Avoiding Mistakes in Commercial Architecture
Avoiding mistakes in commercial architecture is all based on hiring the right commercial architect in Phoenix for your project.
A Commercial Architect in Phoenix Can Help to Design Your Office Space | 480-710-3861
Commercial Architecture Gone Wrong
A lot of times, in society as well as in architecture, there is a pendulum swing that happens. From the late 70’s to the 90’s, offices were big on cubicles. Commercial architects designed office floor plans with cubicles in mind. The managers usually had offices, or larger, more open cubicles. Worker cubicles were usually higher than than someone standing up. The pluses of this arrangement were privacy for workers except from behind, but there were just as many minuses.
For one, employees felt claustrophobic and the flow of the room would be gone. Many workers considered cubicles to be equivalent to cages or they felt that they were in some sort of bizarre ant farm. When call centers started to develop in corporate America, the cubicles were cut down by half. Commercial architects found that while half-cubicles allowed more flow-through, it also reduced the privacy of employees, as well as increased the noise level. Unfortunately, it got worse.
Hiring a Licensed Architect in Phoenix To Get it Right
That was when people cut cubicles out completely, and the open office trend spread throughout many companies. However, as the Washington Post article “Google got it wrong. The open-office trend is destroying the workplace.” by Lindsay Kaufman shows, open office design is a really bad idea:
“Nearly half of the surveyed workers in open offices said the lack of sound privacy was a significant problem for them and more than 30 percent complained about the lack of visual privacy. Meanwhile, “ease of interaction” with colleagues — the problem that open offices profess to fix — was cited as a problem by fewer than 10 percent of workers in any type of office setting. In fact, those with private offices were least likely to identify their ability to communicate with colleagues as an issue. In a previous study, researchers concluded that “the loss of productivity due to noise distraction … was doubled in open-plan offices compared to private offices.”
The New Yorker, in a review of research on this nouveau workplace design, determined that the benefits in building camaraderie simply mask the negative effects on work performance. While employees feel like they’re part of a laid-back, innovative enterprise, the environment ultimately damages workers’ attention spans, productivity, creative thinking, and satisfaction. Furthermore, a sense of privacy boosts job performance, while the opposite can cause feelings of helplessness.” [READ SOURCE]
The takeaway from all of this is that you want to find a balanced design. You want your employees to have some privacy, but at the same time, you want the ability to supervise them.
To achieve a balanced design, you need to consult a professional. You need to hire a commercial architect in Phoenix.
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470 E. Canyon Creek Court ,
Gilbert, AZ 85295
480-710-3861
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Sounds Like a Job for a Commercial Architect in Phoenix
If you own a business, sooner or later, you will need the services of a commercial architect in Phoenix.
An architect in Phoenix can help you with a wide variety of architectural projects either big or small. | 480-710-3861
What Does a Commercial Architect Do?
What does a commercial architect do? A commercial architect is responsible for commercial architectural design.
Commercial architectural design involves the process of creating and administering the new construction or renovation of the commercial space. This is where you need the services of commercial architects.
What commercial architectural design targets
Commercial design would address the following areas
1. Building materials
2. The general layout
3. The flooring design
4. The ceiling design
5. The structural and mechanical components
6. Plumbing and electrical systems
Commercial architects are professionals who mainly focus on the design and drawing of any building structure that is essentially a business. They are capable of handling residential projects, however, their specialty and focus is usually larger on commercial projects.
A commercial architect specializes in the planning and design of industrial and commercial buildings. These architects will oversee the whole construction of office buildings, retail spaces, restaurants and other similar structures. They may design a new building or draw up plans for a major remodeling project.
Duties of a Commercial Architect
Depending on how complex or involving a commercial architect wants to be, their duties can include a wide range of things;
1. Designing, Planning, and Development
Designing, planning, and developing are an essential and integral task in an architect’s daily routine. They may be required to provide pre-design reports such as an environmental impact or feasibility study, cost analysis and land-use study.
2. CustomerService and Retention – Architects work closely with their clients in drafting plans meeting severally with clients in order to learn the client’s objectives.
3. Consult
Many architects actually sit down with clients to do their initial consultation rather than having a college graduate do it for them. The client and architect usually discuss what type of structure is being built and its functionality along with the building codes restrictions and regulations.
That last part is beyond crucial. All it takes for a project to become a boondoggle is one missed permit and you could end up having a commercial project’s budget get out of control. While it is often tempting to do it yourself, you really end up saving more money by making other decisions. First off, take your time, and have a general idea of where you want to go with your project, and call a commercial architect in Phoenix today.
DesignLine Architects, LLC
470 E. Canyon Creek Court ,
Gilbert, AZ 85295
480-710-3861
Commercial Architecture Design
Commercial architecture design is a combination of different disciplines in conjunction with the needs of the business.
Call in an Architect to Remodel Your Commercial Property | 480-710-3861
Commercial Architects and Design Phases
Architecture, since it started thousands of years ago, has changed with the times. Good architecture, whether commercial or not combines both form and function, however, commercial architecture has to meet the needs of the business world. Some commercial projects are simple. One location on one small city corner. Other projects are enormous in their scope, covering many acres or city blocks. Architectural projects have to go through several clear design phases
First off, the initial meeting between the architect and the client is arranged. This helps to define the scope of the project and give a general estimate as to how long it is going to take. The architect will then submit some initial designs with the client. While the client’s wishes are paramount, the architect has to balance their ideas with a combination of other factors such as structural integrity, building codes for the city or municipal area, as well as any local ordinances.
Why an Architect Has to Juggle All This
First off, some cities don’t permit buildings over a certain size to be built. Without approval, the city is well within its rights to halt construction, impose fines, and other things that can interfere with the project or even kill it before it gets too far.
Some neighborhoods restrict the types of signage that is allowed which makes sense if you think about it. There was a prominent church on the freeway for example that had an extremely bright LED sign that was causing more than a few wrecks. They put it up without doing a feasibility study. In the Willo Historical District a business bought one of the homes and was going to turn it into an office. They didn’t know that they couldn’t make structural changes without the approval of the district.
So as you hopefully see, there is more to building a building than drawing up some plans and breaking ground. Before the building is even started, the plans are reviewed, modeled, and researched. So remember, if you have a business, there is one professional that you have to have in your address book along with your lawyer and insurance company: your commercial architect.
For more information on commercial architectural design, be sure to read part two and part three as well.
DesignLine Architects, LLC
470 E. Canyon Creek Court ,
Gilbert, AZ 85295
480-710-3861
http://www.designlinearchitects.com
How to Improve a Commercial Property Part 3
DesignLine Architects, LLC
470 E. Canyon Creek Court ,
Gilbert, AZ 85295
480-710-3861
http://www.designlinearchitects.com
How to Consult an Commercial Architect Part 3: Why You Should Hire an Architect For Any Improvements to Your Business
Part three of our three part series on commercial architects explores some final reasons why architects should be involved at several stages of your project.
Commercial Architects: Navigating Red Tape and Paper Jungles
Call a Commercial Architect Today | 480-710-3861
A lot of businesses try to improve their bottom line, and try to leave out a commercial architect‘s involvement in their project, only to be surprised later on when they get a hefty fine from the city and/or the county. How can this happen?
It isn’t as easy as just knocking out a wall if you’re expanding. Any time a business makes changes to the electrical, plumbing, or walls the work needs to be completely signed off and approved by usually two different levels of government: city and county. For commercial projects it is specifically mandated by law that the plans be sealed by a licensed architect and submitted for approval before construction can even start. Sometimes, there are things that a business owner doesn’t know. For example, knocking out a wall may also knock out a telecommunications junction box. Also, building a building without an architect’s sign off can lead to a structurally unsound building. And there is also a vast difference between how something looks on paper and how it looks for real.
Commercial Architects: Image Does Matter
A well designed building has positive effects on your business, and gives off an image that both attracts customers and makes them want to bring their business to you. Inversely, a poorly designed building makes people want to avoid your business. You want to get a commercial architect in as quickly as possible, before you break ground. As a business owner, you’re trying to keep an image while at the same time keeping your costs down.
As you see, projects can be a bit more than you guess. A commercial architect knows how to adhere to a budget, and manage the elements of a project.
DesignLine Architects, LLC
470 E. Canyon Creek Court ,
Gilbert, AZ 85295
480-710-3861
How to Consult an Commercial Architect Part 1: Commercial Architecture
How to Consult an Commercial Architect Part 2: Environmentally Friendly Design
How to Consult an Commercial Architect Part 3: Why You Should Hire One for Your Business
How to Consult an Commercial Architect Part 2: Evironmentally Friendly Design
Part two of a series on commercial architects explores environmentally friendly design. And environmental concerns are on the rise.
Commercial Architecture: Green Building
Hire a commercial architect in Phoenix today | 480-710-3861
Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are causing a lot of problems. Climate change will be one of the biggest issues of this century. As a result, changes in building design are already starting to crop up. In fact, the EPA encourages businesses to design their buildings to start reducing their carbon footprints. Why is green design so important. Well, for one thing, there are several tax breaks that are given to businesses that design their buildings with EPA guidelines. A commercial architect will be able to help design a building in keeping with these guidelines.
Commercial building designs have gotten a lot more sophisticated. In fact a lot of newer buildings are using green building design principles. What is green building? According to this article excerpt from Wikipedia: “Green building (also known as green construction or sustainable building) refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This requires close cooperation of the design team, the architects, the engineers, and the client at all project stages.” [READ MORE]
Green building uses resources more efficiently. For example, a building that has a central open space is often easy to cool down, reducing energy use. Any architect that does commercial work can also design a green building that is aesthetically pleasing as well as comfortable.
Why Businesses are Looking Into Green Design
One of the best reasons to hire a commercial architect to design an eco-friendly building is financial. For one thing there are several tax incentives for businesses that employ green design in their buildings. Also, there can be very some major cost savings in both water and energy costs.
Being environmentally friendly doesn’t necessarily mean making painful sacrifices. It can be as simple as making minor changes, or designing a building with environmental design in mind. The best person to call to help with this is a commercial architect in Phoenix.
Be sure to read part one and part three of this article series as well.
DesignLine Architects, LLC
470 E. Canyon Creek Court ,
Gilbert, AZ 85295
480-710-3861
http://www.designlinearchitects.com
Accelerated Tempe Building Permits
The City of Tempe offers an accelerated process to obtain building permits for minor remodels.
Obtaining approved building permit in Tempe has been put on a “fast track” for those who are planning for minor commercial tenant improvement for your business OR for a minor home renovation. These special programs will significantly shorten the plan review and building permit approval process.
City of Tempe Building Permits
Over The Counter Plan Review
If you meet the following criteria and have a form of payment with you, you may be eligible for an Over the Counter Permit. The Building Permit may be processed while you wait, depending on the complexity of the project. Plan check and building permit fees vary depending upon the type of work being done and the valuation.
- Minor residential additions not exceeding $10,000.00 valuation, patio covers, interior remodels, detached accessory structures, carport to garage conversions, covered patio to livable, and mobile home permits.
- Residential Fire Damage Repairs under 50% damage if the Fire Damage Report is available.
- Counter plan review may be provided for commercial Tenant Improvements (TIs) given the following situations:
- Under 3,000 sq. ft. for Business Offices (no medical offices)
- Under 1,500 sq. ft. for Mercantile space
- Under 15,000 sq. ft. for storage of Low Hazard Storage less than 12’ in height.
- Fire Damage “ Restore to Original” with no structural requirements
- Depending upon the complexity of the work to be constructed, Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) plans for any tenant space under a, b, or c above.
- All other Occupancies—Multi-Family Residential, Medical Office, Assembly, Educational, Factory or Manufacturing, Hazardous, and Institutional Occupancies will require submittal.
3. A counter plan review will NOT be provided when any of the following conditions exist:
- A Notice to Comply has been issued for Construction Without Permits
- A Change of Occupancy or revision of required exiting will occur upon completion of construction
- A Use Permit, Parking Variance, etc. is required from Planning
- Changes to the exterior of the building which will require Planning approval, including roof top changes that add equipment extending above the parapet, exterior lighting changes, window and door changes, paint scheme changes, etc.
- Residential expansion larger than 25% on retention lots requiring engineering approval.
- Mechanical, electrical, plumbing which is part of a pending building project or a building project not suitable for over the counter permits.
- Projects where structural calculations are required.
Please Note: The counter plan review is usually available on TUESDAY and THURSDAY (only) from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. To learn more, call (480) 350-8341 to verify availability of services.
City Of Tempe Building Permits
Fax: 480.350.8677
How Do I Know if I Need a Permit in Tempe?
You May Need a Tempe Building Permit, if you’re:
- – Moving a sink- requires the proper extension of plumbing.
- – Demolishing a load-bearing wall- means redistributing weight from above.
- – Changing the home’s roof line framing.
- – Punching in a new window or door- requires a new header that carries weight from above.
- – Altering the footprint of your house.
- – Installing new electrical wiring.
You May NOT Need a Tempe Building Permit, if you’re:
- – Putting in hardwood floor.
- – Installing carpeting.
- – Upgrading your counter tops.
- – Paint
For more Building Permit specific details related to cities that you live or work, click on one of the following links: Phoenix, Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale.
About the Author
A Tempe architect will help you avoid many common mistakes that are made with construction projects. No matter what kind of space you need today, we’ll make sure it’s designed for your needs in the future. This will give you future function built into today’s home addition. To discuss your Tempe building permit needs, contact Doug Rusk at 480-710-3861 or email us at drusk@designlinearchitects.com.
Architect in Tempe
Doug Rusk, Architect DesignLine Architects, LLC Gilbert, Arizona www.designlinearchitects.com
CASE STUDY– Mesa Office Tenant Improvement
Written By Doug Rusk, Architect
Mesa Office Tenant Improvement
A recent office tenant improvement we performed for a national insurance company showcases a great example of why some businesses are more successful than others. When you’re an insurance business that focuses all day on helping other businesses and individuals with risk prevention, damage protection and safety & Loss control, it’s no surprise to find they are just as smart at handling their own office tenant improvement in a similar way.
So when Mary, their regional Project Manager, needed a reputable General Contractor for her company’s 2875 SF office tenant improvement project in Mesa, she called Joe Harris, managing partner of AZ Construction, LLC. Joe’s first move was to confirm this project qualified for the “Permit By Inspection” program offered by the City of Mesa for minor tenant improvements projects. His second move was to retain Doug Rusk, a principal with DESIGNLine Architects, LLC ASAP, who he knew would make him look good to his client by expediting their design/permit submittal package. And because our client Mary provided a detailed specification package that described all their project goals, Doug’s design team needed only 21 business days from signed design contract to obtain City approved building permit in order to start construction. And Joe’s team needed only 20 business days from building permit approval to finish construction so the tenant could move in.
And as a result of our team’s continuous communication with the City of Mesa, we discovered that the current drinking fountain code requirement could be reduced to only requiring drink cups next to the break room sink. So including the plumbing work that would have been required, this saved the client over $1200.
Mesa Office Tenant Improvement – Scope of Work
Overall, the tenant improvement scope of work on this project was relatively straightforward:
– Removed several decorative walls and ceiling elements in the main room.
– Remove the old ceiling work, and replaced with a new 11’-4” high T-bar ceiling, modified layout of lights and mechanical as required.
– Removed glass door wall in order to open up the front entry.
– Built 3 new walls to create one new office and two conference room. Painted Orange contract color on new office walls shown on left in photo above).
– Added all the necessary electrical outlets, power panel updates, lighting and data lines necessary for 12 cubical work stations.
– Updated paint and flooring throughout entire 2875 SF space.
Have you noticed the growing number of unattended office lobbies these days? In order to create efficiencies in our tenant improvement, we down sized the fancy lobby and instead positioned one of the typical workstations to act as the reception (see image above).
After removing the curved, multi-height ceiling elements and added the new office and conference room (see left side of top picture), we installed a new single height ceiling grid. We saved $1600 by carefully designing the new ceiling grid and lighting so that we didn’t have to move too many fire sprinkler heads. Per Mesa Fire Department codes if you relocate no more than 9 fire sprinkler heads, then you will not be required to submit complete fire sprinkler design drawings to the City of Mesa.
Office Tenant Improvement – Location is Key:
So if you’re business will benefit more exposure, consider some of the moves our subject insurance client performed:
– Find a prominent corner location on a busy intersection with a gas station next door. – Provides great drive by exposure to drivers waiting at a stop light.
– Locate your business between nationally franchised restaurants on one side and a Fed-Ex type postage delivery store on the other side. This will provide continuous walk by traffic that will build familiarity to your brand.
For other great ideas, read this: Cost Effective Tenant Improvement Ideas
About the Author
Doug Rusk is the principal at DESIGNLine Architects, LLC located in Gilbert, Arizona. We specialize in residential and commercial tenant improvement for small and medium sized businesses with expertise in space planning and interior design consulting. We’ll provide your General Contractor a thorough preliminary design packages that will enable an early construction cost estimate to confirm your budget quickly.
Doug Rusk, Architect
DesignLine Architects, LLC
Gilbert, Arizona
480-710-3861
www.designlinearchitects.com
Mesa Building Permit “Shortcuts”
The City of Mesa offers an accelerated process to obtain building permits for minor remodels.
If you haven’t already heard… the City of Mesa offers a “shortcut” to obtain building permits for minor commercial remodel. This special program, called “Permit By Inspection” (PBI), will significantly shorten the Plan Review and Permit Approval process – if your project qualifies.
City of Mesa
Minor Commercial Tenant Improvement
Permit By Inspection (PBI)
The permit by inspection program (PBI) is a voluntary alternative to the standard construction document plan review and building permit approval processes for special projects of certain building uses, occupancies and degree of complexity. The PBI program is intended to provide a stream-lined approach to building permit plan review review and issuance in which senior building inspectors review construction documents in the field and approve the issuance of the building permit. There is a 20% premium for the PBI process on top of the regular building permit fee and other fees.
Benefits of the “Permit By Inspection” (PBI) Process:
- – Typically the Permit By Inspection (PBI) is processed in a 5 day turnaround time (instead of 18 days).
- – Cuts down on paperwork.
- – Much of process is done by email.
- – One contact person who is familiar with the project and special conditions.
- – Construction work can proceeds as the plan review is taking place.
- – Quick response time to changing field conditions.
There are currently no written criteria to determine if your project will qualify for the building permit by PBI process. To learn more, call Clyde at (480) 644-4273.
If your project does NOT qualify for the PBI process, the regular Plan Review Turn-Around Times at this writing are:
Commercial
- – 5 business day PBI review.
- – 18 business days review.
- – 10 day expedite review (100% of building permit fee).
- – Super expedite review with negotiated turn-around time (200% of building permit fee).
Residential
- – 10 business day review (5 days for master plot plans).
- – 5 day expedite review (100% of building permit fee).
Signs
- – 10 business days.
- – Get Your Sign Permit Approved in One Review – 10 Steps!
Over-The-Counter Plan Review
The City of Mesa also offers same day over-the-counter plan reviews for the following projects types:
- – Emergency repairs (water, sewer, gas, electric).
- – “Like for Like” repair/replacement (gas, water, electric).
- – Banner Permits.
City of Mesa
Construction Plan Review and Building Permits 55 N. Center St. Mesa, AZ 85201 PHONE (480) 644-4273 OFFICE HOURS: 7:00am to 6:00pm, M-TH CLOSED FRIDAYS AND HOLIDAYSFor more Building Permit specific details related to cities that you live or work, click on one of the following links: Phoenix, Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale.
About the Author
A Mesa architect will help you avoid many common mistakes that are made with construction projects. No matter what kind of space you need today, we’ll make sure it’s designed for your needs in the future. This will give you future function built into today’s home addition. To discuss your Mesa building permit needs, contact Doug Rusk at 480-710-3861 or email us at drusk@designlinearchitects.com.
Architect in Mesa
Doug Rusk, Architect
DesignLine Architects, LLC
Gilbert, Arizona
www.designlinearchitects.com
Chandler Building Permits – Fast Track
Small Business Benefits from Fast Tracked Chandler Building Permits
Chandler is one small business richer since a new bread making business, Gratifying Grains LLC, opened this week. The new Mother and Daughter owners, Betsy Moore and Megan Moore, said that “because they only planned on a minor remodel, the City of Chandler offered us an expedited process to obtain our tenant improvement building permits.”
But they’re not the only ones. Many new Chandler businesses, who are planning to apply for a minor commercial tenant improvement (TI), have recently utilized this special Chandler program called the Small Business Assistance Program. According to Betsy, “this terrific program significantly shortened the plan review time and building permit approval process for us. “ Because not all construction projects will qualify for this program, she recommended that people call Martin Perez at 480-782-3138 for more information.
Minor Commercial Tenant Improvement
Small Business Assistance Program
The Small Business Assistance Program is similar, but slightly different, to the Permit By Inspection (PBI) program offered at other Southeast Valley cities. Here’s how it works. A four member team from the Development Services staff, called the Small Business Assistance Team, will visit your new tenant space, and then mail you a written letter that identifies any issues of “significant importance” that might have the potential of costing you time and money. This team is available at no cost and is intended to assist the small business community by helping clients navigate the City’s planning, building permit and licensing process.
QUALIFICATIONS:
There are currently no written qualifications to define a “minor tenant improvement”. To learn more, call Martin Perez at 480-782-3138.
215 East Buffalo Street.
Chandler, AZ 85225
Phone: Call Martin Perez at 480-782-3138 to answer expedited method of obtaining building permits.
How Do I Know if I Need a Chandler Building Permit?
May Need a Phoenix Building Permit, if you’re:
- – Moving a sink- requires the proper extension of plumbing.
- – Demolishing a load-bearing wall- means redistributing weight from above.
- – Changing the home’s roof line framing.
- – Punching in a new window or door- requires a new header that carries weight from above.
- – Altering the footprint of your house.
- – Installing new electrical wiring.
You May NOT Need a Phoenix Building Permit, if you’re:
- – Putting in hardwood floor.
- – Installing carpeting.
- – Upgrading your counter tops.
- – Paint
For more Building Permit specific details related to cities that you live or work, click on one of the following links: Phoenix, Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale.
About the Author Building Permits, Building Permits, Building Permits, Building Permits
A Chandler architect will help you avoid many common mistakes that are made with construction projects. No matter what kind of space you need today, we’ll make sure it’s designed for your needs in the future. This will give you future function built into today’s home addition. To discuss your Chandler building permit needs, contact Doug Rusk at 480-710-3861 or email us at drusk@designlinearchitects.com. building permits, Building Permits, Building Permits, Building Permits
Architect in Chandler
Doug Rusk, Architect
DesignLine Architects, LLC
Gilbert, Arizona
www.designlinearchitects.com