Personalizing home design is more than a slogan for Robinson Residential Design. Each of our clients is very much a part of the design process of their new home, and we feel strongly that their new home should be a reflection of their tastes and personal style. This personalization comes about by our trained staff asking questions directly related to the project, room by room as we make sure that our first version of the preliminary plans is as close as possible to the requirements and priorities of the owners. We do our best to make sure to take the best advantage of the site to maximize views, sunlight and access. From there, we focus inward on the home, including the placement of furniture and artwork.

Selecting the style of the home can be quite challenging for some homeowners. We work with them to determine firstly if the client's style is traditional or contemporary. From that decision, we can explain possible architectural styles that would work with their site, likes and dislikes and building type.

New custom design:

Custom designed homes are designed to suite the client’s requirements, personal preferences, and site conditions.  We also take the client's budget into account when making design decisions, but all pricing is the responsibility of the client or their builder.  It should be noted that prices can vary significantly from one local to another for both labour and materials. 

The first step usually involves a meeting where a series of questions are asked of the client to determine as much as possible about what they envision for their home.  Often not all these questions can be answered at this meeting, and subsequent information is forwarded to us.  We have a standard list of questions that we typically ask, ranging from building size to personal style.  

Once we are satisfied that we have understood the requirements for the home, we prepare a preliminary floor plan.  Our most successful projects usually involve starting from scratch, but often the homeowners will bring a sketch of what they have in mind.  These sketches can be problematic if not drawn to scale, and wall thicknesses and minimum clearances are not taken into account. We would rather use a sketch as a rough starting point and let the design process involve looking at other options. When the preliminary plan is complete, it will include room sizes, furniture layouts, special features noted and the overall building area calculated and noted. 

After the floor plans have been fine tuned we prepare the exterior elevations (views).  Often we prepare building sections through the home at this stage to illustrate the interior shapes and ceilings of the project.  Once the owner is satisfied that the elevations and plans are perfect, they must be signed off to proceed to working drawings.

Working drawings:

Working drawings are the drawings that the contractors will use to build the home.  They include detailed exterior elevations, foundation plans, main floor plans, second floor plans (if applicable), roof plans, electrical plans, site plans, building sections and often miscellaneous details.  We can assist in obtaining structural engineering in some cases where needed. 

Design Criteria:

Before the designing process begins you should ask yourself the following questions (View As PDF):

Who Will Be Living in the House?

1. Ages?
2. Special Circumstances?

What is the Site Like?

1. Dimensions?
2. Setbacks?
3. Adjacent Properties?
4. Design Controls?
5. Size Requirements and Limitations?
6. Grading Plan?
7. Location of Garage?
8. Digital Legal Survey?
9. Directions of the Site?

How Do You Live?

1. What is the typical daily routine of the family members in the house?
2. How frequently do you entertain?
3. Are you retired or soon-to-be retired?

What Type of House Do You Want?

1. Bungalow, Raised Bungalow, Split Level 2-storey, 1-1/2 storey?
2. Attached or Detached Garage?
3. Developed Attic?
4. Anticipated floor area?
5. Finished basement – now or in the future?

Is There Anything Individual That Needs to be Accommodated?

1. Art pieces, furniture
2. Special features
3. Special activities

What Type of  Lay-Out Do You Want?

1. Number of rooms?
2. Type of rooms?
3. Formal or open?
4. Major rooms at the back of the house, toward the yard or toward the front and street?
5. Any rooms to open to “outdoor” rooms (decks, verandas, patios)?
6. Furniture requirements for each room?
7. Size of rooms in current house?
8. Closet preferences?

What Type of Construction?

1. Basement - ICF or conventional concrete?
2. Walk-out, Crawlspace or conventional?
3. Upper floors – typical wood frame, timber frame, ICF, or SIPS (Structural Insulated Panels)?
4. Wall heights on each floor

What Kind of Style Do You Want?

1. Traditional?   Contemporary?
2. Exterior?  Interior?

Is There Anything You Dislike and Want to Avoid?

Can You Picture Your New Home?

Is it easy to picture or would you like to see a 3-D model or complete rendering?

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