The Process of Working with an Architect

At Old City Design Studio, we believe in building a strong relationship with our clients as we work through an exciting and thoughtful design process.  When you choose OCDS as your design architect, you choose an approach that respects the beauty of your home and your neighborhood, enhances the way you live, and adds value to your home. When you choose OCDS, you choose a partner along the entire path, from our free initial consultation, to the moment you move into your completed space.


Working with Old City Design Studio on your home renovation project involves three primary phases:


Concept Design

During concept design, we work together and communicate often as we develop a set of guidelines that we determine through discussion.  We work together exploring multiple possibilities to find a solution that best meets your needs.  We find that, by listening closely to your needs, we are often able to discover possibilities that you may never have imagined on your own. 

The sketches that we present may include several versions of a possible solution – there may be one that represents what you had in mind, but the hope is that, as we listen to your needs, we may come up with something that exceeds your expectation and that provides intrinsic value that you may not have anticipated.


documentation & bidding

During the documentation phase, we will guide you in the selection of all of the finishes, light fixtures, appliances, door knobs, etc.  We will continue to design as we document all of these decisions. This is important for a few reasons – to get a handle on costs, to make decisions upfront and in a timely manner, and to create a design in which every piece works together to form a coherent space.  

The end result is a full set of detailed drawings and a complete list of products and finishes.  These documents are then used to ask for competitive pricing from multiple local contractors that specialize in your project type. This process of bidding allows the best value while delivering a final product that is agreed to by all parties involved.


Permit & Construction

The fully developed set of drawings is also required in order to secure the building permit from the local building department.  You can rely on our experience to guide you through this process.

During construction, we attend weekly meetings with you and the contractor on site. With open communication between all parties during this phase,  we can ensure that the project is on schedule, on budget, and built according to the drawings.