Overview of Pippin's New Home Services
Designing a custom home is a thoughtful and creative process, one that balances vision, site, and the lives of those who will live there.
The following outlines the methods that have guided our 92+ award-winning homes over the past four decades.
Discovery Call – Let’s Talk
Every project begins with a conversation. During this call, we learn about your vision for a new home, answer your initial questions, and share our feedback based on decades of experience to help guide you confidently forward on your design journey.
Initial Consultation – Let’s Meet
Your first in-person meeting with Jenny, our lead designer and founder, is an opportunity to explore your needs, lifestyle, and design vision in depth. Every project is unique, and during this consultation, we focus on what makes you and your property special. We consider your desired lifestyle, who you’ll share your home with, and the memories you hope to create. Your health and wellness are brought to center stage as we discuss ways your home can enhance your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. Accessible and Universal Design principles are also explored to bring ease and comfort to everyday life, alongside your specific needs, desires, and investment goals.
With over 40 years of experience, Jenny carefully takes detailed notes and offers expert insights, helping you explore layout, flow, and design possibilities that are uniquely tailored to your vision. This initial meeting typically takes 1.5-2 hours.
Design Questionnaire – Let’s Learn
After your Initial Consultation, we’ll send a link to our Design Questionnaire. This in-depth discovery tool helps us understand how you live, what matters most in your daily routines, and how you want your home to function over time. It allows us to align early on priorities, preferences, and investment goals – creating a clear foundation for a focused, intentional, and highly personalized design process.
Agreement – Let’s Make it Official
Once your Design Questionnaire has been submitted, we’ll send a detailed agreement outlining the project Scope and our fees for your project. This contract will also explain all terms of our agreement. Once the agreement is signed and your Phase I retainer is received, we’ll add your project to our design queue.
All agreements differ greatly due to the nature of each individual custom project scope, therefore the potential fees for our services vary based on your unique project requirements.
Note: Agreements do not include drawings. Much more information is needed before we’re able to begin designing your dream home.
Design Phases – Let’s Start Design
PHASE I: SITE ASSESSMENT & CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
This phase ensures your home is thoughtfully positioned, purposefully designed, and deeply connected to both your land and the way you live.
Services Include
- Site visit and property analysis
- Evaluation of environmental and regulatory factors
- Master planning for current and future improvements
- Conceptual floor plans and site plan
- One conceptual exterior elevation
- Client and Team review meetings
Site Assessment
We begin with an on-site visit, walking the property with you to understand why you chose the land and how it can best support your lifestyle and long-term goals.
We evaluate the land’s unique attributes – including views, topography, natural features, sun patterns, prevailing winds, tree preservation, and areas of shade and exposure – to position your home in harmony with its surroundings. We also consider practical requirements such as driveway access, setback lines, easements, utilities, and well and septic placement (if applicable).
Your survey with topographic information is essential at this stage, allowing us to plan responsibly and anticipate future improvements such as guest houses, pools, outbuildings, and landscape features.
By combining these insights with the in-depth discussions from your initial consultation, we begin to envision your home on the land – aligning design with environment, lifestyle, and long-term functionality.
Conceptual Design
With a clear understanding of your site and vision, we begin the creative design process. This phase explores design possibilities and establishes the overall direction for your home.
Preliminary Conceptual Designs are developed, including initial floor plans and a site plan that illustrate layout, flow, and placement on the property.
You will review these drawings and provide feedback. After floor plan feedback is incorporated, one conceptual exterior elevation is created to begin visualizing the architectural character of your home.
These Conceptual Designs establish the overall design direction and support early planning and investment decisions.
PHASE II: DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
This phase ensures your design is well refined, visually clear, and aligned with both your aesthetic vision and investment goals.
Services Include
- Detailed CAD floor plans, exterior elevations, roof plan, and site plan
- 3D exterior perspective views for visualization
- Review of interior and exterior finish materials
- Design review meetings with you and Team Members as needed
- Revision time to refine and align the design
In Phase II, the approved Conceptual Design is developed into a comprehensive set of CAD drawings that illustrate the project in greater detail. This stage transforms the initial ideas into a clear and cohesive design, allowing you to fully visualize your future home and understand its scope.
Collaboration with your Builder and other Team members during this phase can support coordination and early decision-making.
While these drawings are not final construction documents, they present a more complete picture of the project and can be used by Builders to prepare preliminary cost estimates for discussion around your investment goals.
PHASE III: CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS
This phase transforms your vision into precise, build-ready plans your building Team needs to price, permit, and build your home.
Construction Drawing Set Includes
- Cover sheet and project overview
- Site plan (based on current survey)
- Foundation/slab plan with dimensions and notes
- Fully dimensioned and noted floor plans
- Roof plan(s), per structure
- Exterior elevations (minimum of four per structure)
- 3D exterior perspective views
- Building and wall sections as required
- Electrical plan(s) for each level
- Window, door, and skylight schedules
- Kitchen cabinet elevations
- Details for specialty features (e.g., elevator, retractable screens, sealed crawl space) if applicable
- Healthy home material and resource recommendations
Based on the approved Design Development drawings, Phase III produces a comprehensive set of Construction Drawings that serve as the blueprint for construction and unify your entire Build Team. These documents provide the technical detail required for builder pricing, permitting, coordination with a Structural Engineer, and the successful execution of your home.
Collaboration with your Builder and key Team Members during this stage helps finalize remaining details and ensures the plans are coordinated, clear, and ready for construction.
Structural Engineering
Structural engineering is not included in our services. However, we coordinate with your selected Structural Engineer and provide the Construction Drawings to ensure seamless integration before plans are released to the Builder. Engineering fees are separate and paid directly to your Engineer.
Additional Services
For clients who want a more immersive and technology-driven experience, we offer a range of optional services such as color fly-around animations, interior renderings, and Walk-Thru Plans® – a full-scale floor plan projection that allows you to physically walk through your home’s layout, experience room sizes, and better understand how the spaces will function and flow when built. This provides you enhanced comfort in knowing that everything has been considered prior to construction.
Be sure to visit our Gallery to see many of our completed custom Renovations.
