Planning Your Next Commercial or Residential Project? 6 Ways an Architect Can Help

by

08 January 2020

Real Estate

architect

Whether you’re interested in designing a new commercial building for your business, a new home to live in, or an addition for a home or business, the right help can be crucial. An architect is essential for these and related projects and can provide a number of benefits that will make a huge difference in the long run.

Make Sure Everything is Practical

Depending on what the plan is, there may be a need to check and make sure everything is actually practical. Is the land appropriately set up for the building or addition? Is there anything that doesn’t make sense about the overall plan? An architect will look through to make sure everything looks good before getting into the details of the design. Cochran has more information if you’d like to learn more.

Determine if There are Restrictions

There may be a local, county, or state restrictions that can be applicable to the building or addition. These need to be discovered at the beginning of the design process so workarounds can be found. Restrictions may include zoning restrictions like how tall the building can be, how far the addition must be from the property line, or even whether the entire project is allowed.

Add to Design for the Future

Architects aren’t just going to think of what’s happening right now. They’ll also consider the future for the business or home and help you come up with ideas that may future-proof the building or addition. This helps ensure the building is going to continue to be relevant and useful long into the future.

Reduce Overall Costs

Any construction is going to be expensive. While there are many ways to cut costs, some just aren’t worth the savings. An architect can help find ways to save money without sacrificing anything that’s needed or the overall quality of the project. If you’re on a budget, hiring an architect can help reduce overall costs so the project stays on budget.

Help Create a Green Building

Energy efficiency can make a huge difference in energy bills and impact on the environment. If an energy-efficient building is needed or desired, an architect is a right person to ask for help. They can use various design elements to create a building or addition that’s energy-efficient, or green, to help reduce the impact on the environment and help you save money.

Visualize the Design

What will the design actually look like when everything is done? Is it going to be what you’re imagining? An architect can draft visual designs and stake out the property so it’s easier to see exactly how big everything is, where everything will go, and what the project will look like when everything is done. That helps provide a better idea of what the final project looks like so you can ensure it will be exactly what’s needed for your home or business.

If you’re planning any construction, whether it’s commercial or residential, an architect can provide a lot of help and allow you to meet all of the goals. Take the time to speak with an architect today to learn more about what they can do to help with the project and what’s going to be improved by having the right help from the beginning. You won’t want to handle the project without them.

Read Also:

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Toronto Real Estate Guide

Your Toronto Real Estate Guide: Trends, Hot Spots And Key Players

Toronto is hot right now. It’s the fourth-largest in North America, trailing only Mexico City, New York and LA, and finally getting the recognition it deserves. It has been name-checked in hit songs (thank you, Drake), won recent pro sports titles (thank you, Raptors), and was dubbed by the New York Times as the “Quietly booming tech town” to rival Silicon Valley. It’s no wonder people are moving to Toronto in droves. In this article, let’s equip you with a few basic details about buying a home in the Six. Key Players If you aren't Toronto-born-and-bred, you may feel at a disadvantage breaking into the challenging real estate market. But shake that feeling aside. While you might feel bombarded with choices for representation, a little research will clear the air. You can check out what's widely regarded as the best real estate company in Toronto at the link provided. Toronto Real Estate: An Overview  The first thing to know about Toronto real estate is that, compared to other North American markets, it’s relatively expensive. According to Oxford Economics, the city joins other buzzing markets like Vancouver, LA and NYC as one of the priciest places for housing on the continent. But the trade-off is worth it: Torontonians enjoy low crime rates, clean civic spaces, abundant amenities and a world-class transit system. As you dip your toes into Toronto home hunting, keep a close eye on market fluctuations. After a series of Bank of Canada rate hikes, demand showed signs of slowing early this year. However, by April, local news reported a rebound with a 44% rise in the volume of sales month over month. It’s impossible to tell where the market goes from here (likely up), so work with an experienced real estate company to determine the ideal time to strike. A Lay Of The Land: Hot Spots And Up-And-Coming Neighbourhoods  Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods, each with its own flavour, cultural/historical significance and demographic makeup. Hot spots in the western part of the city, like Queen West, Ossington and Parkdale, skew younger – with young professionals rubbing elbows at swanky bars and hip eateries. Meanwhile, hot spots to the east like Leslieville, Beaches and Danforth Village sport more of a family feel –with sprawling parks, good schools and all-ages venues. Dotted throughout downtown Toronto, you’ll also find cultural neighbourhoods and ethnic enclaves: Chinatown, Little Italy, Koreatown, Little Portugal and Little India, among others. If you head a little outside of the dense central areas, you can find up-and-coming neighbourhoods. These include Scarborough Village, Bloordale Village and the Junction Triangle. However, a word of caution: For up-to-date information on smart real estate opportunities, don’t rely on an internet article as trends are liable to change; instead, ask knowledgeable professionals about their choices for the best up-and-coming areas to buy. Toronto is booming – and, by all indications, it will continue to boom in the coming decades. To strike while the iron's hot, connect with expert real estate agents and buy your slice of the big city. Read Also: The 7 Most Common Email Marketing Mistakes Identify Malicious Emailers With Online Tools Types Of Objections In Sales And How To Overcome Them With An Email Delivery Test?

READ MOREDetails
Relocation

Key Hacks To Make Your Relocation Easier!!!

Moving is such a daunting and complicated process. Not to mention but when you are moving then people will gaze at you with pity-filled eyes because all people tend to move at a certain age of their lives. The only way to make moving successful without losing your mind is by hiring movers and using key hacks. Hacks will not only make your move smoother but also make your life easier and more organized. Check out these hacks: Prepare a moving checklist  To keep everything systematic and organized, it is essential to prepare a moving checklist or download one from iMoving.com before you start the moving process. It will allow you to sort out the entire stuff more quickly which will make the entire relocation easier and effective. This will reduce the chances of any confusion during the process and also it will reduce the stress while offering you peace of mind. Get rid of almost everything  Of course, not everything but this is just the perfect time to get rid of the unused and unnecessary items. Just donate, sell or throw out items that you have not used since last year. The less the stuff you will have to pack and move, the easier and more organized the moving process will be. Be ruthless with your stuff like the coat which you think is cute but you have not worn in the last year then donate it now. Book your movers early   Remember that you are not only the one who is relocating therefore if you want to pick the right movers for yourself then you should start the process of booking movers earlier. If you leave the job at the end moment then higher are the chances that you need to compromise and will not get the movers according to your needs. Also, they will not be interested to give you deals and discounts because you will have a lesser number of options to choose from. Have an “open first” box  It allows you to put everything in a separate box that you need to stay there in your new home for the first night. You should take this box along with you in your car and ensure that it does not get lost during all the chaos of the moving process. Pack items like one or two pairs of clothing items, night suit, shampoo, soap, scissors, toilet paper, paper towel, mattress, and other items as per your requirement. Use these packing tips  Packing is the most time-consuming part of the moving process. To do it effectively and efficiently in less duration, you need to use hacks that will save your time. Don’t empty your dresser drawers and secure them by wrapping plastic wrap directly. This is only a good option for the drawers which are not too heavy. Leave the clothes onto the hangers as it is and then wrap up them in large garbage bags for transportation safely. You can use several clothing items like linens, towels, and soft items to pack breakable items such as glasses, perfumes, and so on. These can provide cushioning for fragile items and keep these items completely safe and secure. To transport knives with safety, you should use a dishtowel. A dishtowel is great to securely wrap up knives. You should always use plastic wrap around the liquid things which can spill out to save these from pouring out. All of us have suitcases present at our homes. One can use these suitcases to pack several items to make transportation of items easier. You should pack heavy items such as boxes into it. Before you close boxes, make sure you take pictures of the box's contents. While in a shot, you won’t be able to capture all the items present in the box but it will give you a general idea of what is present inside the boxes. Don’t label the boxes on the top, you should label boxes at all the sides so that during loading and stacking up of boxes, movers can get to know about the contents and can handle the box with care. When buying cardboard boxes, it is recommended you buy small and sturdy boxes. If possible then you can also get them for free from local shops. If you use big boxes then it will become awkward for a person to lift and load them. For electronic items, use the original boxes for the packing. When dissembling the furniture items, you should keep the screws and bolts along with the furniture box. If you don’t pack them along with furniture pieces then you will find yourself in a problem later when you have to assemble these items. Wrapping it all up!!! Moving is a daunting process when you see items are spreading all around. Before you start take an inventory of items and then get to know how much moving supplies you will require to pack these. then use all the above life-saving hacks to make your move easier. Read Also: The Five Most Important Things to Know Before Moving Moving house? Here’s the ultimate checklist Great Tips for Picking the Right Moving Company How To Select The Right Packing Paper For Your Moving Needs

READ MOREDetails
commercial and residential construction

Commercial and Residential Construction: Key Differences

When it comes to construction, many business owners, who have faced residential projects before, are surprised at how different commercial projects are. The difference between commercial and residential construction approaches is big, starting from the volume of work and ending with regulations We’ve turned to the experts to list the key differences between commercial and residential construction. Knowing them is especially important when choosing general contractors and checking their portfolio, permits, and credentials. Commercial vs Residential Construction: Definition Before we go further, let’s define commercial and residential construction. When we are talking about commercial construction, we mean creating a building for commercial purposes. It could be a store, office, school, factory, storage facility, warehouse, and more. When it comes to residential construction, it involves building something for residential living, including houses, apartments, condominiums, etc. At first glance, it may seem as if the approaches to these two types of construction are similar. However, they vary substantially. There may be a certain crossover between the skills of commercial and residential construction experts. However, a company that focuses on commercial construction may not have what it takes to deal with residential projects and vice versa. Regulations and Permits According to construction experts from afsgeneralcontracting.com, the key differences between these two types of construction are codes, regulations, and permits. Any kind of construction project requires special permits to be completed. For commercial projects, the number of these permits and codes is much higher than for residential buildings. Safety codes pertaining to parking lots, elevators, fire safety, and more are different for commercial properties. General contractors must have extensive experience following these codes since failing to do so could result in the entire project being done in vain. Commercial buildings come with elaborate concerns for electricity, IT, and parking. That’s why the level of complexity for working with such properties is much higher. Building codes and standards don’t just vary from residential to construction projects. They can be different in each state or even city. That’s why it’s important to check whether the general contractor you’ve chosen has experience working in your area. Materials As soon as there is a building design in place, it’s important to identify materials needed for the construction project’s completion. Usually, materials required for commercial construction are drastically different from what you would purchase for a residential construction project. For example, an average residential building requires more wood since it uses a timber frame construction. Such an approach is considered to be cost-effective and well suited for buildings of smaller size. Even though some residential building owners prefer a steel frame for integrity, not too many agree. The reason is a much higher cost. Requirements for commercial construction project materials are stricter. The design is usually more complex than for residential needs. Timber framing often doesn’t cut it for large commercial buildings. Steel is the preferred material for companies building commercial properties. It’s resilient and allows for higher integrity and longevity of tall buildings. Obtaining large amounts of steel for framing requires an established relationship between a contractor and supplier. It may be easier for the residential owner to purchase timber directly from the vendor. However, in both cases, it’s better to rely on the contractor to find the right materials. Equipment and Training No matter how large and complex residential buildings can be, they are small and simple compared to some commercial projects. The large size of commercial buildings requires special equipment and workers’ experience. Operating tall cranes is different from working with aerial lifts. Meanwhile, the cost of such equipment, even if it’s rented, is much higher. Height-access equipment for commercial projects require specially trained operators. It’s also harder to find than aerial lifts for residential construction purposes. Some parts of residential construction projects are sometimes done by owners themselves or contractors using “How-to” videos. Even though it sounds questionable, these people often reach satisfactory results since the tasks aren’t hard. However, such an approach can never work for commercial projects. Mistakes that construction workers make with residential projects are much easier to fix than those occurring with commercial construction are. Meanwhile, commercial construction errors are likelier to result in a lawsuit. In most cases, residential construction workers need additional training to deal with commercial projects. Deadlines Commercial project deadlines are usually much stricter than their residential counterparts are. Higher construction costs and better-organized workflow usually mean that commercial construction tasks are executed much faster. For a company, a faster construction process means lower costs for labor and reduced financial investment. This motivates commercial construction workers to complete the project quicker. When it comes to residential projects, homeowners have a tougher time setting deadlines since they are prone to making changes. Meanwhile, some homeowners experience financial problems during the construction project, which may hinder deadlines. Residential construction projects require fewer workers than commercial construction does. This may also slow the process down. Costs The biggest difference between residential and commercial construction is cost. It doesn’t just stem from materials and compliance standards but depends on the costs of labor and equipment. The number of workers, as well as their experience and training, may reflect on the project costs tremendously. So can the use of specialized equipment, which is tougher to find and more expensive to rent. Residential projects require all of the above as well. However, due to their smaller scale, the costs go down proportionally. The approach to funding is different as well. For commercial projects, funding is found through bank financing, government agency or a wealthy owner/developer. Meanwhile, the homeowner usually funds a residential project through a loan. Final Thoughts Commercial and residential projects can be drastically different. The key differences between commercial and residential construction are materials, equipment, worker training, costs, and deadlines. When choosing a general contractor, the difference between the two is highly important since a company that deals with residential projects may not take up commercial construction tasks and vice versa. Read Also: Lifting and Rigging Equipment—Your Hardware Guide 3 New Age Engineering & Construction Technology All You Must Know About Construction Business Management Software

READ MOREDetails