Building a new home is one of the most significant investments of time and money that most of us make in our lifetime. We understand the importance and personal involvement this represents. Shouldn't your new home truly represent your family's desires, needs and taste? Are you uncertain if the home you're envisioning will fit and complement the location you've chosen? Let us offer our years of expertise and take some of the worries and doubt out of this complex and seemingly frustrating process.

Many people have the misconception that architects only work on large expensive homes. In fact, the architects at HMA repeatedly do plans for small starter homes, as well as, a great number of mid-range and high-end homes. HMA Architects has developed a method of matching the services to the needs and budgets of our projects. If you don't need building details, cabinet drawings, or help picking paint colors, you shouldn't have to pay your architect for it. If your builder is prepared to provide these services in his fee, there is no reason you should pay your architect to do these same things.

Perhaps you've heard the expression that "good design doesn't cost, it pays". Quite frankly you can't afford not to use an architect. Chances are that the money you spend with us will more than be returned in efficiency and construction savings. When a client brings us a plan for their new dream home, we often find that they have tried to correct problems in their current home by adding more space. The better solution is one that corrects and removes the conflicts, and this can often be accomplished with the same or less space. Additionally, builders will confirm that a clear-cut, well thought out set of plans speeds construction and helps prevent costly change orders during construction.

The architects at HMA can help you put all your thoughts and wishes together in a plan that will work for you. First, we will set up a meeting that fits your schedule. For this meeting you will want to bring any photographs of houses or details you like, sketches of plans or elevations you have drawn, photographs of your site, and any other information you have collected. The other but most important thing to consider is your list of priorities.  This is needed to determine of all the options in the world what is most important to your new home.  Think of it as the top ten things your new home needs, or the reason you are wanting to build a new custom home.  Once your needs are determined, we can tailor our services to fit your requirements. With the information you have provided, we will begin designing a home that fits your specific needs. During this process we pay particular attention to your budget. After we have developed a preliminary design that you approve, we will produce your customized set of working drawings in a timely fashion to meet your schedule.

There are a multitude of things that architects must consider when designing a home. Many people seem to believe that architects are only concerned with the appearance of a building. In addition to designing a house that provides pride of ownership through its appearance, we are equally concerned that your family is comfortable and safe, in a home that reflects you. Our desire is to produce plans that are meaningful to you while also providing the information needed by your builder. This begs another question many may ask. "Why can't I just buy a design from a plan book?" Plan book designs are great for those individuals who have found a plan and are ready to build it exactly as shown. However, any changes, modifications, or adaptations to a specific site will require additional services, and the final cost will change substantially. This is another reason many of our clients choose for us to provide customized working drawings that are specific to their particular requirements.