faq answer #6

We provide a service, not a product. Thinking of our professional services as a commodity is a common misconception. You do receive copies of drawings and plans, but, as a design professional, we retain a copyright on the originals (and we bear responsibility for their accuracy). We, as design professionals, bring both imagination and expertise to the task at hand, and can provide for both short- and long-range objectives. Our professional experience can also bring approaches or solutions to your project you might never think of on your own and we provide professional guidance throughout the design and construction of your project. What you are paying for is the time that the it takes to analyze your requirements, define what you need and want, develop and revise the design, coordinate the permit process (if requested), and (if applicable) ascertain that the project is built according to the plans and specifications. You are also paying for something less quantifiable: the skill and years of experience necessary to create and build functional but unique habitable spaces that are responsive to you; to the building site; and to the climate in which the project is built.