involving zoning relief will each require a different level of service.

We discuss fees early in the process because a successful project depends on shared expectations. Good design requires time, care, coordination, and judgment — and those things should be understood before the work begins.

Construction costs vary widely based on scope, site conditions, the existing house, builder availability, and the level of finish.

In our region, construction costs have continued to rise due to labor, material costs, lead times, and the complexity of building well. As a broad planning range, additions and substantial renovations may often begin around $350 to $400 per square foot or more, depending on the scope and finish level. Renovations without additions may be less on a square-foot basis, but they can still carry significant costs because of the coordination required within an existing home.

For projects with the level of detail, finish, and integration often shown in our work, it is wise to begin with a more realistic expectation — sometimes $500 per square foot or more for custom residential work.

These figures are not a substitute for contractor pricing, but they help establish whether the desired scope and budget are aligned before design moves too far forward.

The design process depends on the project.

A focused renovation or smaller addition may move more quickly. A whole-house renovation, custom home, or project requiring zoning approvals will naturally take longer.

Once a proposal is signed and the project is scheduled, many residential design projects take approximately 3 to 6 months to move through the major design and documentation phases. Projects requiring variances, historic review, planning board approvals, or other municipal processes may take longer because those timelines are often controlled by local meeting schedules and submission deadlines.

We do not believe the best work comes from rushing to drawings. The early stages of design are where the most important decisions are made.

Construction timelines depend on the size and complexity of the project, the builder’s schedule, material availability, subcontractor coordination, weather, and permitting.

In South Jersey, it is not unusual for a homeowner to wait several months before a qualified builder can begin construction. Once work starts, larger renovations, additions, and custom homes may take 6 to 12 months or more.

This is one of the reasons we encourage clients to think about the builder relationship early. The right contractor matters — not just for cost, but for communication, craft, sequencing, and the overall experience of the project.

Our process is organized, but not formulaic. Each project begins with listening, research, and careful observation.

Most projects move through the following phases:

Pre-Design

This is where we gather information before design begins.

We document the existing home or site, review available surveys and property information, photograph and measure existing conditions when needed, and begin researching zoning, code, and other constraints that may shape the project.

Just as important, we begin learning how the client lives. We ask questions about routines, frustrations, priorities, hopes, budget, timing, and the kind of life the home needs to support.

Schematic Design

This is where the project begins to take shape.

We study options, test ideas, and explore how the home can function better. This phase is intentionally iterative. We are not simply drawing what was first imagined; we are testing whether those assumptions still make sense once the site, house, budget, and client goals are fully considered.

The goal is to arrive at a clear design direction — one that organizes the plan, establishes the character of the architecture, and gives the client a meaningful understanding of how the home will live.

Variance or Approval Phase

Some projects require zoning relief, historic review, or other municipal approvals.

When that is necessary, we help prepare the architectural materials needed for submission and guide the client through the process. Variances can affect both schedule and scope, so we try to identify those issues as early as possible.

Construction Documents

Once the design direction is established, we develop the drawings in greater detail.

This phase includes plans, elevations, sections, notes, dimensions, assemblies, and other information needed for pricing, permitting, and construction. We also help clients think through materials, phasing, and decisions that affect how the project will be built.

Construction documents are not just permit drawings. They are a tool for communication — between owner, architect, contractor, consultants, officials, and tradespeople.

Construction Administration

Our role does not end when the drawings are issued.

During construction, questions arise. Existing conditions reveal themselves. Details need to be clarified. Field decisions have to be made in a way that protects the larger idea of the project.

We remain involved because this is often where the difference between a good drawing and a good home is made. We help interpret the drawings, respond to questions, coordinate with the builder, and continue advocating for the integrity of the design.

The best projects are collaborative.

Clients do not need to arrive with all the answers. In fact, part of our role is to help uncover the right questions. But clients should be prepared to participate openly and honestly in the process.

That includes sharing priorities, communicating budget expectations, attending meetings, reviewing decisions, providing a property survey when needed, and being willing to challenge initial assumptions.

A good design process is not about forcing a preconceived answer onto a house. It is about discovering what the project needs to become.

Yes.

Some clients come to us with a contractor already in mind. Others ask us to recommend builders who may be appropriate for the project.

Either approach can work, but the contractor should be selected carefully. Residential construction is personal, expensive, and detailed. The right builder should be trustworthy, communicative, experienced with the type of work being proposed, and aligned with the expectations of the project.

We are always open to working with good builders, whether they are long-time collaborators or new relationships.

The best way to begin is by submitting an inquiry through our website.

Before reaching out, we encourage prospective clients to spend time with our project pages, process descriptions, and studio notes. They are intended to explain more than what our work looks like. They help describe how we think, what we value, and how involved we are in the process.

After reviewing your inquiry, we may schedule an introductory call. That conversation helps determine whether the project, scope, expectations, timing, and working relationship feel like a good fit.

If there is alignment, we typically schedule an introductory site visit. From there, we can prepare a proposal for architectural services.

It depends on the project.

If the work is simple, limited, and clearly defined, a contractor may be able to help. But when a project involves rethinking how a home functions, adding significant space, navigating zoning, improving flow, changing the exterior character, or making a series of interconnected decisions, an architect can bring clarity before construction begins.

A good architect is not just producing drawings. We are helping define the problem, test options, establish priorities, anticipate conflicts, and shape a more coherent result.

The earlier those decisions are made thoughtfully, the better the project tends to be.

Our work is not driven by a preset style.

We begin with place, context, client, and problem. The architecture emerges from that set of conditions.

That means we may design a contemporary home in a historic neighborhood, carefully renovate a mid-century house, or reshape a traditional home for a more casual way of living. The common thread is not style. It is intention.

We are also deeply involved in the realities of construction. We understand that drawings are only part of the process. Good residential architecture depends on design thinking, technical judgment, builder coordination, and the ability to keep asking the right questions as the project moves from idea to built work.

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Style is part of the conversation, but it is not where we like to begin.

We are more interested in understanding how the home should live, what the site suggests, what the neighborhood asks for, and what kind of environment will feel meaningful to the people who live there.

Aesthetic preferences matter. But when style is treated as the starting point, projects can become superficial. When the architecture grows out of use, place, proportion, light, material, and daily life, the result tends to feel more authentic.

Yes — and that conversation should happen early.

Budget is not separate from design. It is one of the conditions that shapes the design.

We help clients think about scope, priorities, phasing, finish level, and the relationship between what they want to do and what they are prepared to invest. We cannot guarantee construction pricing, but we can help identify where expectations may need to be adjusted before the project gets too far along.

A realistic budget does not limit good design. It gives the project discipline.

Many residential projects in New Jersey involve zoning questions: setbacks, lot coverage, building height, impervious coverage, accessory structures, additions, or nonconforming existing conditions.

We review zoning considerations during the early phases of work and help determine whether a project appears to comply or may require relief. If a variance is needed, we can prepare the architectural materials required for the application and help guide the client through the process.

Because each municipality has its own procedures and meeting schedules, zoning approvals can affect the project timeline.

Yes, depending on the scope of services.

Architecture, interiors, and landscape should not be treated as separate conversations. The best residential projects consider them together from the beginning.

We often help clients think through exterior materials, windows, doors, cabinetry relationships, flooring, tile, lighting concepts, plumbing fixtures, and other selections that affect the overall character of the home.

Some projects also involve collaboration with interior designers, landscape designers, engineers, builders, and specialty consultants.

When helpful, yes.

Not every decision requires a rendering, but many clients benefit from seeing key spaces in three dimensions. We may use sketches, diagrams, models, elevations, or renderings to help explain design intent.

The goal is not simply to create attractive images. The goal is to make sure the client understands the direction of the project before decisions become more difficult or expensive to change.

Yes.

That is often one of the most important early conversations.

Sometimes the best solution is to renovate within the existing footprint. Sometimes an addition is the right move. Sometimes the existing house cannot reasonably support the goals of the project.

We help evaluate the existing conditions, zoning limitations, budget, site potential, and long-term value of each approach. The right answer is not always the largest project. It is the one that best aligns the home, property, budget, and way of living.

A successful project requires client involvement, but it should not feel like the client is managing the entire process alone.

We guide the work, organize decisions, explain options, and help keep the project moving. Clients should be prepared to attend meetings, respond thoughtfully, make decisions, and communicate honestly about priorities and budget.

The best work comes from shared decision-making — guided by clear thinking.

It is helpful to share as much information as possible.

That may include the property address, a survey if available, photographs, thoughts about scope, known problems with the house, desired timeline, budget expectations, and any questions or concerns already on your mind.

It is also helpful to spend time reviewing our website before the first conversation. Our project pages and process descriptions are intended to give a clear sense of how we think and how we work.

The first conversation is most productive when there is shared preparation.

No.

Haddonfield is an important part of our work and our perspective, but we work throughout South Jersey and beyond, including communities such as Moorestown, Cherry Hill, Mullica Hill, and other parts of New Jersey and the Philadelphia region.

Our work is especially suited to clients who care about context — whether that means a historic town, a traditional neighborhood, a suburban property, a mid-century home, or a site with a strong natural setting.

Sometimes.

We evaluate each project based on fit, complexity, schedule, and the level of architectural involvement required. A small project can still be meaningful if it involves thoughtful design, careful problem-solving, or a larger impact on how a home lives.

That said, we are not typically the right fit for projects that only require minimal permit drawings or a quick drafting service.

Because construction is where many of the most important decisions happen.

Even with good drawings, questions arise in the field. Existing homes reveal surprises. Tradespeople need clarification. Substitutions are proposed. Details have to be adjusted.

When the architect remains involved, those decisions can be made in relation to the larger design idea rather than treated as isolated fixes. This continuity helps protect the quality, clarity, and intention of the finished home.

Possibly — but we will still ask questions.

A client’s ideas are an important starting point, but design often improves when those ideas are tested. Sometimes the original request is exactly right. Other times, it points toward a deeper need that can be solved in a better way.

Our role is not to dismiss what a client wants. It is to understand it fully, challenge it when necessary, and help shape it into a more complete architectural response.