Realize Your Dreams

LOOKING FOR YOUR DREAM HOUSE

Often, when househunting, you have a specific idea in mind of what it is you are looking for. Unfortunately, what is in your mind’s eye often is not in the realtors’ listings books. In addition to new houses, we can design an addition or renovation to transform a prospective house into your dream house!

THE VALUE OF AN ARCHITECT

When you choose to work with Zimmerman Architects, you enjoy many benefits. With our experience, creativity and knowledge of construction, we translate your spatial requirements or “program” into a buildable plan. After construction, you enjoy many obvious benefits of a custom-designed home including superior aesthetics (curb appeal) and enhanced resale value.

THE RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT

Homes that are attractively designed by experienced architects sell faster, at higher prices. The selection of a quality architect is a critical part of the process. Your contractor needs quality drawings and a quality design to build you a quality house. Part of the investment that goes into a construction project for your house covers the cost of services of your architect. Architectural services that enhance one’s quality of life and increase one’s property value are a worthwhile investment.

PRIDE OF PLACE

The return on this investment goes far beyond the financial benefits. In addition to money, owners also are investing a great amount of their time and trust in a design process that, when finally complete, leads to a tremendous sense of family pride and accomplishment.

CREATIVITY AND SERVICE

Zimmerman Architects is a twin sister architect team, with our practice in northern New Jersey. Our clients compliment us for our creativity, as well as our extraordinary customer service – phone calls are promptly returned, questions are competently answered, problems are quickly resolved. Because of our good listening skills, we have delighted clients who tell us, ?You read my mind!? You give us your ideas and we transform them into an inspired tangible design. We both have been enjoying this experience for over 25 years.

CONSTRUCTION COSTS

Although fees and construction costs can vary widely depending on circumstances, here are some helpful preliminary numbers:

Architect fees (as percent of project cost):
8 – 15 % for Basic Architectural Services with “Builder Drawings”
12 – 20 % for Full Architectural Services including site observation

(Typically the design fee for a larger, simple new house will be a lower percentage of the cost of construction than a smaller more complex renovation project.)

Creating your dream can be a challenging yet exciting and rewarding experience – Zimmerman Architects can help you build your dream.

The Project Process

Projects in our office are divided into several different phases.

Phase I – Preliminary Studies

Measuring and drawing existing conditions (if addition / renovation project)
Site evaluation
Zoning analysis
Conferences as necessary
Design sketches (drawn to scale)
Additional meetings and iterations of redesign as necessary

Phase II – Construction Documents

”Builder Drawings” with enough information to get budget bids from contractors and to be able to file for construction permits
Project Manual
Details and interior elevations
Custom finishes (including tile & floor patterns), custom millwork or trim designs
Materials selection and specifications
Schedules
Architectural models

Phase III – Construction Administration

Costing by contractors (can be bidding or one contractor previously selected)
Working with selected contractor to provide value engineering
Preconstruction site walk-through with contractor and subcontractors
Coordination with kitchen & bath designers, interior designers, landscape architects, consulting engineers where necessary, cabinet makers
Weekly site visits
Phone calls, faxes, email correspondence to address construction issues, proposed changes during construction, building department concerns
Review requests for payment
Walk-through with client and contractor, final punch list

Services