As-Is Drawings

Once we selected an architect, the next step was to create some "as is" drawings of the house since we didn't have the original or up-to-date blueprints for the building.  The layout of the existing house is quite simple but this step was nonetheless important since we plan to reuse most of the existing structure in some fashion.  The architect initially planned a half-day visit to take measurements.  He spent hours measuring the house using a laser-based device and noted all the key elements such as supporting beams, doors, windows, stairs and so on.

The architect took a number of pictures of the interior and exterior of the house as well as noting the views from various portions of the house and lot.  He also got a good sense of the neighboring properties to see how they might impact the design.  He took note of the changing angles of light during the day and how the vegetation would create shade.  These observations later informed how best to situate the addition and where to place windows to maximize views, privacy and natural light throughout the day.  In concert with the development of detailed drawings, a 3-D model will eventually be prepared to review and analyze the placement of the windows to see how they are likely to impact the interior of the space at different times of day and with differing lighting levels.

Although the preparation of the as-is drawings was a bit of work for the architect, it didn't involve us as much as in later steps.  Rather, our role was to act more as a reviewer confirming the accuracy of the drawings based on our familiarity with the house.  After a few weeks, the architect had produce floor-by-floor drawings of the existing house to use as a baseline for the design process.  These well-detailed drawings have since helped us to see the structure in the context of how it can best be changed.

Lastly, we should add that we were impressed that the architect took the train and biked uphill to the house rather than driving.  Given our common desire to redevelop the house in such a way as to reduce greenhouse and other gas emissions, it was nice to see someone following their principles to their logical conclusion in spite of the inconvenience.