Artistic Solutions By EES

Meeting with the client in person at the project location is always where we like to start. This ensures everyone is on the same page and we can discuss points that may not come up if I haven't seen the space yet. Once we've discussed the work that needs to be done, I work up a detailed proposal. The proposal lists line by line everything I will provide and a breakdown of the cost. This format makes it easy for the client to make adjustments and ask questions. Once everyone is satisfied with the scope of work and cost, I provide a contract agreement and request the deposit. After we have both a signed contract and deposit, we get to work! 

I have a degree in interior design from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. I'm in the process of completing my architecture degree and until then, my work is overseen by a licensed professional engineer. I have experience working with different interior designers as well as a contractor where I specialized in custom kitchens and bathrooms. Working with a contractor and cabinet builders taught me a lot that I never learned in school. It has made me much more detail-oriented and allows me to better cater to the builders and contractors that will ultimately make that vision come to life. Being able to effectively communicate with contractors and builders is vital and makes everything run so much smoother. Even simple things like making sure my dimension callouts are in inches instead of feet make all the difference.

We have a fee schedule that I include in every proposal. project costs, though, are not at any set rate as they vary widely based on the project details and location. 

I was basically born into it. My grandfathers were both engineers and one was also an architect. My father is also a professional civil engineer so I got to grow up watching him design major developments. It's in my blood and it's definitely my passion.

Our clients range from single-family homeowners to corporations developing multi-family and commercial buildings. Most of our engineering work is for larger projects while the interior design and architecture projects we get are mostly for homeowners. 

I've been working on an on-going (soon to be wrapped up) development in downtown Riverside. It's a historic packing house building being converted to office space. The clients have done so well to highlight the amazing structure and history of the building while creating a space full of light and energy that anyone would love to work in. They've even tossed around the idea of adding citrus trees around the interior! It's an incredible project.

Make sure to do research on what will be required by the city or county to obtain permits for your specific project. Often times, I get clients who don't realize how much work needs to be done aside from the design itself. For example, a residential addition will require a topographic survey to show the property lines and house footprint on the site plan. Another example would be for a multi-family or commercial development, you'll need either a traffic impact analysis or traffic counts to show how the development will affect the surrounding area. This information can often be provided by the expert you choose to consult with but making yourself aware of the potential requirements will reduce the shock of how much work will need to be completed. This also goes for (especially) new, ground-up residential designs. Purchasing a vacant lot is very risky if an engineer isn't consulted first as the site itself might impose unexpected work or not allow the design concept the client wants. Allowing your expert to analyze the entire project will help you be made aware of potential issues so you can either avoid or prepare for them.

Firstly, find out if the pro you want to hire can complete all the requirements imposed by the city or county in-house or if they'll be outsourcing or simply excluding it from their scope of work.

Second, it's good to know what the city or county is like when it comes to development. Some jurisdictions are easier to work with than others. Depending on how they operate, your project could end up going through multiple rounds of comments and corrections to satisfy them. This will drive up the time (therefore the cost) of drafting and design work for your pro and it's good to have a budget in place to cover that. 

Understanding the average time it takes to complete plan-check through your jurisdiction's building and safety department is important. A lot of times, clients will expect to submit plans and receive a permit immediately. That's usually not how it works and can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months to obtain a building permit. If the client is already making plans to break ground before procuring permits, it could cause a lot of problems including having the entire project shut down by code enforcement. These concerns can be discussed with your pro before you even start the design phase. 

It's also good to ask how your pro charges for their services. There are several different ways to go about it including using more than one in the same contract. Also, inquire about work orders and if they'll be necessary later down the line. Often times, pros will exclude certain services from the scope of work until it's been confirmed necessary. Once that's been established, they may give you a work order to add that service to your contract.