Most states require drawings be certified by an architect or engineer. Architects are typically trained in most aspects of building, site design and engineering and are considered generalists. They undergo extensive testing prior to being licensed to practice. Generalists are typically what are needed to help owners or clients wade through all necessary decisions in a building project. Services offered can include any or all of the following:
– as described earlier
documenting all parameters to be met in the design, including legal restrictions, client considerations, budget restraints and labor considerations
guiding the organization to determine how and when growth will likely occur in the future, insuring what is decided today will not interfere with what will likely be needed next
trying to verify that the group’s reach does not exceed its grasp, so time, talent, effort and enthusiasm is not poured into a growth solution, unaffordable in the final analysis
flow diagrams and rough building and site layouts, insuring all project components will be in proper relationship to each other to satisfy project parameters
a simple set of plans, usually including a site plan, floor plans, a section and exterior elevations, usable for rough budget estimates to determine feasibility
fleshing out preliminary drawings to make provisions for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural and other system considerations
completing the design development drawings with dimensions, notes, schedules and details, incorporating all project decisions, accurate and complete enough to obtain comparable bids, be submitted for approvals and establish quantities of materials needed in the project
written descriptions establishing the quality of materials needed, in a separate booklet or included as notes on drawings, as complex or simple as desired
information from the survey, with all intended site improvements added, including buildings, utilities, walks, storm drainage, parking, signage and landscaping
an overhead view of the floor and walls of the building, defining location and arrangement of spaces inside
essentially “flat” views of a proposed structure’s faces, showing material choices and locations as well as door and window locations
cuts made through the building, distinct wall types and component assemblies to clarify how various parts fit together
communicating decisions made regarding heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, the size and configuration of the main power entrance, panels, fixture types, switches and locations, and components of the water, gas and sewage systems
defining components in a project which are load bearing, including foundation and footing sizes and details, beam sizes and details, framing system component size and spacing and connection and anchoring details
concise tabular methods of communicating specified room finishes, door types and hardware, window types and size, foundation piers and pads, lighting fixtures, plumbing fixtures, etc.
direct submission of assembled construction documents to regulatory agencies, from whom approvals must be obtained, usually done more efficiently than when the owner acts as an intermediary
helping find qualified bidders for various parts of the work, getting correct documents into their hands, collecting, organizing and presenting bid results to the religious group for decisions
assisting clients in preparing contracts for contractor(s) with whom they wish to do business and maintaining contracts in a file for use during construction
monitoring work to safeguard against problems on job sites, before they become larger problems, usually done through regular job site visits to verify what is being built is in accordance with drawings and specifications
wrapping up loose ends of a project, creating a punch list in a walk-through, collecting lien releases, overseeing final payments and obtaining a certificate of occupancy, a project manual of warranty paperwork, maintenance instructions and as-built documents
creating a model or 3-D picture of a proposed project, to give clients a more accurate understanding of a proposed solution
written or graphic records of changes made during construction for whatever reason, a final set of drawings reflecting the finished project, for use with later projects