Phased Progress – Taking Things One Step at A Time

At AV Architects + Builder’s we pride ourselves on the clarity and transparency of our process. We want to deliver Vacation Style Living™ to our clients by building their forever home. Just as there are distinct phases to homebuilding, we encourage our clients to consider their transition to a new home in phases to reduce the stress of the moving experience and get ready for a fantastic experience in their new home.

The AV Architects + Builders Process

From start to finish, we estimate between 12-20 months to complete a home. With the pandemic, some steps, which are dependent on outside forces, are taking longer to complete. The first four phases are the Design Phases in which we iron out all of the details necessary to have a smooth construction phase that delivers to the homeowners’ expectations. During this time period of 6-8 months, we are busy helping you find land, creating 3D models, selecting materials, producing a construction budget and obtaining permits. All of this occurs before we break ground in the Construction Phase, which lasts 10 to 12 months. BY working in phases, we strategically address the creation of each custom home so that we deliver on time, on budget and to the complete satisfaction of our clients.

Does the Homeowner Have a Process?

In the decades that we have been building custom homes, we have come to have a pretty good understanding of the steps homeowners need to take to smoothly transfer to their new home. Not all homeowners take the exact same approach, but there are certain aspects that contribute to a less stressful process.

A minimalist approach for the new home

Regardless of the size of their current home, we find that homeowners recognize that they have accumulated many things that they will not want to bring to their new home. Whether it’s the wrong style or size furniture, or clutter, as a first step to moving, homeowners need to review their possessions and decide what is going to be recycled, donated, or tossed. The 3D renderings and detailed decisions about material selection that we develop can help homeowners to visualize the new space and give thought to what they want to bring with them. We spoke with Gregg Day of Certified Master Movers, who advised homeowners to complete this process well before calling the movers, so no unwanted stuff gets included in the move.

Planning for multiple moves

As part of the evaluation of the current living situation, homeowners need to decide whether they will stay there until their forever home is ready, or if they plan to sell the home and move to a temporary arrangement until the home is complete. If they take the second approach, they will need to plan what items they want in their temporary housing, what to store, and what will ultimately be moved into the new home. A good mover will be able to put items in a temperature-controlled warehouse and move other items to temporary housing, but they need direction on what goes where.

Tips for a Successful Moving Day

Gregg tells us that there is a lot that goes into a successful move. In addition to removing all the items that you don’t want to keep before the mover does a survey and makes an estimate, you should clearly identify the items going to storage or temporary housing. This will allow the mover to make a more accurate estimate of the cost and effort involved. Often, the new home will have a different configuration, so it’s a good idea to clearly label where each item is meant to go (e.g. bedroom 3, study, great room, etc.). While cleaning is a great idea, Gregg warns not to put furniture oil on furniture because the quilted fabric of the furniture wraps can absorb the oil unevenly and leave patterned stains. Finally, Gregg warns that moving day is disruptive and the doors are left open, so it’s important to find a safe secure place for family pets away from the house.

While we are working on the design and build of a forever home, our clients can also go through their process to plan for their transition. Since the Northern Virginia real estate market is active right now, Gregg advises that the movers will need a month prior to moving day to estimate the move. Using the designs and plans prepared by AV Architects, homeowners can prepare themselves and smoothly take up residence into their new home when it is completed.

Are you thinking about building a forever home? Start the process today by contacting us for a free consultation.