Services

Due Diligence or Property Condition Assessment (PCA) would include a review of building systems to evaluate deferred maintenance items that can materially affect the operation and value of a property.  Building systems would include the foundation, roof, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, vertical transportation, and building envelope (windows and walls).

The report will often include a cost table showing the immediate and necessary future repairs and their estimated associated costs.  As an example the table would show than in 2 years the outside will need paint and that in 5 years the parking lot will need resurfacing….etc.

Additionally it is common for a Due Diligence or PCA to include securing a copy of the Title Insurance policy regarding the ownership of the property and the encumbrances to which it is subject, and requiring the owner to secure an attornment from each tenant establishing agreement as to lease terms currently in force, and to research the zoning laws applicable to the property, building code compliance of the premises, the existence of any special assessments of property taxes applicable to the property.

These reports are required as part of securitized lending CMBS (Commercial Mortage Backed Security).

See Due Diligence under Services/Civil Engineering/Due Diligence for additional requirements.

The preparation of a Concept Plan or Plans is typically the first step done by a Architect after initial meeting with the prospective client to illustrate his or hers thoughts based on the clients conceived vision or plan for the project.

A Concept Plan is generally graphic in nature from a simple hand drawn sketch to more elaborate computer generated 3D graphics and video’s.  The level of detail is souly dependant on the clients wishes.

We have several clients that have and continue to use some of these concept graphics in their marketing and capital campaigns.  They can be a very useful tool to help get your vision to the masses.

A document or report that describes, in narrative and with maps, an overall development concept.  The “Master Plan” is used to coordinate the preparation of more detailed plans or may be a collection of detailed plans.

Most “Master Plans” deal with overall site or area development by pre-planning the allocation of residential, commercial, public and manufacturing within the planned development site or area.  Some plans look at this typically in 1, 3, 5 & 10 year development or construction periods.

These “Master Plans” generally are used by a local government to guide private and public development or by a developer on a specific project.

A typical plan can have many parts such as:

• Conceptual Site Layout


• Conceptual Floor Plans


• Conceptual Building Elevations


• Conceptual Landscape Plan


• Construction Phasing Plan

See Services/Civil Engineering/Master Planning for additional requirements.

A Program Consultation is generally undertaken to help the Architect understand what the required uses and functions the building or space will need to serve.  This varies with every client and building, though multiple clients may have the same business model they each can conduct and emphasize different aspects of their business in the designed space.

A Needs Assessment is very similar to a Program Consultation and in some instances they support each other.  A Needs Assessment is undertaken to determine exactly what is absolutely going to be required to in the building or space being designed.  This is generally done in redevelopment or adaptive re-use of existing buildings or spaces.

A Narrative Program is everything you need to know before you draw. The longer answer is that programming is a process that an Architect leads a client through to identify and articulate what the projects objectives and constraints are now and in the future. This process will involve our asking questions then listening. At the end of the process we will establish the project design objectives a list of your needs, wants, and priorities in written and numerical form. The result will be a detailed work plan that will guide the Planning and Design process. Good, detailed programming is imperative to a successful project.

Ballard Architects offers this service to clients by request only.

We do sub out for Specialty Services depending on complexity such as: 

            Acoustical Design

            Audio and Visual

            Security………

Construction Documents develop all the Concepts, Planning, Programming into a single set of drawings typically including Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Civil Engineering Drawings into one comprehensive set of drawings for construction.

The preparation of these plans typically have three phases.  With each phase the level of detail increases:

• Schematic Design


• Design Development


• Construction Documents

This system allows for program changes to be made along the path of design till the final phase Construction Documents are submitted to the local regulating jurisdictions for review and permitting.

Ballard Architects provides Pre-Construction Services as an additional service to our clients.

Typically this service includes the following: 

• Preliminary Opinions of Probable Cost (Estimates)


• Value Engineering


• Constructability


• Material Substitution Suggestions


• Preliminary Construction Scheduling


• Bidding

Ballard Architects offers Construction Administration services to our clients at our current hourly rate.  This service typically runs between 5 -10% of construction costs over the length of the contract.  It has been our experience that the costs have been closer to the 5% in new construction projects with a slight increase in redevelopment and adaptive re-use projects.

This service provides for Construction Document / Construction conflict resolution.  Review of all submitted shop drawings and material substitutions submitted by the contractor to the architect.

In our contracts we typically allocate funds for two site visits or meetings.

Building Forensics is one of Ballard Architects newest services being offered by request only.

Building Forensics is a specialized investigation resolution and prevention of construction related defects and ensuing damage.

We apply an experienced approach to the assessment, evaluation, design and construction of entire building envelope systems.  This enables us to assist Architects, Engineers, Builders, and Property Owners in the development and repair of sustainable structures using affordable building technologies.

Ballard Architects offers as an additional service to clients the preparation of BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) Calculations for new and existing buildings.

This method requires diligent on-going documentation (using tools such as Cad) of base building circulation and extended circulation but may offer leasing advantages and more stability over time in the rentable area of a building.

These standardized calculations are widely used and accepted by property owners and property managers for determining the load factor for the common areas of their buildings, while assisting  them in their lease preparation for rentable areas.

Due Diligence or Engineering Assessment of commercial real estate transactions can include the following:

• Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments


• Site Topographical Survey


• Site Existing Utilities Survey


• Site Boundary Survey


• Research of available public records for subject property or properties


• Research of local, state, and federal regulations for subject property or properties


• Research of Planning, Zoning, and Comprehensive Plan of local jurisdiction


• Meet with local jurisdiction and regulatory agencies


• On-Site visual inspection


• Traffic Impact Study


• Geotechnical Investigation

See Due Diligence under Services/Architecture/Due Diligence for additional requirements.

A document or report that describes, in narrative and with maps, an overall development concept.  The “Master Plan” is used to coordinate the preparation of more detailed plans or may be a collection of detailed plans.

Most “Master Plans” deal with overall site or area development by pre-planning the allocation of residential, commercial, public and manufacturing within the planned development site or area.  Some plans look at this typically in 1, 3, 5 & 10 year development or construction periods.

These “Master Plans” generally are used by a local government to guide private and public development or by a developer on a specific project.

A typical plan can have many parts such as:

• Conceptual Site Plan


• Conceptual Grading Plan


• Conceptual Utility Plan


• Conceptual Storm Water Management Plan

See Services/Architecture/Master Planning for additional requirements.

Construction Documents develop all the Concepts, Planning, Programming into a single set of drawings typically including Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Civil Engineering Drawings into one comprehensive set of drawings for construction.

The preparation of these plans typically have three phases.  With each phase the level of detail increases):

• Schematic Design


• Design Development


• Construction Documents

This system allows for program changes to be made along the path of design till the final phase Construction Documents are submitted to the local regulating jurisdictions for review and permitting.

Ballard Architects provides Pre-Construction Services as an additional service to our clients.

Typically this service includes the following: 

• Preliminary Opinions of Probable Cost (Estimates)


• Value Engineering


• Constructability


• Material Substitution Suggestions


• Preliminary Construction Scheduling


• Bidding

Ballard Architects offers Construction Administration services to our clients at our current hourly rate.  This service typically runs between 5 -10% of construction costs over the length of the contract.  It has been our experience that the costs have been closer to the 5% in new construction projects with a slight increase in redevelopment and adaptive re-use projects.

This service provides for Construction Document / Construction conflict resolution.  Review of all submitted shop drawings and material substitutions submitted by the contractor to the architect.

In our contracts we typically allocate funds for two site visits or meetings.