Inquire About a New Project

Phone: (425) 576-1414

Please complete the New Project Intake Form below; to help us get up to speed on your project details and facilitate a productive discussion with you.

DESIGN FOCUS
We are an intentionally small firm with an emphasis on design. We offer a highly personalized level of service to our clients and maintain a very high quality standard for our designs and drawings. We are selective about projects, choosing to focus on:

Complete custom home designs, for individual homeowners and builder clients
(specializing in challenging sites: steep slopes, shoreline and critical areas)
Major residential renovations or redesigns
Design-oriented commercial, mixed-use, and tenant improvement projects

With over 35 years in the industry, we offer exceptional value for site selection and feasibility consultations, particularly for sites in the Eastside communities and the Cascade snow country.

New Project Intake Form

Name

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Contact Phone

(###)

###

####

How did you hear about 4D Architects?

If you were personally referred, we appreciate you sharing the name of the person who referred you.

Project Type

What kind of project are you interested in talking with us about?

Project Address or Parcel #

Please indicate the Address and City of your project site or the County Parcel Number. This allows us to get some property and zoning information so we can be better prepared to talk with you about your project.

Do you currently own this lot/parcel?

Has a survey been completed for this site?

If available, please provide the date of the survey and name of the surveyor or firm

Any special site conditions?

Steep slope, shoreline, critical areas, water features or wetlands, easements, etc.

Square footage of proposed Project

Description of Project

Please give us some details about your proposed project: number of stories, style and finish preferences, room configurations, any special site conditions or limitations, etc.

Project Budget

Overall budget or a target cost per square foot
$375-$500+/square foot is typical for the Seattle area; for construction only
As our fee structure is geared to full-scope custom designs, we typically do not accept remodel projects with construction budgets below $200,000

Do you have a builder/contractor for this project?

We've worked with many builders/contractors over the years and can provide some recommendations, if desired.

What is your target date for starting construction?

PROJECT BUDGETING

In the Seattle metropolitan area new custom construction or major renovation work typically costs between $375 and $500+ per square foot of new or renovated space. These are generic figures for estimating a basic project budget, but costs can range higher depending on the scope of services desired, quality expectations and finish selections. The base cost of construction is influenced by the size of the structure, the complexity of the design, and the amount of work required to prepare the site. However, finish selections typically have a more significant impact on the bottom line of a project; these are choices regarding exterior siding, windows and doors, tile work, flooring, wall and window treatments, plumbing fixtures, etc. For perspective, consider that we have designed a few custom homes that came in well above $1,000 per square foot.

Remodels and additions are particularly challenging to budget for, and there is a common misconception that this work is less costly; however, in most instances, we have not found this to be the case. In 2015, the contractors we work with have quoted remodel cost ranges of $20,000 to $60,000 for bathrooms and $60,000 to $150,000 for kitchens. Consider that upgraded appliance packages, one of the most common elements of a kitchen remodel and typically incorporating top of the line models, can run $15,000 to $80,000+, in addition to the finish elements: stone countertops, custom cabinetry, floor finishes, lighting fixtures – are all items commonly included in the scope of a remodel, each representing a significant cost in materials alone.

While we are not construction estimators, we can share our professional expertise in the design process by noting expensive choices and recommending cost saving alternatives. However, we always appreciate having a builder or contractor involved early in the process to provide a more accurate cost analysis of the complete project as the design is being developed.

It is important to note that the figures quoted above represent the cost of finished construction only and do not include the following expenses:

Architectural Design Fees
This is the cost of developing the design and producing detailed drawings to secure a building permit; typically 3% to 15% of construction cost depending on the scope of services provided.
State Sales Tax
Prime contractors (builders) in Washington State must collect retail sales tax from the land owner on the gross price of the contract; currently this tax rate is just over 10%, and is in addition to the cost per square foot figures quoted above.
Other Professional Fees
Professional services that may be required or desired: survey, civil engineering, interior design, landscape design, geotechnical, permit submittal.
Permitting, Inspection and/or Regulatory Fees
These are fees related to permit review and approval; as of 2015, the cost of a typical single-family residence permit ranges between $10,000 and $25,000.
Latecomer Impact Fees
These are fees typically associated with developing a project on an undeveloped site (e.g. vacant lot) and can range widely, from $5,000 - $20,000.
Architectural or Design Review Committee Fees (HOAs)
Some communities (e.g. Vuecrest, Issaquah Highlands, Suncadia) require new projects to be approved by a design review committee, in addition to municipal permit review and approval. Fees range up to a few thousand dollars, but the review process can add cost indirectly through delays and revisions to satisfy the committee’s sometimes unpredictable requirements.