DESIGN FREEDOM, INC.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS



Our clients focus on green or energy efficient projects - homeowners who want to save money and think long term. They subscribe to the thought that bigger is not necessarily better that quality wins over quantity every time. And our clients plan on staying in their home for a long time, with low maintenance, durability, and one level living integrated into every design.


Every project is different, but every project is a puzzle. My job is to figure out what is needed, what is wanted, and the best possible way to get there. We like to listen to the clients, weigh all the options, and bring out the best ideas. If we figure things out carefully at each step, the end product will go together more smoothly, and seem to be the best and only solution to the problem.



WHEN SHOULD I CALL AN ARCHITECT?





You don't have to figure everything out before you call us. Let us do what we're good at so you can enjoy your home sooner.



WHERE DO YOU WORK?





We are licensed in both Florida and Virginia.


In Florida, we mainly practice in Tampa Bay, Central Florida and Southwest Florida.


This includes the metro areas around Tampa, St Petersburg, Clearwater, Ocala, Orlando, Lakeland, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Cape Coral. This also includes the beach and coastal areas on the Gulf of Mexico from Crystal River to Sanibel Island.


In Virginia, we mainly practice in Northern Virginia.



ARE YOU AN ARCHITECT?





Yes. Cathy Svercl is licensed as an Architect for Design Freedom, inc., in 2 states, Florida & Virginia. In both states, her license allows her to offer architectural services on all types of structures for human habitation, including homes, multi-family buildings, offices, retail, hospitality, education, healthcare, etc. A licensed architect can offer services including planning, preliminary study designs, drawings and specifications, job-site inspections, and administration of construction contracts. Our license information is at the bottom of each page. To verify our licenses, go to (Florida: http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/) or (Virginia: http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/LicenseLookup/).

Cathy is also licensed in Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. However, the business only offers architectural services in Virginia and Florida.



IS A RESIDENTIAL DESIGNER OR DRAFTER THE SAME AS AN ARCHITECT?





Architects are trained in design as well as building science - balanced between art and engineering. We are licensed professionals who are bound by a code of ethics and carry professional liability insurance (errors & omissions) on projects. There are 4 phases to our services: the Pre-Design (research) Phase, the Design, the Permit Drawings, and Construction Review. Make sure to compare both our fees and our services when getting quotes.


There is no required education, licensure, or professional liability insurance for Residential Designers or Drafters. Their services are often limited by the State to single family homes and duplexes only up to 3 stories high, and they may require a Structural Engineer to sign and seal the final drawings.



WHAT ARE THE COSTS?





We provide a Design Fee Menu up front which describes our services and fees (see our "about" page). A full Proposal, consisting of text description of the work and the fees & services involved, is sent after the initial meeting at your home, which allows us to review the existing conditions and requirements of the project. You are not obligated to sign a Contract until we are all in agreement with the Proposal.


An architect's typical fees range from $8 per square foot for very large projects to $20 per square foot for very small projects, or around 5-10% of the construction cost. Our Proposal for Architectural Services will be based on the Design Fee Menu, the complexity of the project, estimated hours for unusual conditions, and include or exclude additional Consultants.


As of 2023, our Consulting Fee is $150 per hour.



WHERE HAVE YOU DESIGNED PROJECTS?





Belleair, Belleair Beach, Clearwater, Dunedin, Gulfport, Largo, Madeira Beach, North Redington Beach, Oldsmar, Pinellas Park, Redington Beach, Safety Harbor, St Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, and Unincorporated Pinellas County (includes Crystal Beach, Eastlake, Palm Harbor, etc)


City of Tampa and Unincorporated Hillsborough County (includes Land O Lakes, Lutz, Odessa, Sun City Center, etc), FL


City of Boca Raton, City of Orlando, City of Sarasota, Alachua County, Marion County, Unincorporated Hernando County (including Hernando Beach), FL


City of Vienna and Unincorporated Fairfax County, VA


* Not every design gets built for numerous reasons.



HOW DO WE START?





Requesting our Project Planning Pack (PPP) will answer questions about the overall design and construction process. Then scheduling a 30-minute phone call introduces us to your life and project. We explain the design process and answer any questions you have about us. Then we schedule a paid Initial Consultation at your home. We walk and talk for about 2 hours, and discuss our Design Fees Menu and other pertinent information to help you make the right decision for you. Afterward, we send you the Meeting Notes and a formal Architectural Proposal.



WHAT KINDS OF PROJECTS do you dESIGN?





We mostly work with families on their own homes: Remodels and additions, porches, bath remodels, new detached garage/workshops, and new houses. In-law-suite additions are becoming popular (aka ADUs, Casitas, Granny Flats, etc).


We have also designed the occasional commercial project: tenant space renovations and multi-family projects.



HAVE MOST OF YOUR CLIENTS ALREADY WORKED WITH AN ARCHITECT?





Most of our Clients are average, everyday people. Some are handy around the house, most have watched design shows on TV. A special few have read more about architects, architecture, and the design process. Almost none of our Clients have worked with an Architect before, although some have remodeled their home in the past. So we are happy to educate as we go, whether about design, structural, energy efficiency, construction, etc.




WHAT MAKES A GOOD CLIENT?





Before we work with a Client, we want to make sure we will be the best fit for that person and project. A good Client will be honest and up-front about their wants and needs, their budget, and their timeline. Although, of course, those things may change during the design & construction process. A good Client is open to a new idea or thought, will listen to our advice, and then make the best decision for themselves. A good Client is just as excited about the project as we are!



HOW DID YOU BECOME AN ARCHITECT?





Cathy graduated college with a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech. Classes included design studios, structural engineering, geology, urban planning, architectural history, environmental building systems, building assembly and computer aided design. One semester was spent at the Washington Alexandria Architecture Center in Virginia, and one semester was spent at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia.


After graduation, she worked at 4 architecture firms in South Carolina, Maryland, and Florida. The firms worked on a mix of residential, multi-family, retail and office projects. Then she took and passed all 9 sections of the Architectural Registration Exam.



DO YOU TAKE CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES?





Architects are required to take courses on Health, Safety, and Welfare, including Advanced Building Code courses. We learn about new products and techniques, and review good design and building practices. We also take courses, attend seminars, and go to conferences to keep up with green products and techniques.



ARE YOU A DESIGN-BUILD FIRM?





We don't perform design-build services. We have found that working under a Contractor leads to mis-interpretations of what the Client really wants, and to avoid that, we require a direct relationship with the Client. We have also found that design-build comprises the integrity of our role as Client Representative during Construction - while we all want to save the Client money, we don't want to compromise the value or quality of what was originally intended.



DO YOU ESTIMATE CONSTRUCTION COSTS?





Because we design similarly-sized and similarly-budgeted projects in the Tampa Bay area, we ask the Contractors who build our projects for their final costs after completion. Then we calculate the approximate cost per square foot of that project. We use this number for early rule-of-thumb cost assumptions. During or at the end of design, we encourage our Clients to talk to several Contractors about cost estimates based on the design thus far. We believe in being fully aware of the cost implications of design decisions before the final permit drawings are started, and certainly before construction starts.





DESIGN FREEDOM, INC.



CLEARWATER, FL
Phone/Voicemail - Schedule a Call!
FL#AR93491 (formerly AA26001283) VA#0407 005832